However, if you want a truly unique experience, visit the DMZ. The next stop was for lunch at a military cafeteria. Be sure to have cash for the DMZ train tickets, bus, lunch, drinks, souvenirs, snacks, and any other incidentals. This ideological war was happening in many countries around the world at this time.The Korean War ended in 1953, although it was technically won by neither side. Regarding the tunnel, from the furthest point we got to, its fortified with fencing, barbed wire, artillery, etc. was discovered in the 1970s measuring 435 metres in length, North Korea said it wasnt theirs. So glad to hear this proved helpful in pursuing the DMZ Train. We enjoyed our experience of taking the DMZ train. Rose is a solo traveller from the UK who has been on the road since 2015. One acted as a village for factory workers but has been abandoned since the nuclear weapon threats of 2016. Find the travel option that best suits you. From Dorasan Station, passengers are not permitted to tour the various sites throughout the DMZ on their own. The empty train car made us a little nervous and uneasy, as we chugged toward the North Korea border. Thanks for this! Thanks, The bus tickets to tour the DMZ sites from Dorasan Station are sold separately. Hope you have a great trip to Seoul and a positive experience of taking the DMZ train next month. And the fact that South Korea has a fully stocked station ready to go as soon as peace breaks out. Apparently, they think it may encourage South Koreans to defect to North Korea, although Im not sure why anyone would!When you visit Dora Observatory, youll see two other villages located in the DMZ. Yet perhaps most notable are the portions of the Berlin Wall that have been reassembled in the park as a sign of encouragement by Germanys reunification. The only thing I wondered though was, what if there are more people on the train than seats on the bus? The soldier guiding the tour will also tell you not to make any contact with waving, speaking, etc., to the North Korean soldiers. Day trip to DMZ: how to choose the best tour - Zen Moments in Korea Its eerie to see remnants of the former bridge that had been destroyed during the Korean War. The Dora Observatory is so close to North Korea that it allows visitors to gaze down into North Korea. You do indeed get to gaze down into North Korea with binoculars, which is interesting to see in person. Once arriving by train into the DMZ, you must then transfer onto a planned bus course to fully experience and explore the many sites within this heavily restricted area. The alternative is to hang around Dorasan for five hours, when the DMZ train returns back to Seoul. Traveling from Seoul will take 2 hours by car or bus to the DMZ. There are 4 ways to get from Seoul Station to DMZ Tours by subway, taxi, bus or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Tour from Seoul - Klook Travel There are strictly no cameras allowed, hence we could not take any photos from within the third tunnel. The whole situation is scary but at least all of these attempts to invade South Korea have been unsuccessful. Get to visit the zones most important sites, like the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel and the Dora Observatory, Learn about the divide between both Koreas through the stories and commentary of your guide, Pick one of two routes for the Seoul City Tour Bus and hop on and off the bus as much as you want, The Seoul City Tour Bus system allows you to craft your own itinerary and go sightseeing at your leisure. As you said the lunch in the ex military canteen was nothing spectacular and not much choice but overall better than expected. Especially when things will open up again and everyone will want to travel again at the same time. DMZ Tour from Seoul + Seoul City Tour Bus Ticket. Thats when we learned about the DMZ train. After leaving Dorasan Station, the stops are (1) Dorasan Peace Park, (2) lunch stop at the cafeteria, (3) Dora Observatory, and (4) 3rd Tunnel of Aggression + the adjacent DMZ Pavillion museum. Be taken back in time and see important artefacts from Korean history. A Complete Guide For How To Visit The DMZ From Seoul - The Soul of Seoul Gangwon-do () , Gyeonggi-do () A Complete Guide For How To Visit The DMZ From Seoul 15 Comments Not only was I featured on CNN for sharing some hidden gems in the DMZ, but I've been there multiple times over my more than 15 years living in Korea. This blog shares our discoveries & aims to inspire your next trip while maximizing your travel budget! And then I found this. Dear John, thank you for the valuable information. Thank you so much for your incredibly informative post with all the fantastic photos! The eight-night South Korea Soul itinerary is a roundtrip journey from Seoul that will visit sites like the Demilitarized Zone and Jeonju, a Unesco World Heritage Site. A Complete Guide For How To Visit The DMZ From Seoul Its also where visitors can actually be permitted to slightly cross the border and briefly step foot into North Korea while within the buildings of a special neutral zone. The DMZ train runs on a strict time schedule, so dont be late. Thats so strange/funny/weird to hear someone got lost at the observatory. Make sure to check out the Propaganda Village, which is empty and is a fake village built by North Korea. Thanks so much for taking the time to write this. DMZ with Gogo (tour guide) - Review of VIP TRAVEL, Seoul, South Korea Then everyone gets back on again for the next stop. Id wanted to visit for years, ever since Id first learnt about the unique and tragic situation in North Korea. How had the DMZ buffer come to exist? You simply wouldnt have the experience of actually riding on the train. And it felt a little strange to be goofing around with these funny props in this otherwise extremely serious place in the world. Upon peace between the two feuding nations, unification by rail and otherwise is the dream. Right, we had no idea either! Get a quote.For travel insurance for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing.Check out