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Major city · South Korea

Gwangmyeong광명

Skip as a base: Gwangmyeong is a KTX stop and a half-day cave-and-market trip from Seoul, not a place to sleep unless you have an early train south.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
KRW
Best months
Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (heat, heavy rain), late Jan–Feb (cold)
Airports
ICN · GMP
Nights
0–1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 5
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • South Korea ↗Check K-ETA and visa status on the official sites before you fly; the list of nationalities exempted from registering online changes year by year.
  • South Korea ↗Google Maps gives poor walking and driving directions in Korea; use Naver Map or Kakao Map for routes.
  • South Korea ↗Buy a T-money card (or use a phone-based transit pass) for subway and buses; it also pays at convenience stores and many taxis.

Gwangmyeong is a satellite city of about 340,000 people on Seoul's southwestern edge, on subway Line 1 and Line 7 and on the KTX Gyeongbu line. Its one headline sight is Gwangmyeong Cave, a former mine turned exhibition space. Everything else is markets, parks and low hills. Most travellers pass through on the way to Seoul or Daejeon, or come out for half a day from the capital.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Gwangmyeong, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee in a café₩4,000–6,000 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Street or quick mealTteokbokki or market snack₩3,000–9,500 (≈ US$3–7)
  • BeerBeer: draught in a bar / can at a convenience store₩4,000–7,000 (≈ US$3–6) / ₩2,000–3,500 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi base fare (regular, daytime)About ₩5,800 at night; rises with time and distance₩4,800 (≈ US$4)
  • Metro or bus rideSubway ride₩1,400–1,700 (≈ US$2)
  • Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per room₩90,000 (≈ US$65)
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per room₩80,000 (≈ US$60)
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per room₩150,000 (≈ US$110)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₩45,000 (≈ US$35) · Mid ₩80,000 (≈ US$60) · High ₩150,000 (≈ US$110)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Gwangmyeong CaveKTX Gwangmyeong StationGwangmyeong Traditional MarketGureumsan and Dodeoksan hills
Airports
ICN Incheon International (AREX to Seoul then Line 1 or 7, or a direct bus; 1.5–2 h door to door) · GMP Gimpo International (Line 5/9 to Seoul then Line 1 or 7; about 1 h to Cheolsan)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Gwangmyeong: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

3°C

−4°C

5 rd

Feb

6°C

−2°C

5 rd

Mar

11°C

3°C

7 rd

Apr

18°C

9°C

8 rd

May

24°C

14°C

8 rd

Jun

28°C

19°C

9 rd

Jul

29°C

23°C

16 rd

Aug

31°C

24°C

13 rd

Sep

27°C

19°C

8 rd

Oct

21°C

13°C

6 rd

Nov

13°C

5°C

7 rd

Dec

4°C

−3°C

6 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Subway Line 1 (Gwangmyeong, Soha 2-dong) and Line 7 (Cheolsan, Gwangmyeong Sageori) cover the city; buses fill the gaps to the cave and the hills. Taxis are cheap for short hops. The KTX station at Iljik-dong is not on the subway: allow a bus or taxi transfer to Cheolsan.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Seoulgo

Door to door: About 1 h to Seoul Station, 30 min to Express Bus Terminal

Line 1 from Gwangmyeong or Soha 2-dong, or Line 7 from Cheolsan

The reason most people are here: Gwangmyeong is a cheaper bed on the Seoul subway map.

Suwon

go

Door to door: About 1 h by subway, under 30 min by KTX

Line 1 southbound, or KTX from Gwangmyeong station

Hwaseong Fortress walls make a full half day.

Incheongo

Door to door: About 1 h 5 min

Line 1 direct, or Line 7 to Bupyeong-gu Office

Chinatown, Jayu Park and the port; a long but easy day.

Anyang

caution

Door to door: About 15 min

Line 1 one or two stops south

Anyangcheon and the art park are pleasant but thin; combine with Gwangmyeong rather than a trip of its own.

