Gimhae Airport is well connected to public transport, with several different options to choose from on your way to the city centre.
There are always bus stops in front of both terminals and a metro station just outside the International Building.
| Destinations | Price | Travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Nampo | Metro - 1 800 krw | Metro - 60 minutes |
| Haeundae | Metro - 1 800 krw Bus 307 - 1 300 krw Limousine Bus - 7 000 krw |
Metro - 50 minutes Bus 307 - 55 minutes Limousine Bus - 45 minutes |
| Seomyeon | Metro - 1 800 krw Limousine Bus - 6 000 krw |
Metro - 30 minutes Limousine Bus - 70 minutes |
| Busan Station | Metro - 1 800 krw Limousine Bus - 6 000 krw |
Metro - 50 minutes Limousine Bus - 90 minutes |
Metro
The Busan-Gimhae automatic metro line , the purple Busan-Gimhae line, runs to the airport.
The only station located directly between the domestic and international terminals is called Gimhae International Airport.
- Official Busan-Gimhae Line website: bglrt.com
- The official website of the downstream Busan metro (lines 1 to 4): humetro.busan.kr
Take the subway to the Sasang terminus, where you transfer to the green subway line 2. This will take you to modern downtown Busan or Haeundae Beach (direction "Jangsan").
If you take the automatic subway in the opposite direction, you will reach Daejeo Station, where you can change to the beige subway line 3. However, for trips to the touristy parts of Busan, it is preferable to take the Sasang and then the green metro.
Tickets can be purchased from the ticket machines at the entrance to the station. You can purchase a Cashbee Transport Card (Busan Tour Card) for 4 000 krw, which can be topped up at the machine next to you and can be used on all public transport in Busan and throughout Korea.
If you are travelling from Seoul, you can also use T-money/Korea Tour Card in Busan.
Of course, you can also buy a single-use ticket from a vending machine, which works by selecting your destination on a map, no matter where it is on any Pusan subway line. There are no turnstiles to go through when transferring.
- Travel time - 30 minutes (Seomyeon Station - 1 transfer required) or 60 minutes (Nampo Station - 2 transfers required)
- Frequency - 5 to10 minutes
- Price - 1 300 krw terminus only, 1 800 krw with downtown transfer (valid when using Cashbee/T-money, single ticket 100 won more expensive)
- Last train from the airport to Sasang - 23:54 (however, the last train that connects to the last metro green line runs at 23:44)
- First train from Sasang station to the airport - 5:00
Book a hotel in downtown Busan
Public transport buses
Regular city buses arethe cheapest :
- 307 - goes to Haeundae beach. Ticket costs 1 300 krw with transport card (can be bought e.g. at 7-Eleven) or 1 400 krw in exact cash from the driver, buses run once every 15 minutes from 5:00am to 11:20pm and the journey to Haeundae Beach takes about 100 minutes.
- 1009 - does not go downtown. The line will connect the airport with the northwestern part of Busan and the new port. The ticket costs 1,800 won, and you can get to the port once every 40 minutes from 5:30am to 9pm in half an hour.
In addition, local green bus lines 11 and 13 stop at the airport and also take you to the city center.
Limousine Bus
The most convenient and expensive transport to the centre is the Limousine bus:
- This is an express service and takes about 90 minutes to get to the centre.
- The buses run every 40-60 minutes from 6:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- The ticket price on the line to the centre (Seomyeon Station) and to the station (Busan Station) is 6 000 krw, on the line to Haeundae Beach 7 000 krw
- You can pay with cash and credit/debit card at the driver's desk
- T-money or Cashbee transport cards cannot be used on these routes
Taxi
There is an official taxi stand outside each terminal, where you first order a ride at a kiosk and are then directed to a specific car. Avoid the offers of taxi drivers who approach you in the arrivals hall and follow only the official signage.
Taxis operate solely by meter. The basic boarding rate is 3 300 krw. In addition, 100 krw is calculated for every 133 metres travelled or 100 krw for 34 seconds standing.
In practice, you will pay between 18 000 krw – 25 000 krw depending on the length of the queue and the route.
Between midnight and 4:00 am there is a surcharge of 20%.
Car rental
Planning to head straight from Gimhae Airport to explore the Korean countryside and coastline? If so, it's best to rent a car directly at the airport, where many multinational and local rental companies operate.
Prices for a week's rental start at around 440 eur.
