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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Place · Gyeongbokgung & Gwanghwamun

Gyeongbokgung Palace경복궁

Go at opening on any day except Tuesday; 90 minutes through the main courts; dress in a hanbok for free entry if you like, otherwise buy at the gate.

go at hour · at openingadmission: unknownNot field-verified
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Key facts

Time on site
70–90 min
p95 140 min
Price
about ₩3,000 (≈ US$3)
adult, 2026 estimate
Hours
09:00–?
typical, check · closed Tue
Best time
at opening
quietest window
28″ bags
Painful
Gyeongbokgung & Gwanghwamun: painful
Getting there
Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), exit 5
  • Closed Tuesday
  • Free in hanbok
  • Guard change 10:00 and 14:00 (check)
  • Go at opening
  • Works with kids

Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.

Rules in force · 8Bukchon and many guesthouse lanes are steep
  • 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.
  • Seoul Capital Area ↗Dec–Feb in the capital area is dry and very cold (−10 to 3°C): pack a windproof layer and warm socks.
  • Seoul ↗Bukchon and many guesthouse lanes are steep: large suitcases go from the car or subway exit straight to the door.
  • Seoul ↗The subway stops around midnight; after that use taxis and check the last train in your map app.
Usually Opens 09:00 · closed Tue
Map & directions
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Directions
From where I am

Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.

Plan

Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes

Go now?

hours and prices: check on the day
Open
Usually Opens 09:00 · closed Tue

Last entry: Closes 17:00 (Nov–Feb), 18:00 (Mar–May, Sep–Oct), 18:30 (Jun–Aug); last entry 1 h before; closed Tue.

Crowds

Quietest around 09:00 or 17:00 · go at opening

Quietest Tue · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate

Tickets
  • Adult: about ₩3,000 (≈ US$3) (2026 estimate)
  • Child: free or reduced (check)
  • Student / senior: free for Korean residents; foreign seniors may pay (check)
Time to spend
70–90 min · up to 140 min if you linger
Directions Add to a day →

Know before you go

  • Closed on Tuesdays. Hours run from 09:00 and close 17:00–18:30 depending on the season, with last entry an hour before (check).
  • Adult ticket about ₩3,000 (≈ US$3) (2026 estimate); entry is free if you wear a hanbok, and on the last Wednesday of the month (check).
  • The grounds are big: 90 minutes covers the main axis and the pavilion; add an hour for the National Palace Museum and the Folk Museum, both free.
  • The courts are gravel with high thresholds; there is almost no shade in the main courtyards in summer.
  • Free guided tours in English leave from the information desk at set times (check the day's schedule).
  • Night openings in spring and autumn need an advance online ticket and sell out within minutes (check dates).

Best time of day

Go at opening. Plan 70–90 min inside.

quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary weekday; add one level on weekends, blossom and leaf weeks and national holidays

Weather here, next 7 days

Loading forecast…

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

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

45min

Worthwhile

70min

Typical

90min

p95

140min

Opening hours change by season and the palace is closed on Tuesday; exact times are not printed until verified.

Tickets & entry

2026 estimate · check the posted board
Where to buy
  • Buy at the entrance on the day.
  • Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
  • Adult (19–64): Ticket office inside the first gate or ticket machines; cards accepted
  • Children and youth: Same counter
  • Visitors wearing hanbok: Walk straight to the gate
  • Seniors 65+: Same counter

Official site ↗

Queues
  • Night openings in spring and autumn need an advance online ticket and sell out within minutes (check dates).
  • Adult (19–64): No priority lane; queues are short before 10:00.
  • Night opening: Sells out quickly; a few on-site tickets for seniors and foreigners with a passport (check).
Free days

Free entry days in Seoul (pick Seoul in the tool; check)

Bags & lockers
  • Lockers or cloakroom (limited) Small lockers at the National Palace Museum (check); coin lockers in Gyeongbokgung Station.
TicketPriceWhere to buySkip-the-line reality
Adult (19–64)about ₩3,000 (≈ US$3) (2026 estimate)Ticket office inside the first gate or ticket machines; cards acceptedNo priority lane; queues are short before 10:00.
Children and youthfree or reduced (check)Same counter—
Visitors wearing hanbokfreeWalk straight to the gateStaff check the dress at the entrance; follow the palace's hanbok guidelines.
Seniors 65+free for Korean residents; foreign seniors may pay (check)Same counter—
Integrated palace passabout ₩10,000 (≈ US$8) for four palaces and Jongmyo (check)Any of the palace ticket officesSaves little money; buy only if you visit four or more.
Night openingseparate ticket, about the day price (check)Online booking, released weeks aheadSells out quickly; a few on-site tickets for seniors and foreigners with a passport (check).

