Inside Asia’s new 13-day rail itinerary is the first of its kind to fully use South Korea’s Donghae rail line which opened earlier this year, linking Gangneung to Busan.
The line allows travellers to easily loop the country from Seoul to the east coast and back again.
Developed by Inside Travel’s South Korea specialists, Korea by Rail opens up possibilities for deeper cultural exploration, as rail travel grows in popularity.
The 13-day Korea by Rail trip is priced from £3,455pp and includes all accommodation, transport across the country, some private guiding and transfers, a range of meals and cultural experiences.
Rebecca Barry, Inside Travel’s Senior South Korea Product Executive, said there has never been an easier way to travel throughout South Korea.
“We’re really excited to launch this new itinerary. It connects travellers with attractions across the country, from the modern buzz of Seoul to the heritage heart of Gyeongju to the seaside spirit of Busan – without the need for private transfers or domestic flights. The train line not only provides a responsible way of travelling, but it is also a beautiful journey along the coast and through mountains – just how the locals do it,” Barry said.
“Now, we’re able to weave Gangneung into a multi-city itinerary – a destination long loved by locals but largely overlooked by international travellers. The area is known within Korea for its beaches, mountains, coffee culture, tofu and deep-rooted cultural traditions that showcase another side of the country that not many visitors get to experience.
“More than an efficient way to get from place to place, travelling by train in Korea offers a glimpse into the everyday rhythm of Korean local life. As the ITX express train cuts through mountains and small towns along the coast, the travel itself becomes a highlight – a moving window into the country’s landscapes, communities and culture as you pass by.
“The tailorable 12-night itinerary includes all accommodation as well as a traditional hanok stay in the cultural capital of Gyeongju as well as hands-on cultural experiences and some Insider guiding enroute. And the key aspect of any Korean journey, there is a vast amount of food on offer.”
Barry continued: “The new Korea by Rail itinerary is fully customisable, with optional add-ons including Jeju Island extensions, hotel upgrades or unique experiences like a bibimbap cooking class.
“And if people want to take it slower, explore other parts of the country and culture, we can adapt the itinerary to suit time frames and budgets, pace and passions to suit clients. Whether your interest is culture and heritage or indeed K-pop Demon Hunters, InsideAsia is able to design a Korean cultural adventure to suit”.
Inside Travel’s Co-founder Alastair Donnelly added: “Korea continues to excite travellers looking for something new and very different. We continue to see interest in the destination grow, and the opening of the new train line was exactly what we and our travellers wanted, allowing us to develop our self-guided cultural adventures as well as our immersive Small Group Tours of Korea.
“Both Inside Travel brands – InsideJapan and InsideAsia – have utilised train travel over the years, as it is often an experience in itself, allowing visitors to escape a tourist bubble and an eye into the life of the locals. Thankfully the trains in Korea are very reliable and a real pleasure to ride opening possibilities for our self-guided travellers.”
Donnelly added: “We are confident that in 2026, that with other upcoming additions such as the new high speed KTX line along the same stretch and a new group tour to come, Korea will continue to be InsideAsias fastest growing destination.”