Siheung

caution

Door to door: About 40–60 min

Bus or taxi west, or Line 4 via a transfer

Wetland and tidal-flat walks; check the tide and bus times first.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Cheolsan-dong

City hall, Line 7, the densest cluster of restaurants and bars; the practical base if you must sleep here.

Iljik-dong (KTX station)

Chain and business hotels within a short walk of the KTX platforms; only useful for an early train.

Soha-dong

Quieter, near Gwangmyeong Cave and the Soha 2-dong Line 1 station.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
₩45,000–70,000 (≈ US$35–55) excl. bed
Mid
₩70,000–120,000 (≈ US$55–90) excl. bed
High
₩120,000 (≈ US$90)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 1 night × ₩80,000₩80,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × ₩80,000₩160,000
Subway ride, one zone2 × ₩1,400₩2,800
Gwangmyeong Cave adult ticket2 × ₩6,000₩12,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₩20,000₩40,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge₩29,500
Trip total≈ ₩162,200 per person per day, bed included₩324,300≈ US$250

2026 estimate in won; flights and rail passes excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee in a café₩4,000–6,000 (≈ US$3–5)
Tteokbokki or market snack₩3,000–9,500 (≈ US$3–7)
Pork barbecue for two₩18,000–35,000 (≈ US$13–30)
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a convenience store₩4,000–7,000 (≈ US$3–6) / ₩2,000–3,500 (≈ US$2–3)
Taxi base fare (regular, daytime)About ₩5,800 at night; rises with time and distance₩4,800 (≈ US$4)
Subway ride₩1,400–1,700 (≈ US$2)
Cinema ticket₩6,000–12,000 (≈ US$5–9)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very safe by day and night. The real risks are the cave's Monday closure, the two different Gwangmyeong stations, and unposted bar bills around Cheolsan: ask the total before you order.
  • Gwangmyeong KTX station and the Line 1 station of the same name are different places: check which one your ticket means.
  • Gwangmyeong Cave closes on Mondays and last entry is an hour before closing; buy the dated ticket before you travel out.
  • The cave is a long uphill walk from the nearest bus stop: budget 15–20 min on foot or take a taxi.
  • Subway last trains run around midnight; after that it is a taxi back to Seoul.

Emergency numbers

Police
112
Fire and ambulance
119
Travel helpline (24 h, English)
1330

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Gwangmyeong광명

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

이 주소로 가 주세요To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police112
  • Fire and ambulance119
  • Travel helpline (24 h, English)1330

Embassy

No embassies in Gwangmyeong; all are in Seoul (check the address for yours).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Cheolsan → Seoul Station, Line 1: about ₩1,400–1,700 (≈ US$2), about 1 h
  • Taxi Cheolsan → Gwangmyeong KTX station: ₩8,000–12,000 (≈ US$6–9), about 20 min
  • KTX Gwangmyeong → Daejeon: about ₩20,000–25,000 (≈ US$15–18), about 40 min

Say or show

  • 안녕하세요 — Hello (annyeonghaseyo)
  • 감사합니다 — Thank you (gamsahamnida)
  • 이거 주세요 — This one, please (igeo juseyo)
  • 얼마예요? — How much is it? (eolmayeyo)
  • 카드 돼요? — Can I pay by card? (kadeu dwaeyo)
  • 화장실이 어디예요? — Where is the toilet? (hwajangsiri eodiyeyo)

Gwangmyeong uses Seoul's 02 area code, so local numbers look like Seoul numbers.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Gwangmyeong. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (heat, heavy rain), late Jan–Feb (cold) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for ICN and GMP: last AREX and subway departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Cheolsan station, Gwangmyeong Sageori market, the cave, the KTX station.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Gwangmyeong Cave, Ki Hyeong-do Literature Museum, Chunghyeon Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Hostile arrival fixtures: Monday cave closure, KTX-versus-subway station confusion, late-night taxi from Seoul.

Meanwhile

Back to South Korea

Sources