If you’re strapped for time but want to travel out while in Seoul, why not head to Suwon, a popular destination for a day trip out of Seoul. It’s relatively close by, and depending on what type of transport you use, you can get there as fast as 30 mins.
The city is filled with history and is also home to a UNESCO heritage site. We highly recommend staying to explore Suwon at night, which we feel is a beautiful representation of the city.
How To Get To Suwon From Seoul
There are a couple of ways you can get to Suwon via public transport.
Getting to Suwon by Train
The most budget option to Suwon is to take the subway, which will take about an hour from Seoul station using Subway Line #1 (Dark Blue).
There’s also another station known as Suwon City Hall Station, which is linked to the Suin-Bundang Line (Yellow), and comes from neighborhoods like Wangsimni, Gangnam-gu Office, and Suseo. However, this station is pretty far off from all the tourist attractions. If you’re taking this line, we would suggest alighting at Suwon Station instead of Suwon City Hall Station.
The easiest and fastest way to get to Suwon is to take a KTX train from Seoul Station. The journey takes around 30 mins and will set you back 8,400 won.
Tip: Opt for the Mugunghwa or ITX-Saemaul trains to Suwon which are significantly cheaper and have a similar travel time. The Mugunghwa train ticket costs only 2,700 won!
Getting to Suwon by Bus
There are several buses going to Suwon from Seoul. From Sadang, there are buses 7770 and 7001, and from the Gangnam area, there are buses 3007 and 3000. If you’re visiting Korea for the first time and are not familiar with the Korean language, we recommend taking a train instead.
Explore The Hwaseong Haenggung Palace
Also known as the Hwaseong Temporary Palace, the palace was built in 1796 and restored back in 1975. There’s a huge parade square right in front of the entrance of the palace where you can spot families out and about, flying kites and riding bicycles.
The admission ticket costs 1,500 won. Inside, you can even experience Korean archery, but reservation beforehand is required. If you’re not feeling it, simply roam around the parade square and get some photos of the palace outside and save yourself 1,500 won.
You can also catch the free traditional sword art show at the entrance of the Palace! They use real knives, spears and swords which made it extra cool.
There’s even one section where the performers cut through real bamboo poles!
Discover Popular Spots For Lunch
Tasting Museum (테이스팅뮤지엄)
Tasting Museum is a restaurant set in a 100-year-old Hanok building, selling pasta and a variety of fusion cuisine, wines, and more. Some signature menu items are Porcini Risotto, Eggplant Ragu, and Tomahawk Steak.
Wonjo Eommoni (원조엄마네)
If you enjoy offal, Wonjo Eommoni is a must-visit. They specialise in Gopchang Bokkeum (곱창 볶음) or spicy stir-fried intestines and is popular amongst locals.
We tried their Beef Intestine Stirfry (소곱창볶음, 16,000won/serving) and it was delicious! The intestines had no smell at all and their spicy sauce was addictive. You must order the fried rice after!
Stroll Along The Hwaseong Fortress
When it comes to Suwon, Hwaseong Fortress is one of the first things that come to mind. The popular attraction is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and surrounds the city.
The fortress stretches over 6 kilometres!
Depending on where you are, you can take some time strolling along the Hwaseong Fortress and enjoy the views.
The fortress itself has 4 gates. Make sure to visit Janganmun (North Gate), which also happens to be the largest gate in Korea.
We walked till the West gate and managed to capture some nice city views!
Coffee Break at Suwon’s Hottest Cafes
Cafe Paletscent
If you’re done exploring Janganmun Gate, look at it from a different perspective at Cafe Paletscent. Boasting an unobstructed view of the gate, enjoy a quick cup of coffee at the rooftop of the cafe and take some photos.
Read our full review here.
Cafe Keep That
This particular cafe has been attracting crowds despite its hidden location. Cafe Keep That is known for their vanilla latte, which uses a scoop of their homemade vanilla ice cream instead of the usual syrup.
Due to its popularity and the cafe wanting to control the quality of each cup, Café Keep That has limited the sale of the Iced Vanilla Latte to 100 cups a day.
Read our full review here.
Cafe A_neukgam
This cafe is within walking distance of Hwaseong Haenggung Palace, on the second floor of a building. It’s quaint and cosy, decorated with teddy bears!
Their dessert menu is focused on pies, coffee and tea. We tried their Sweet Pumpkin Tart (6,800 won) with a thick layer of fragrant pumpkin cream that wasn’t cloying.
Suwon Attractions At Night
One of the things to do in Suwon that we highly recommend is to visit some of the attractions at night. The historic landmarks take on a different image, with the details and colours being highlighted by bright lights.
Hwahongmun Gate
Located along the Suwoncheon Stream, the structure was meant to control the flow of the water along the stream. From far, you should be able to spot the attraction with its unique 7 arched watergates.
Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion
Right next to Hwahongmun Gate is Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion. You are able to enter the pavilion and enjoy the surrounding scenery of Suwon. Head down to the Yeongyeon Pond area where you’ll be able to get a view of the pavilion at a different angle.
Dinner at Suwon Chicken Street
Over at Suwon, there’s a street dedicated to Fried Chicken, one of Korea’s most representative dishes. You’ll be spoiled for choice here, with almost every store selling Korean fried chicken. We ended up opting for Jinmi Chicken, one of the most well-known stores there.
The most classic menu item to order is Ban-Ban, which is half-half in Korean. Enjoy a combination of crispy fried chicken with a sweet-spicy marinated one, all washed down with a glass of refreshing beer.
Head Back to Seoul or Extend Your Stay
To go back to Seoul from Suwon, you can take the subway back, or hop onto one of the buses mentioned above. However, if you’re thinking of extending your Suwon Day Trip to a full-fledged 2D1N experience, you can check in to one of their many hotels.
Our stay at Ramada Plaza Suwon was enjoyable, with our booking done directly via their website.
Day Trip From Seoul: Suwon
Suwon is a great destination for a day trip from Seoul, with lots to explore, and is only 30 mins away from Seoul! Have you been to Suwon before?
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