Gapyeong (가평군) is a county of pine-forested river islands 63 km northeast of Seoul, and in summer it is one of the best day trips in the country. The North Han River threads past wooded ridgelines, creating leafy islands — most famously Nami Island — where poplar canopies and peacocks replace city noise. Cool mountain air undercuts Seoul's July heat by several degrees, a spicy bowl of dakgalbi awaits at the ferry pier, and the whole county is reachable in under an hour by express train.
Getting There from Seoul
Note: Gapyeong is not served by KTX high-speed rail. The correct train is the ITX-Cheongchun express — a comfortable, air-conditioned service that does not require advance booking on most departures.
| Method | Departs from | One-way time | Fare (₩) | Key note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITX-Cheongchun (express train) | Cheongnyangni Station | ~45 min | ~₩5,700 | Fastest and most frequent option; trains run roughly every 30–60 min. No advance booking needed for most departures. Reach Cheongnyangni by Seoul subway Line 1 or the Gyeongui-Jungang Line. |
| ITX-Cheongchun (express train) | Yongsan Station | ~55 min | ~₩6,900 | More convenient for visitors staying in Itaewon, Hongdae, or Mapo. Same air-conditioned service, slightly longer run and marginally higher fare. |
| Intercity bus | Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (동서울터미널, adj. Gangbyeon Stn, Line 2) | ~70 min | ₩7,500–11,000 | Buses run roughly every 2–3 hours to Gapyeong Bus Terminal (10-min walk from the train station). Slower and less frequent than the train; useful mainly if you miss the ITX window. Do not confuse with Seoul Express Bus Terminal — buses for Gapyeong depart from Dong Seoul. |
| Car | Central Seoul | 60–90 min (traffic-dependent) | ~₩2,500 toll + fuel each way | Take the Seoul–Chuncheon Expressway (Route 60) east to the Gapyeong IC. Best option if you plan to visit Garden of Morning Calm or Petite France, both awkward without wheels. Weekend mornings can double the driving time. |
Our pick: ITX-Cheongchun from Cheongnyangni Station — fastest, cheapest, and frequent enough to catch without checking a timetable first. Buy tickets at the station or in advance at letskorail.com.
A Perfect One Day
This route moves from the river in the morning to a hillside village in the late afternoon, threading the county's best outdoor activities in a logical sequence. Aim to arrive at Gapyeong Station by 09:00 and book the rail bike at least one day in advance on weekends.
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Stop 1 — Nami Island (나미섬) · 09:00–12:00 · ₩19,000/adult
Walk 15 minutes south from Gapyeong Station — or take a taxi for ₩3,000–4,000 — to the Gapyeongnaru Ferry Pier. Ferries depart every 10–20 minutes from 09:00; the crossing itself takes only a few minutes. On the island, the twin rows of poplar and metasequoia trees made famous by the 2002 K-drama Winter Sonata are at their deepest summer green. Rent a bicycle (₩5,000 for 30 min) to loop the outer trails, stop at the freely roaming deer, peacocks, and ostriches, and catch a return ferry before noon. The ₩19,000 adult visa fee (the island's theatrical name for an entrance ticket) includes the round-trip ferry. Note: although Nami Island's administrative address is Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, the ferry pier is in Gapyeong and the island is treated by all visitors as a Gapyeong stop.
→ Walk 5 min from the ferry back to the restaurant strip on the pier road.
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Stop 2 — Dakgalbi Lunch near the Pier · 12:00–13:00 · ₩12,000–15,000/person
A cluster of well-known dakgalbi restaurants lines the lane leading away from the Nami Island ferry. This is where Gapyeong's signature food pairing is done best: spicy stir-fried chicken on a cast-iron plate, followed by cold buckwheat noodles (makguksu) to close. Most restaurants have picture menus; see "Where to Eat" below for specific picks.
→ Walk 20 min along the riverside path to Gapyeong Station, then 5 min to the Rail Park; or take a short taxi (₩4,000–5,000) directly to the Rail Park entrance.
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Stop 3 — Gapyeong Rail Bike (가평 레일파크) · 13:30–15:00 · ₩36,000/2-seater bike
The Rail Park sits a 5-minute walk from Gapyeong Station. Target the 13:30 session — it is the most popular, so book in advance at en.railpark.co.kr. The 8 km out-and-back route follows a decommissioned railway line through a tree tunnel, over a 30-metre-high bridge above the river, and ends at Gyeonggang Station — a K-drama filming location — before returning. The price is per bike: ₩36,000 for a 2-seater (₩18,000 split between two riders) or ₩48,000 for a 4-seater. Session times run at 10:00, 11:30, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30, and 18:00; check the official site for seasonal adjustments. No-shows are non-refundable.
→ Walk 10 min across the pedestrian footbridge to Jaraseum Island.
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Stop 4 — Jaraseum Island (자라섬) · 15:15–16:00 · Free
A short walk from the Rail Park via a pedestrian bridge leads to this river island cluster in the middle of the North Han River — four sub-islands connected by paths and loved by summer campers. In July and August the grassy banks are dotted with tents and families cycling the waterside trail. There is no admission fee; it is simply the best place in Gapyeong to sit by a wide, slow river with an iced coffee and let the afternoon arrive. Small kiosks sell drinks and snacks along the promenade. This is also where the Jarasum International Jazz Festival takes place each October, if you happen to be planning an autumn trip.
