Major city · South Korea
Jeongseon정선
Give Jeongseon 1–2 nights only if you have a car or will pay taxis: sights sit 20–40 min apart and buses are few. Otherwise skip it.
Jeongseon is a mountain county in southeastern Gangwon, not a walkable town. Its draws are spread across three clusters: the county seat with the Five Day Market and the Arirang festival, Hwaam with its gold-mine cave, and Sabuk/Gohan with the High1 resort and Kangwon Land casino. Without a car, taxis and a few daily buses set your pace; with one, it is a solid 2-night mountain stop between Pyeongchang and Taebaek.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- KRW
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- avoid Jul–Aug (rain and heat), Jan–Feb (ice on mountain roads)
- Airports
- ICN · GMP
- Nights
- 1–2
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.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Jeongseon112 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Jeongseon, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Cards work almost everywhere, including taxis, convenience stores and many market stalls; carry ₩30,000–50,000 (≈ US$25–40) in cash for street food…South Korea-wide
- SIM or eSIMSK Telecom, KT and LG U+ sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs at airport arrivals; a passport is required, and data-only plans are cheapest.South Korea-wide
- Tap waterOfficially safe from the tap; most people drink filtered water, and restaurants serve it free.South Korea-wide
- TippingRestaurants and cafés: No tip; a service charge appears only in top hotels.South Korea-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/F. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.South Korea-wide
- SafetyJeongseon is as safe as the rest of rural South Korea; the real risks are mountain-road ice and fog, long unlit stretches between towns…
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree, clean public toilets in every subway station; paper goes in the toilet in new buildings, in the bin where a sign asks.South Korea-wide
- Emergency numbers112 police · 119 fire and ambulance · 1345 Foreigner information centre (1345) (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysPalaces close one weekday (Gyeongbokgung Tuesday, others mostly Monday); national museums open daily but close on 1 Jan, Seollal and Chuseok days.South Korea-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportICN Incheon International (AREX to Seoul then bus or train east; 4–5 h door to door).
- Getting aroundLocal buses run infrequently, so a car or taxi is the practical choice.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee₩3,000–6,000 (≈ US$3–5)
- Street or quick mealGondre rice or kotdeungchigi buckwheat noodles₩9,000–15,000 (≈ US$7–11)
- Beerdraught in a bar / can at a convenience store₩5,000–8,000 (≈ US$4–6)₩2,500–4,000 (≈ US$2–3)
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi flag fall₩2,800 (≈ US$3) plus about ₩100 (≈ under US$1) per 152 m (check)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₩20,000–40,000 (≈ US$15–30)
- Museum or sight ticketHwaam Cave entry₩7,000 (≈ US$6) adult, ₩5,500 (≈ US$4) teen, ₩4,000 (≈ US$3) child (check)
- Budget bedMotel or minbak room, a night, per room₩50,000 (≈ US$40)
- Mid-range bedMotel or minbak room, a night, per room₩80,000 (≈ US$60)
- High-end bedMotel or minbak room, a night, per room₩130,000 (≈ US$95)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₩60,000 (≈ US$45) · Mid ₩110,000 (≈ US$80) · High ₩200,000 (≈ US$150)
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 →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
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.
- Airports
- ICN Incheon International (AREX to Seoul then bus or train east; 4–5 h door to door) · GMP Gimpo International (Domestic links to Yangyang and Wonju; check schedules)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
Feb
Avoid
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
Mar
not flagged
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
Apr
not flagged
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
May
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Jun
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Jul
Avoid
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Aug
Avoid
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Sep
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Oct
Best
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Nov
not flagged
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
Dec
not flagged
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
Best: May–Jun, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jan–Feb, Jul–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)), coolest Jan (−10°C (14°F)14°F (−10°C) low), wettest Jul (15 rain days), driest Jan (6). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Jeongseon: 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
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
−10°C (14°F)14°F (−10°C)
6 rd
Feb
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
−8°C (18°F)18°F (−8°C)
6 rd
Mar
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
8 rd
Apr
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
8 rd
May
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
9 rd
Jun
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
10 rd
Jul
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
15 rd
Aug
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
14 rd
Sep
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
9 rd
Oct
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
6 rd
Nov
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
7 rd
Dec
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
−8°C (18°F)18°F (−8°C)
6 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Local buses run infrequently, so a car or taxi is the practical choice. Taxis charge about ₩2,800 flag fall plus roughly ₩100 per 152 m, with area surcharges; most drivers speak no English. The Taebaek Line Mugunghwa train links Gohan, Sabuk and Mindungsan, and the A-train runs scenic routes on the Jeongseon Line but not on Monday and Tuesday.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 1 h
Bus or car via National Highway 42
Ski slopes in winter, Alpensia and Daegwallyeong in summer.
