China Travel Forum

[ragby]

Hi everybody!!! At the end of July I will go to Beijing, and from there I have to go to Seoul. Unfortunately I haven't gotten a flight ticket Beijing-Seoul yet, so I am considering to go by train or bus. Then, I would go back to Beijing by train. Is that possible? Do you know any website with timetable information? Thanks in advance!

[aynor]

HI! I have no advice on flights but I can tell you that there are NO train services from Beijing to Seoul for the simple fact that the train has to pass through North Korea and the 2 Koreas are technically at a state of war. You may have a train from Beijing to Pyongyang in North Korea but good luck trying to get a VISA into North Korea. The Hermit Kingdom is not called that for a reason. They do not welcome visitors, especially western ones! There are definitely NO train service (or for that matter, any form of transport) between the 2 Koreas. Suggest you fly straight from Beijing to Seoul & vice versa.

[fengyang]

HI! I have seen (Sir) Michael Palin (in his "Around The World in 80 Days" travelogue documentary) done it via ferry from China into South Korea though I can't remember from which city he took the ferry from in China. (Beijing is landlocked) I do remember the city of arrival in South Korea is Pusan in the south of South Korea.

[kroy]

Actually most of the ferries that go to China leave from Incheon International Port. Here is a link that will give you the list of ferry companies with their numbers and schedules that you can call that go to Korea: http://www.seoulsearching.com/transportation/boat/ The Weidong Ferry even has an English website, but it was down for maintanence the last time I checked it. Also, as everyone has said you can't get there from here. Meaning there is no overland transport between China and South Korea (yet). In a year or so you may (and that is a big may) be able to do it by train as they are completing relinking the rail lines between North and South Korea as we speak.