my resources page for more travel discounts and tips! Many South Koreans have donated money so that, if and when unity is restored, a line can be built connecting the divided nations.Ultimately, this is what South Koreans want: unity and to see their long-lost family members again. It was such an interesting experience to read about your trip to the DMZ. As a divided nation, only 2.5 miles (4 km) separate the North from the South at what is the most heavily armed border on earth. How to visit the DMZ on the Korean Peninsula | CNN For example, an empty military helmet is surrounded by words like harmony. Its all quite a contrast that sets the tone for the journey ahead. So North Korea retaliated by building what became the tallest flagpole in the world at the time, soaring 160 meters (525 feet) high. How much cheaper is it? The Conference Road holds the Conference room and three other buildings colored blue or gray. The JSA is a neutral meeting place inside the DMZ. Im hoping to go to SK next year if the situation allows it, for now its just dreaming and planning. Forget the headache large groups and discomfort of tour buses and relax in private round-trip transportation from your Seoul hotel. Adorning the DMZ train wallsare an odd mix of symbols, showing peace along with harsh signs of war. . I think thats the closest one can get to N.Korea, though it might be opening up to tourists off late, for those who would give a positive note on N. Korea. I think we (2 adults and 12 year old) will definitely take the train trip. Below are some things you will see when going to the DMZ. The minute we asked a political question, our guide just started her speech from the start again! The DMZ is a heavily fortified border that separates North and South Korea and is one of the most guarded borders in the world. As you explore the exhibition, you will see how the war . So we advise choosing between the DMZ train and a tour from Seoul based upon the other factors mentioned above, rather than price. Attire such as ripped jeans or skimpy outfits is not permitted here. What an incredibly bizarre experience. VISITING SOUTH KOREA? During our trip, the bus dropped us off back at Dorasan before 4:00, so we had more than a half hour to explore Dorasan Station a bit before taking the DMZ Train back to Seoul. Its definitely an interesting novelty! Your email address will not be published. Sadly there are no Korea budget hacks to see it cheaply. Hotel Pick-Up: Most all DMZ tours from Seoul offer free hotel pick-up, making for a more seamless experience and saving on transit expense on getting to the train station. Were always looking for the best values in travel and we found this DMZ train to be the cheapest way possible to reach the notorious demilitarized zone from Seoul. The American-led United Nations Command and North Korea still maintain a joint conference room . The day of my visit marked exactly 73 years since the Korean War began in 1950, and the spot I stood at wasn't far from the site where, a couple weeks later, a US soldier would shock the world by darting across the border and defecting into North Korea.. Spanning the 160-mile width of the Korean peninsula, the . I had about only half a day left before my return flight, and now after reading your article, feel convinced that it couldnt have been possible in half a day. Hello, I dont recall her name now or have a contact. You can also see war tanks and aircraft dating back to the War, as well as The Bridge of Freedom which many South Koreans crossed to come home after having been displaced by the fighting. Anyway, Ill do it this way definitely, so well see! I have a lot of friends that served in Korea and I always kick myself for not going to visit them while they were there lol! Thankfully no one did.I really valued the opportunity to visit the DMZ with a South Korean tour guide. I love trains, especially long train rides on the window seat. You can use many high-powered binoculars for 500 won (2 minutes). The factories appeared active with the industrial plants producing exhaust from the rooftops and perhaps adding to the heavy haze in the air. Theres an empty arrivals hall, a full customs & immigration area, and even an Inter-Korean transit office. Many thanks for the comprehensive report. Yes, the train is timed to connect with the bus. Its a bus tour from Dorasan Station, visiting Peace Park, Observatory & Third Tunnel, as documented all throughout this post. It was around this time of escalations in early 2018 when a North Korea soldier had recently defected, while Trump and Kim Jong-Un were trading insults about who has a bigger button. After reading your post, we have decided to take the DMZ train instead of the Koridoor tour starting/ending at Seoul Station. ( 6 reviews ) 100+ booked 148-39, Imjingak-ro, Munsan-eup, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea Wishlist Gallery S$ 36.45S$ 38.55 Select options Best Price Guarantee All promotions Round-trip shuttle bus service from Seoul to DMZ Enjoy 4.5 hours of free time at the DMZ area Get your DMZ Tour ticket here! In this tour, you will head directly to DMZ from Incheon International Ferry Terminal and witness the existing proof of the tragedy. We had an excellent time exploring the DMZ and the 3rd tunnel. The journey back up was up a very steep slope so make sure youre in good health to do this!Honestly, the tunnel was unremarkable and could have been any in the world. Once you arrive at Dorasan Station, youll be ushered onto the bus. Yet once all the costs of the DMZ Train are tallied, the DMZ Train roughly costs the same as the DMZ tours from Seoul. This hopeful act made me feel sad again, for the North Koreans living under a dictatorship and for the South Koreans who have lost their loved ones. We thought it was really interesting! Id just like to boldly endorse that comment: Ill be in Seoul next week-end and will definetly try out the train option. Thanks so much for stopping back by with feedback and an update on your experience.
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