Hey there,
I am going to warn you, this is a long post.
Today, I want to blog about how to get to Nami Island or Namiseom!
First of all, Nami island is famous for the k-drama "Winter Sonata" definitely an oldie but goodie. It is also famous for the beautiful trees that line the road. Our past trip was during the beginning of Summer but I heard the foliage in the autumn is a beautiful sight to see. It was actually a bit cold on the day we went and it started to rain in the afternoon. I guess it was quite romantic getting caught in the rain while we were biking. It felt like I was in a drama except the main girl looks really cute but I looked like a hobo. To stay dry, some people bought umbrellas from the gift shop but we opted for the plastic ponchos for $2 each. We both got one and it kept us nice and dry.
Things to see:
They have many photo opportunities here. It is like a photographers dream location. Aside from the rows of trees, there are lots of statues and random art to take pictures with. Did I mention there are ostriches there? So random! We also found a friendly squirrel near the traditional steamed buns.
Activities:
You can do many things there. To name a few, you can rent bikes (they have single and double bikes), go on the rail bike, have a picnic and just enjoy being outdoors. We unexpectedly packed a picnic for ourselves since there is a Lotte grocery store inside the station and we had nothing but time before our ride. But don't worry if you can't pack a picnic, there are plenty of food and snack options on the island.
So let's get into the details. First of all, if you are coming from Seoul, you need to know that it's about a 45 minute (ITX) bullet train ride from the Cheongyangni to Gapyeong station. There are two options for getting your ITX ticket.
1. Reserve your ticket on this website: Reserve your ITX ticket
You will want to search for the Cheongyangni to Gapyeong ticket on the Cheongchun line. If you don't reserve, you might have to stand up during the whole ride. After you finished reserving your ticket for your ride there and back (don't forget to reserve your ticket back). You will pick up your ticket from the attendant. The attendant/ booth is a bit difficult to find because it's located outside (near the entrance of the ITX station). If you arrive earlier than your reserved time, they won't let you change your ticket to an earlier time. Also, don't forget to bring your passport to pick up your ticket.
or
2. Buying your ticket from the automated machine at the station.
If you used the subway system to get to the Cheonyangni station, you can not pick up your ticket from the machine. The machine will be located before you go up the stairs/escalators to get to the Cheongyangi platform.
Looking back, we should have just bought the ticket from the machine. But I still wanted to post the option of buying your ticket online so that you can familiarize yourself with the departure/arrival times..
After you ride the train, you will get off at the Gapyeong station and find a taxi to take you to the Namiseom parking lot. The taxi ride is about 5-10 minutes. After that you will take the ferry to the island!
Estimated cost to Nami Island for one person:
Subway tix: $2
ITX tix: $4
Taxi: $5
Admission: $10
Total is only $32 for one person! I realize that you could probably find a less expensive way to get to Nami Island/ Petite France in one day but with this price you can be on your own schedule and really enjoy the island without being rushed around. It comes down to what you prefer and enjoy more, being with a tour group or enjoying your time leisurely. I hope this blog helps you get to Nami Island, either by tour or by yourself because it's a great place to visit.
Thanks for reading and Happy Travels,
Kieu
Ferry times:
| Time | Interval | Remarks |
| 09:00 ~ 18:00 | Every 10~20 minutes | |
| 18:00 ~ 21:40 | Every 39 minutes | Last ferry: From Gapyong 21:40 / From Nami 21:45 |
* The ferry ride takes approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
Some pictures below! Please excuse my outfit.. It was so cold in the morning so I ended up wearing sweats.
Some pictures below! Please excuse my outfit.. It was so cold in the morning so I ended up wearing sweats.
