Getting around Korea: city to city

Gwangju to Seoul by train, bus or plane

How to get from Gwangju to Seoul. By train it takes 2 h 05 min (fastest 1 h 40 min), with 36 trains a weekday from 05:37 to 22:24.

How	Time	Per day	First and last	Fare (adult, one way)	From
Train	2 h 05 min	36	05:37–22:24	from ₩33,100	Gwangju-Songjeong Station

Timetable from Korea's national transport data (TAGO), checked 10 October 2026. Times change with the season and holidays: confirm when you book.

Gwangju to Seoul by train

Trains leave from Gwangju-Songjeong Station and arrive at Yongsan Station. 30 of the 36 weekday trains are high-speed (KTX or similar); the rest are slower trains that cost less.

Which train is which

KTX, KTX-Sancheon, KTX-Cheongryong, KTX-Eum: high-speed trains, the fastest option.
Mugunghwa: the slowest and cheapest, stopping at many stations.
ITX-Saemaeul and ITX-Maeum: intercity trains, slower and cheaper.

All 36 departures on a weekday

Leaves	Arrives	Type	Fare
05:37	07:42	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
05:46	08:31	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
06:01	08:13	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
06:10	09:25	KTX	₩38,600
06:10	09:25	KTX	₩37,800
07:41	09:46	KTX	₩41,900
07:50	12:26	Mugunghwa	₩33,100
08:48	10:59	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
09:43	11:38	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
10:17	12:18	KTX	₩41,900
11:05	12:57	KTX	₩41,900
11:09	15:08	ITX-Saemaeul	₩33,100
11:21	13:26	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
11:34	13:41	KTX	₩41,900
11:46	15:39	ITX-Maeum	₩33,100
12:17	15:12	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
13:40	15:52	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
14:09	16:01	KTX	₩41,900
14:29	16:26	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
14:57	17:03	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
15:56	17:41	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
16:17	18:16	KTX	₩41,900
16:34	20:27	ITX-Maeum	₩33,100
17:01	21:40	ITX-Saemaeul	₩33,100
17:10	19:36	KTX-Sancheon	₩37,800
17:29	20:15	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
17:48	20:42	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
18:22	22:22	ITX-Saemaeul	₩33,100
18:25	20:05	KTX-Cheongryong	₩41,900
18:41	20:46	KTX	₩41,900
19:26	21:18	KTX	₩41,900
20:29	22:34	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
20:50	22:54	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
20:50	22:54	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
21:22	23:26	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
22:24	00:15	KTX	₩41,900

How to book

Trains: in the Korail+ app or on letskorail.com in English, with a foreign card. Tickets go on sale a month ahead; weekends and holidays sell out, so book a few days early. The Korea Rail Pass gives unlimited rides for foreign visitors.

Questions

How long is the train from Gwangju to Seoul?

About 2 h 05 min on a typical high-speed train; the fastest takes 1 h 40 min.

How many trains are there from Gwangju to Seoul?

36 on a weekday and 36 on a Saturday. The first leaves at 05:37 and the last at 22:24.

How much is the train from Gwangju to Seoul?

About ₩41,900 for a standard adult seat on the high-speed train; slower trains from ₩33,100.