Getting around Korea: city to city

Seoul to Gwangju by train, bus or plane

How to get from Seoul to Gwangju. By train it takes 1 h 59 min (fastest 1 h 36 min), with 37 trains a weekday from 05:08 to 22:23.

How	Time	Per day	First and last	Fare (adult, one way)	From
Train	1 h 59 min	37	05:08–22:23	from ₩33,100	Yongsan Station

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

Seoul to Gwangju by train

Trains leave from Yongsan Station and arrive at Gwangju-Songjeong Station. 31 of the 37 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.
ITX-Saemaeul and ITX-Maeum: intercity trains, slower and cheaper.
Mugunghwa: the slowest and cheapest, stopping at many stations.

All 37 departures on a weekday

Leaves	Arrives	Type	Fare
05:08	07:07	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
05:48	07:46	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
06:29	08:28	KTX	₩41,900
07:13	09:51	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
07:37	09:25	KTX	₩41,900
07:43	10:22	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
07:47	09:42	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
08:20	10:09	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
08:44	12:43	ITX-Saemaeul	₩33,100
09:19	11:05	KTX	₩41,900
09:44	11:45	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
09:47	13:31	ITX-Maeum	₩33,100
10:03	11:58	KTX	₩41,900
10:40	12:35	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
12:07	16:08	ITX-Saemaeul	₩33,100
12:45	14:53	KTX-Sancheon	₩37,800
12:50	14:42	KTX	₩41,900
14:08	16:12	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
14:38	17:25	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
14:48	16:46	KTX	₩41,900
15:33	17:33	KTX	₩41,900
16:08	17:44	KTX-Cheongryong	₩41,900
16:38	18:35	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
17:10	20:04	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
17:10	20:04	KTX-Sancheon	₩38,600
17:10	20:04	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
17:10	20:04	KTX-Sancheon	₩38,600
17:18	20:59	ITX-Maeum	₩33,100
17:44	19:36	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
18:10	22:36	Mugunghwa	₩33,100
18:31	20:31	KTX	₩41,900
19:11	23:08	ITX-Saemaeul	₩33,100
19:41	21:41	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
20:09	22:07	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,900
21:09	23:44	KTX-Sancheon	₩41,000
21:18	23:08	KTX	₩41,900
22:23	00:21	KTX-Sancheon	₩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 Seoul to Gwangju?

About 1 h 59 min on a typical high-speed train; the fastest takes 1 h 36 min.

How many trains are there from Seoul to Gwangju?

37 on a weekday and 36 on a Saturday. The first leaves at 05:08 and the last at 22:23.

How much is the train from Seoul to Gwangju?

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