Inside, in order

75 min without detours

  1. Gwanghwamun gate and guard ceremony

    20 min

    Guard change at about 10:00 and 14:00, not Tuesdays (check).

  2. Heungnyemun and Yeongjegyo bridge

    5 min

    The ticketed zone starts here; stone guardians on the bridge.

    extra ticket

  3. Geunjeongjeon throne hall

    15 min

    The two-tier throne hall on its stone terrace, with rank markers in the courtyard.

    extra ticket

  4. Sajeongjeon and Gangnyeongjeon

    15 min

    The king's office and the royal sleeping quarters behind.

    extra ticket

  5. Gyeonghoeru pavilion

    10 min

    Banquet pavilion on 48 stone pillars in a square pond; the classic photo.

    extra ticket

  6. Hyangwonjeong

    10 min

    Small hexagonal pavilion on an island at the north end.

    extra ticket

  7. National Palace Museum of Korea

    45 min

    Free, air-conditioned, by the west side of the first courtyard (check hours).

    optional

  8. National Folk Museum of Korea

    45 min

    Free, at the north-east corner; children's museum inside (check hours).

    optional

Plan this visit

saved in this browser only
Time inside
Crowd on arrival
light
Worst while inside
busy
Leave by
10:30
Closing buffer
390′

Good window: go.

  • Closing buffer is measured against a planning close of 17:00. Posted closing is 17:00 in winter and up to 18:30 in summer; last entry is an hour earlier (check).
  • Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.

How to do it well

  1. 1Arrive at the Gwanghwamun gate for 09:00 opening; the ticket office is inside the first courtyard, past Heungnyemun.
  2. 2Walk the main axis first (Geunjeongjeon throne hall, Sajeongjeon), then turn left to Gyeonghoeru pavilion before the groups arrive around 10:30.
  3. 3Finish at Hyangwonjeong and the north end, then leave by the east gate (Geonchunmun) towards Samcheong-dong and Bukchon.
  4. 4Catch the guard ceremony at Gwanghwamun at 10:00 or 14:00 on the way in or out (check times).

On the ground

Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work

Getting in

Stop
Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), exit 5
Exit
—
Ticket
on site · official site
Stairs
unknown
Shoes
unknown

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock
Tour groups 10:00–12:00; weekends and holidays are busy; guard-changing at the gate draws crowds.
Sensory load
3/5
Exposure
high

Bailouts

  1. heat

    Gyeongbokgung Station concourse (AC)

  2. rain

    Museum halls inside the palace grounds

Nearest rescue anchor: A — Gwanghwamun Gate benches

Step-free check

wheelchair: caution
  • Step-free entrance: partly · partlyFew steps on the main route; stone terraces around the throne hall have ramps at the sides (check).
  • Lifts: check · check
  • Accessible toilet: yes · yesIn the National Palace Museum and near the main entrance (check).
  • Ramps: yes · yesPaved central paths and ramps along the main axis; the side courts are gravel and many hall thresholds are high.
  • Wheelchair: partly · partlyThe paved axis from Heungnyemun to Gyeonghoeru works; gravel courts are heavy going. The National Palace Museum is step-free.
  • Stroller: partly · partlyFine on the paved paths; gravel slows it down.
  • Places to sit: yes · yesBenches at the pond and along the walls.

Paved central paths and ramps along the main axis; the side courts are gravel and many hall thresholds are high.

Step-free route

  1. 1Start from Gyeongbokgung Station exit 5, which has a lift and leads straight into the grounds by the National Palace Museum (check).
  2. 2Keep to the paved central paths; ask staff at the information desk for the ramp positions around Geunjeongjeon.
  3. 3Gyeonghoeru is viewed from the paved path along the east side of the pond.
  4. 4Use the National Palace Museum for accessible toilets, lifts and a cool rest.

