Daejeon lies on the main train line connecting Seoul and Busan. There are two principal train stations in Daejeon, the main Daejeon Station and the secondary Seo-Daejeon Station. Both are served by the KTX, the Korean high speed bullet train rail service. It takes from 50 min from Seoul to Daejeon and 100 min from Daejeon to Busan.
Conventional trains take about twice as long but come at a considerably lower price. As an example at the other end of the spectrum an unreserved "deluxe floor" seat on the Mugunghwa from Seoul will set you back less than 9,000 won and take almost 2 hr. A similar train from Busan to Daejeon will take almost 4 hr but costs under 15,000 won. If these sound unreasonable, bear in mind that trains down the main line in Korea do sell out, especially on Sunday afternoons and into the late night so you may not have a say in the matter. On the bright side, the last Mugwanhwa from Busan terminates at Daejeon, so if stuck on its cold, cold floor, you can usually upgrade yourself (to 1st class even) after Daegu.
Depending on the direction you approach from, and where in Daejeon you are heading. If using the KTX Gyeongbu Line or the KTX Honam Line you may want to try and get off at Shintanjin Station to the north of the city or Seodaejeon Station to the southwest if using the KTX Honam Line.
Daejeon Station (KTX Gyeongbu Line) is in Jeong-dong, Dong-gu. The station first opened in 1905 and has recently been expanded with the completion of a new station building in 2003. This serves the bullet train between Seoul and Busan. The bullet train takes you to Seoul in around 50 min from Daejeon. It is operated by the Korea National Railroad ☎ +84 42 1588-7788
Arriving on the North-bound Line—intermediate points are Cheonan·Asan ⇒ Gwangmyeong ⇒ Yongsan ⇒ Seoul (northern terminus)
Arriving on the South-bound Line—intermediate points are Dong-Daegu ⇒ Miryang ⇒ Gupo ⇒ Busan (southern terminus)
Seo-Daejeon Station (KTX Honam Line) is at 74 Oryu-dong, Jung-gu. The Seo-Daejeon Station began service in 1914 when the railway between Daejeon and Mokpo opened. If wishing to travel to the Jeolla area by rail (southwest areas of the country) then make your way to this station, not Daejeon Station.
Arriving on the North-bound Line—intermediate points are Cheonan·Asan ⇒ Gwangmyeong ⇒ Yongsan ⇒ Seoul (northern terminus)
Arriving on the South-bound Line—intermediate points are Nonsan ⇒ Iksan ⇒ Gimjae ⇒ Jeongeup ⇒ Gwangju ⇒ Naju ⇒ Mokpo (southern terminus)
Tickets for Korail (Korea National Railroad) services can be purchased at station windows, travel agencies, or online.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Daejeon
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Daejeon - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Daejeon hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Daejeon Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
