(Updated: April 28, 2017) – Travelers today are looking for other cities to explore around in Asia outside the mainstream route. In South Korea, one of these is Busan, the country’s second largest metropolis. The city is as friendly to travelers as Seoul, with a range of options to get around depending on your budget. Here are some of them:

 

Busan City Tour Bus

The Busan City Tour bus is perhaps the best mode to go to the city’s tourist attractions, sites such as Haeundae, Gwangalli, Taejongdae, Oryukdo, Songdo, Centum City, and Yonggungsa Temple.

Click on the links to see the five city tour options:

• BUTI bus with Red Line (Busan Station – Haeundae)
• Blue Line (Haeundae – Yonggungsa Temple)
• Green Line (Yonghoman – Oryukdo)
• Jumbo Bus for Taejongdae and Oryukdo
• A night view tour by a double-decker bus

In July 2016, two more tour routes were introduced: the Mandi Bus and Nakdonggang Eco Bus that take tourists to Busan’s hidden charms.

Jumbo Bus:
Operating Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Tue – Sun)
30-minute intervals

Bus Fares (2016):
KRW 15,000 for adult (PHP650) / KRW 8,000 for youth and children (PHP345) / KRW 12,000 (PHP520) for groups (more than 10 adults) / KRW 6,000 (PHP260) for group of more than 10 youth and children

Mandi Bus:
Mandi Bus departs from Busan Station at 30-minute intervals from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Tue – Sun) and travels to Sanbokdoro area – Busan’s hillside villages in the old downtown area including Gamcheon Culture Village, Bosu Book Street, Dakbatgol Happy Village in Ami-dong, Ebagu Archive Center, Yoo Chihwan Postbox and more.

Bus Fares (2016):
KRW 10,000 for adult (PHP430) / KRW 7,000 for youth (PHP300) / KRW 5,000 for children (PHP215) / KRW 2,000 (PHP87) for group of more than 10 adults

Nakdonggang River Eco Bus:
Nakdonggang River Eco bus tour will offer easy access to historical and ecological resources of the Nakdonggang River. People can relax and enjoy beautiful nature at Hwamyeong Eco Park, Samnak Eco Park, Eulsukdo Eco Park and Dadaepo Beach.

Bus Fares (2016):
KRW 7,000 (PHP300) for adults / KRW 5,000 (PHP215) for youth / KRW 3,000 (PHP130) for children / KRW 2,000 (PHP87) for groups of more than 10 adults

Passengers are allowed to transfer between the BUTI bus and the Jumbo bus for a transfer fee of KRW 5,000 for adults and KRW 3,000 for children. A combination ticket for the Jumbo bus, Mandi bus and Eco bus costs KRW 20,000. The ticket is an all-day pass.

Alternatively, you can book a discounted Busan city tour bus ticket (around PHP600) via Trazy here.

READ: Surviving a Solo Trip in Busan

 

Trains

When you’ve been to South Korea more than once, you’ll find your Cash Bee prepaid card very useful upon arrival in Busan especially in trains. (Cash Bee is South Korea’s equivalent of Hong Kong’s Octopus and Japan’s Suica cards.)

Under the Busan Metro System, Busan has four lines within the city and an LRT that connects Busan with its neighboring city Gimhae. You can download the map here.

Meanwhile, you can use this website to see travel time between stations and plan ahead your itinerary.

 

Private Vehicle Services

In Busan, you can go around in a private van tour or even rent a yacht — services which tour operators like Trazy offer.

Busan Tour Taxi is a new service introduced this year (2016) available on a reservation basis. Ideal for tourists who want a more personalized experience, the Busan Tour Taxi signed up about 100 taxi drivers who have been trained to provide quality service and guided tours, taking you to attractions and even places to eat.

Taxi fares vary by hour: KRW 20,000 (PHP865) for one hour, KRW 50,000 (PHP2,165) for 3 hours, KRW 80,000 (PHP3,460) for 5 hours, KRW 150,000 (PHP6,500) for 10 hours and KRW 180,000 (PHP7,800) for 12 hours excluding tolls and parking fees.

READ: One hour by bus from Busan, Gyeongju City is Korea’s Forgotten Capital

Currency exchange: PHP1=KRW23.1

Bus photo courtesy of Business Wire/Busan Metropolitan City