Combine with

nearest first
  1. 3 minNational Palace Museum of Korea — Free and indoors inside the palace grounds.
  2. 5 minGwanghwamun Square and Cheonggyecheon — Down the square to the start of the stream walk.
  3. 10 minTosokchon Samgyetang · eat — Ginseng chicken soup on the Seochon side; go before 11:30.
  4. 15 minBukchon Hanok Village — Out the east gate and uphill to the hanok lanes.

Walk the Gyeongbokgung & Gwanghwamun area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes

Best photo time today

Sun times for today load in your browser.

SpotWhenRule on the spot
Gyeonghoeru across the pond09:00–10:00; still mornings for reflectionsStay behind the rope along the pond edge.
Geunjeongjeon from the gate, Bugaksan behindMorning, before groupsDo not climb onto the terrace railings.
Hyangwonjeong bridgeAutumn leaves or snowThe bridge itself is closed; shoot from the path.
Gwanghwamun and the guardsCeremony timesGuards stand still; do not touch or block them.

Red lines

  • Do not climb on walls, stones or steps; stay behind ropes.
More on the groundFacilities · Seasons · Who it suits · Skip it if · With kids

With kids

kids: goodstroller: caution
with kids
Space to run, guards in costume, and the Folk Museum's children's museum; go early in summer.
child price
free or reduced for children and youth (check)

Facilities on site

WhatStatusWhere / note
ToiletsyesNear the ticket office, by Gyeonghoeru and in both museums.
Accessible toiletyesIn the National Palace Museum and near the main entrance (check).
Lockers or cloakroomlimitedSmall lockers at the National Palace Museum (check); coin lockers in Gyeongbokgung Station.
Café or foodlimitedCafé in the National Palace Museum; no food stalls in the grounds.
Drinking wateryesWater fountains and vending machines near the museums.
SeatinglimitedBenches along the edges of the courts and by the pond.
Wheelchair and stroller loancheckReported at the information centre; ask at the entrance.
Wi-FicheckPublic Wi-Fi around Gwanghwamun Square.
Card or IC paymentyesCards at the ticket office and machines.

Seasons, festivals and night openings

WhenWhat happensEffect on your visitDates
Early–mid AprilCherry and apricot blossom in the palaceWeekend crowds and hanbok queues from opening.
Spring and autumn (dates vary)Night openings and the Royal Culture FestivalOnline tickets sell out; evening crowds.check
Late October–mid NovemberAutumn colour around HyangwonjeongThe busiest photo weeks.
July–AugustHeat and monsoonLittle shade: go at 09:00 and move to the museums by 11:00.
Seollal and ChuseokHoliday openingsUsually open and sometimes free; traditional games on the grounds (check).

“Check” rows move every year; confirm dates on the official calendar before you plan around them.

Who it suits

TravelerFitWhy
First visit to SeoulgoodThe city's main historic site, done in 90 minutes at opening.
PhotographersgoodGyeonghoeru and the throne hall with Bugaksan behind.
FamiliesgoodOpen courts, costumed guards and a free children's museum.
Wheelchair userscautionPaved axis and museum work; gravel side courts do not.
Visitors who dislike crowdscautionOnly before 10:30 on a weekday.

Skip it if

  • It is Tuesday: go to Changdeokgung instead.
  • You have only an afternoon in July or August and cannot wait for the late hours.

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated
Can I bring food into the palace?

Snacks and water are fine; picnics on the lawns and eating in the halls are not. Eat in Seochon or at the museum café.

Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk

Do I have to wear a traditional hanbok for free entry?

The palace guidelines ask for traditional-style hanbok; heavily modernised or fusion costumes may not qualify (check at the gate).

Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk

What day is Gyeongbokgung closed?

Tuesday. Changdeokgung, Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung close on Monday instead, so a Tuesday is a good day for those.

How much is the ticket?

About ₩3,000 (≈ US$3) for adults (2026 estimate). It is free if you wear a hanbok and on the last Wednesday of each month (check).

When is the changing of the guard?

At the Gwanghwamun gate, usually at 10:00 and 14:00, about 20 minutes each, not on Tuesdays or in bad weather (check).

How long do I need?

About 90 minutes for the main halls and Gyeonghoeru; 2.5–3 hours with the National Palace Museum and the Folk Museum.

Is there an English guide?

Free English tours start from the information desk at set times each day (check the schedule); audio guides and apps are also available.

Which subway station?

Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3, exit 5, comes up inside the grounds; Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5 is by the main gate.

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Sources