Taebaek
goDoor to door: About 1 h
Taebaek Line Mugunghwa from Sabuk or Gohan
Taebaek-san and the coal-mining museum; pair with a Jeongseon night.
Door to door: 2.5–3 h
Bus via Wonju or Pyeongchang
Long for a day return; better as a stop on the way west.
Door to door: 2.5–3 h
Bus or car via Pyeongchang and Daegwallyeong
Coast and coffee street; needs an overnight to be worth it.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Jeongseon-eup (county seat)
Market, bus terminal and most motels; best base without a car.
Sabuk and Gohan
High1 resort hotels, casino and ski slopes; Taebaek Line stations.
Hwaam
Closest to Hwaam Cave; very few beds, book ahead.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ₩60,000–100,000 (≈ US$45–75) excl. bed
- Mid
- ₩100,000–180,000 (≈ US$75–130) excl. bed
- High
- ₩180,000 (≈ US$130)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Motel or minbak room1 × 2 nights × ₩80,000 | ₩160,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × ₩110,000 | ₩440,000 |
| Taxi, Jeongseon-eup to Hwaam Cave, one way1 × ₩30,000 · check | ₩30,000 |
| Hwaam Cave adult entry2 × ₩7,000 · check | ₩14,000 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₩25,000 | ₩50,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ₩69,400 |
| Trip total≈ ₩190,900 per person per day, bed included | ₩763,400≈ US$550 |
2026 estimate in won; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | ₩3,000–6,000 (≈ US$3–5) |
| Gondre rice or kotdeungchigi buckwheat noodles | ₩9,000–15,000 (≈ US$7–11) |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a convenience store | ₩5,000–8,000 (≈ US$4–6) / ₩2,500–4,000 (≈ US$2–3) |
| Taxi flag fall | ₩2,800 (≈ US$3) plus about ₩100 (≈ under US$1) per 152 m (check) |
| Hwaam Cave entry | ₩7,000 (≈ US$6) adult, ₩5,500 (≈ US$4) teen, ₩4,000 (≈ US$3) child (check) |
| Rail bike, 2- or 4-person car | check on the operator site |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₩20,000–40,000 (≈ US$15–30) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Distances between sights are long: a taxi from Jeongseon-eup to Hwaam Cave is a real fare, not a short hop.
- Gambling is legal only inside Kangwon Land; casinos elsewhere in Korea are off-limits to Korean citizens.
- Mountain roads ice over in winter and fog in summer rain; drive to conditions.
- The Five Day Market runs only on the 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22nd and 27th of each month.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 112
- Fire and ambulance
- 119
- Foreigner information centre (1345)
- 1345
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
Jeongseon정선
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
이 주소로 가주세요To this address, please
Emergency
- Police112
- Fire and ambulance119
- Foreigner information centre1345
Embassy
No embassies in Jeongseon; most are in Seoul. For consular help, contact your embassy in Seoul first (check).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Taxi Jeongseon-eup → Hwaam Cave: about ₩30,000 (≈ US$25) one way (check)
- Mugunghwa train Sabuk → Taebaek: about ₩3,000–5,000 (≈ US$3–4), about 1 h (check)
- Bus Jeongseon → Pyeongchang: about ₩5,000–8,000 (≈ US$4–6), about 1 h (check)
Say or show
- 안녕하세요 — Hello (annyeonghaseyo)
- 감사합니다 — Thank you (gamsahamnida)
- 얼마예요? — How much is it? (eolmayeyo)
- 이 주소로 가주세요 — Please take me to this address (i jusoro gajuseyo)
- 버스터미널이 어디예요? — Where is the bus terminal? (beoseu teomineori eodiyeyo)
- 카드로 될까요? — Can I pay by card? (kadeuro doelkkayo)
Tipping is not expected. 112 police, 119 fire and ambulance, 1345 for immigration and foreigner help.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
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 Jeongseon. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (rain and heat), Jan–Feb (ice on mountain roads) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for ICN and GMP: last AREX and eastbound bus times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Jeongseon-eup market, Hwaam cave, Sabuk casino and High1, Gohan and Jeongamsa.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (Hwaam Cave, Jeongamsa Temple, rail bike departures, Five Day Market dates) and eat pages with last orders.
- Golden and hostile arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.
Sources
- officialJeongseon County official site (English)
- officialJeongseon Arirang Festival
- officialJeongamsa Temple
- officialHigh1 / Kangwon Land
- officialJeongseon rail bike
- secondaryWikivoyage: Jeongseon, revision 4984003 (CC BY-SA 4.0)