Road Trip from Seoul: The Best Routes and What You Need to Know
I drove from Seoul to Gangneung on the east coast in one morning. Grabbed coffee at a hyugeoso rest stop halfway. Arrived at the beach by noon. Ate raw fish at a seafood restaurant that had no English menu. Drove back in the evening. My whole understanding of how small and accessible Korea is changed that day. I had assumed Korea needed trains and buses. It does not. A car opens the country in a completely different way.
Here are the best road trip routes from Seoul and the practical things that make the difference.
Seoul to Gangneung (East Coast) — 2.5 Hours
The Gyeonggang Expressway opened in 2017 and connects Seoul to Gangneung on the east coast in about 2.5 hours. This was a game-changer. Before the expressway it was a 4-plus hour drive through mountain roads. Now you cross the Taebaek Mountains through a series of tunnels and come out on the coast near the sea.
What to do there: Gyeongpo Beach for seafood and ocean views. Jumunjin fish market for the freshest raw fish (회, hoe) at prices way below Seoul. Jeongdongjin for the famously scenic train station right on the beach. Odaesan National Park if you want to add a forest and temple component to the drive.
Good for: A day trip or overnight. Leave Seoul by 7AM, arrive Gangneung by 9:30, full day on the coast, return in the evening before the worst of evening traffic.
Seoul to Jeonju — 2 Hours
Jeonju is the hanok village city. The drive down via the Honam Expressway takes about 2 hours from Seoul. Surprisingly easy and the destination is excellent.
What to do there: Jeonju Hanok Village (전주 한옥마을) — the most intact traditional village in Korea. Bibimbap in its home city — Jeonju bibimbap has a specific preparation style that is genuinely different from Seoul versions. Choco-pie history museum if you want something unexpected. Jeonju film festival if timing works (late April/early May).
Good for: Overnight minimum to do Jeonju properly. Day trip is possible but rushed. The drive back at night is easy.
Seoul to Busan — 4 to 4.5 Hours
The Gyeongbu Expressway from Seoul to Busan is Korea’s main artery. About 400 kilometers. Famous highway rest stops along the way — Anseong and Hoengseong are the most well-known.
The drive itself is genuinely scenic in sections, especially where it crosses mountain passes in Gyeongbuk province. Budget 4 to 4.5 hours driving time plus rest stops. Traffic near both cities can add significant time on weekends and holidays.
What makes this route interesting: the drive lets you stop at places unreachable by train — Gyeongju (ancient capital, 30 minutes off the main highway), coastal fishing towns south of Busan, the highway hyugeoso with their regional food specialties. A Seoul-to-Busan drive with stops is a fundamentally different trip from the KTX train.
Seoul to DMZ — 1 Hour
The DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) border area is about 50 kilometers from central Seoul. Driving there via Tongil-ro takes about an hour. There are specific tourist access points — Imjingak Peace Park and the Third Tunnel of Aggression are the most accessible without an organized tour.
Note: some DMZ areas require advance tour booking. Check access requirements before planning to drive independently. The Imjingak area is freely accessible and has significant memorial and historical content on its own even without deeper access to the DMZ zones.
Practical Road Trip Tips
Download T-map before your drive. It handles Korean highway toll routing and construction detours far better than any international navigation app.
Have the Hi-pass situation sorted before you hit the first toll booth. Ask your rental company whether the car has a Hi-pass transponder. If not, use the regular lanes — card payment is accepted everywhere.
Start early on weekends. Korean holiday and weekend traffic out of Seoul on Friday evenings and back on Sunday evenings is very heavy on all major expressways. Saturday morning early departure avoids most of it.
What is the best road trip route you have done in Korea? Or one you are planning? Drop it in the comments.