→ Taxi ~25 min to Petite France; fare approximately ₩18,000–22,000. Leave Jaraseum by 15:45 to clear Petite France's 17:00 last-admission cutoff.
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Stop 5 — Petite France (쁘띠프랑스) · 16:30–18:00 · ₩12,000/adult
Perched on a hillside above Cheongpyeong Lake, this French-themed village of pastel buildings, rooftop terraces, and Le Petit Prince installations is unabashedly designed for photographs — but the views over the reservoir in late-afternoon light are genuinely beautiful. Allow 1–1.5 hours to explore the tiered courtyards and watch any scheduled street performances. A 2-park combo pass (₩19,500/adult) includes the adjacent Italian Village. Last admission is strictly 17:00. To return to Seoul, taxi back to Cheongpyeong Station (closer than Gapyeong Station, roughly ₩8,000–12,000) for a direct ITX-Cheongchun back to the city.
The Area in 60 Seconds
Gapyeong County lies where the North Han River fans out between the foothills of the Taebaek Range, about an hour northeast of Seoul. The county's name translates loosely as "flat land by the river," which undersells both the scenery and the altitude: forested ridgelines rise steeply from every shoreline, and summer temperatures here consistently run several degrees below the capital. Koreans have used Gapyeong as a pressure valve for generations, drawn by river fishing, mountain hiking, and since the mid-twentieth century, the weekend leisure culture that builds every July along the Bukhan River banks.
Gapyeong's global profile changed in 2002, when KBS aired Winter Sonata (겨울연가), filming its most iconic scenes among Nami Island's poplar alleys. Japanese fans arrived first, then visitors from across Asia, and Nami Island responded by reinventing itself as the "Naminara Republic" — a self-styled micronation that stamps novelty visas on your passport. Cheongpyeong Dam, completed in 1943, created the reservoir now ringed by themed resorts including Petite France and the Italian Village. The Garden of Morning Calm (아침고요수목원), an award-winning arboretum founded in 1996 with thirty themed gardens and 5,100 plant varieties, and the annual Jarasum International Jazz Festival each October have since given the county cultural credentials to match its natural ones.
Where to Eat
- Namiseom Chuncheon Dakgalbi (나미섬춘천닭갈비) — The most consistently recommended restaurant in the ferry-pier strip. The original iron-plate spicy chicken arrives sizzling alongside rice cakes; order the cold makguksu (buckwheat noodles) to finish. Signature dish: dakgalbi + makguksu. Price range: ₩12,000–15,000/person. Location: Nami Island Ferry Pier road, Gapyeong.
- Mr. Dakgalbi (미스터닭갈비) — The most popular choice for international visitors: English-language menus, staff used to non-Korean speakers, and a dakgalbi that ends with fried rice stirred through the remaining sauce. Signature dish: dakgalbi, fried rice. Price range: ₩12,000–15,000/person. Location: Nami Island Ferry Pier road, Gapyeong.
- Kkokko Chuncheon Chicken Ribs (꼬꼬춘천닭갈비) — A very large restaurant (around 300 seats) right at the Nami Island wharf, good for groups who want to eat quickly without a wait. Signature dish: Chuncheon-style dakgalbi. Price range: ₩12,000–14,000/person. Location: Nami Island Wharf, Gapyeong.
- Sorak Makguksu Chuncheon Dakgalbi (설악막국수춘천닭갈비) — A well-regarded option away from the pier strip, praised for charcoal-grilled chicken and outdoor seating overlooking the Bukhan River. Draws a loyal local crowd alongside visitors. Signature dish: charcoal dakgalbi, makguksu. Price range: ₩12,000–15,000/person. Location: Gapyeong town, riverside.
Gapyeong's food identity is built almost entirely on one pairing: dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken, originating in nearby Chuncheon) and makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles). Every restaurant in the ferry-pier area serves some version. Picture menus are universal in the tourist-facing strip; pointing is sufficient to order.
Know Before You Go
- Pre-book the rail bike, especially on weekends. The Rail Park runs six fixed sessions per day (10:00, 11:30, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30, 18:00) and the midday slots fill up fast. Book in advance at en.railpark.co.kr or through authorised third-party platforms such as Trazy or KKday. No-shows forfeit the full fare.
- Arrive at Nami Island early. The ferry pier queue builds sharply after 10:00 in summer peak season. Taking an early ITX from Cheongnyangni (first departures from around 06:30) and boarding the 08:00 ferry gives you the famous poplar and metasequoia lanes largely to yourself for the first hour. The island opens at 08:00 year-round.
- The Gapyeong City Tour Bus is a smart car-free shortcut. On weekends and public holidays a hop-on/hop-off bus (₩8,000/adult, ₩6,000/child for a full-day pass) connects Gapyeong Station, Nami Island Pier, the Rail Park, Garden of Morning Calm, and Petite France. This is the only practical way to reach the arboretum and the French village without a car or expensive taxis. Check the current schedule and route at the official Gapyeong county tourism site (gptour.go.kr) before your trip — the bus does not run daily.
- Watch the last-admission times. Petite France stops selling tickets at 17:00 and closes at 18:00. The Garden of Morning Calm (아침고요수목원, ₩11,000/adult, ₩8,500/youth, ₩7,500/children — a worthwhile alternative or addition to Petite France) closes admission at 18:00 and the site at 19:00. If either is on your list, leave Gapyeong Station by taxi no later than 16:00 to be comfortable.