Nami Island from Seoul: an easy day trip by train and ferry
Nami Island is one of the most-recommended day trips from Seoul: take the Gyeongchun Line or the faster ITX-Cheongchun to Gapyeong, hop a short taxi to the pier, and the ferry is included in the island ticket.
Park English2026-09-262 min read
Some weekends you want a whole new city. Others you just want trees, a river and a lunch that is not near your school. Nami Island is the second kind, and it is close enough to do in a day from anywhere in Seoul.
Getting there
There are two train options, and both end at Gapyeong Station.
- The subway. The Gyeongchun Line runs out of Seoul to Gapyeong. It is the cheap, no-booking option, and you tap in with the same transit card you use every day.
- The faster train. ITX-Cheongchun trains from Yongsan or Cheongnyangni also stop at Gapyeong. You book a seat, so it is the calmer ride on busy weekends. Book it in the KORAIL+ app, which has an English menu.
From Gapyeong Station, the ferry pier (Gapyeongnaru) is a short taxi ride. If you would rather not take a taxi, ask at the station which local bus goes to the pier that day.
The ticket and the ferry
The Korea Tourism Organization lists Nami Island as open from 8:00 to 21:00. Regular admission is 19,000 won, and the ferry from Gapyeongnaru Pier is included in that price. Ferries run every 30 minutes from 8:00 to 9:00, then every 10 to 20 minutes from 9:00 to 18:00, with longer hours in peak seasons.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Island hours | 8:00 to 21:00 |
| Regular admission | 19,000 won, ferry included |
| Ferry from Gapyeongnaru | Every 30 minutes 8:00 to 9:00, then every 10 to 20 minutes until 18:00 |
What to do on the island
Walk first. The tree-lined paths are the reason people come, and they look different every season. Then rent a bicycle, find the Song Museum, or let the kids you are not teaching today run around the Picture Book Playground. There are restaurants and cafes on the island, so you do not need to pack lunch.
Go early if you can. By late morning on a sunny Saturday the ferry lines get long, and the first boats are the quiet ones.
Getting help in English
If you get stuck anywhere on the way, the 1330 Korea Travel Hotline answers in English, 24 hours a day. The Korea Tourism Organization's English site (VisitKorea) also has a page for Nami Island with the latest hours.
A normal Sunday
This is the part of living in Korea that surprises people. A river island with a ferry ride is a Sunday plan, not a vacation, and you are back in your own neighborhood in time for dinner.