Getting around Gimcheon
Gimcheon is a compact city in North Gyeongsang Province, sitting almost at the centre of South Korea on the main routes between Seoul and Busan. For a visitor, that means the city itself is easy to cover, but some of its best-known sights sit outside the centre and need a little planning. The practical summary is simple: buses and taxis handle the city, trains handle the rest of the country, and a car is the most convenient option for outlying attractions.
Rail: two stations, two roles
Gimcheon is served by two very different railway stations, and knowing which one you want will save you time and taxi fare.
- Gimcheon–Gumi Station is the KTX high-speed stop, on the Gyeongbu high-speed line. It sits in the Innovation City area outside the city centre, and it serves both Gimcheon and the neighbouring city of Gumi. It connects directly to Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Daejeon with frequent daily departures, making it the obvious choice for long-distance travel. The station complex has convenience stores, cafés and local bus stops, taxis wait outside the terminal, and there is a small tourist information centre with English assistance. The station itself is open from early morning until late at night, with shorter hours at the KTX ticket office.
- Gimcheon Station is the older station in the downtown area, on the Gyeongbu Line. It handles Mugunghwa and ITX-Saemaeul trains rather than KTX. These conventional trains are slower but considerably cheaper, and they run directly to Daejeon, Dongdaegu and Busan. This station is the better pick if your destination is central Gimcheon — the traditional markets, old neighbourhoods and local parks. It has restrooms, ticket machines, convenience stores and cafés nearby.
The two stations are roughly twenty minutes apart by car or taxi, so it is worth deciding in advance which one suits your plans. Note that the KTX station is currently reachable only by vehicle, local bus or taxi — you cannot walk there from the centre. A taxi between the KTX station and Gimcheon Station in the downtown shopping area costs roughly 15,000 to 20,000 won.
There is no metro or tram network in Gimcheon; rail here means the national railway lines, not a city transit system.
Buses
City buses connect the major areas of Gimcheon, but they run infrequently, so it pays to check times rather than simply turning up. They are a workable way to move between the centre, the bus terminal and the rail stations.
Local routes also serve the main visitor sights. Buses numbered 11 and 111 run to Jikjisa Temple from both Gimcheon Station and the Gimcheon Bus Terminal, a ride of about twenty-five minutes. Routes 80 and 81 connect the city with Gimcheon–Gumi KTX Station in the Innovation City.
The Gimcheon Intercity & Express Bus Terminal sits near downtown, about five minutes from Gimcheon Station by taxi or local bus. It is clean and well organised, with ticket counters, restrooms and a few convenience stores and cafés inside. From here there are frequent services to major cities across the country — Seoul (both Gangnam and Dong Seoul), Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju — as well as regional routes to nearby towns such as Gumi, Sangju, Mungyeong and Seongju, which makes it a practical hub for exploring Gyeongsangbuk-do. Local buses and taxis connect the terminal to the city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are easy to find at the train stations and the bus terminal, and they are reasonably priced. For a small city with infrequent buses, they are often the most sensible way to fill the gaps — particularly for the trip out to the KTX station, which has no pedestrian access. The source material describes taxis as readily available outside the KTX terminal and at the downtown and bus terminal locations; it does not cover app-based ride-hailing in Gimcheon, so plan on hailing a taxi in person rather than relying on an app.
Walking and cycling
Central Gimcheon is small enough that walking works well for the downtown core. Gimcheon Station sits on Jungang-ro and can be reached on foot from most city-centre hotels, which puts the traditional markets, old neighbourhoods and local parks within easy reach of each other. The intercity bus terminal is also close to the centre.
Beyond the centre, walking becomes less practical — the KTX station in particular is not walkable from downtown. Some cycling paths are available, and the area around Buhang Dam is popular for bike rides.
Driving
For sights outside the city — Jikjisa Temple, Buhang Dam and the surrounding countryside — driving is the most convenient option. Gimcheon sits on the Gyeongbu Expressway, and several interchanges serve different parts of the city and its region:
- Gimcheon Interchange on the Gyeongbu Expressway is the main entry point to the city and the most direct route into downtown, with easy access to Gimcheon Station, City Hall, the traditional markets and Jikjisa Temple. Gas stations and convenience stores line the approach road.
- Namgimcheon Interchange on the Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway is the southern gateway, the most convenient exit for Buhang Dam, Jeungsan-myeon, Sudo Valley Resort and the Innovation City area. Traffic is usually light and the surrounding Buhang River valley is scenic.
- Gammun Interchange, also on the Jungbu Naeryuk Expressway, serves Gammun-myeon and northeastern Gimcheon. It is mainly local traffic, useful for agricultural areas and small villages, and offers an alternative route toward Sangju or Uiseong without passing through downtown.
Getting there from the airport
Gimcheon has no airport of its own. The nearest option is Daegu International Airport, roughly an hour away by car, which handles domestic flights and some international connections to East Asia. Two further alternatives are Cheongju International Airport, about ninety minutes by car, and Gimhae International Airport in Busan, around two hours away.
For travellers arriving from abroad, the source material suggests the easiest approaches are to fly into Daegu or Busan, or to arrive in Seoul and transfer onward by KTX to Gimcheon–Gumi Station. Once you reach either rail station or the bus terminal, local buses and taxis will get you into the city centre.
Practical summary
- Use Gimcheon–Gumi Station for fast KTX connections to Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Daejeon; use Gimcheon Station for cheaper conventional trains and direct access to downtown.
- City buses are cheap and cover the main areas, but run infrequently — check times before you rely on them. Routes 11 and 111 go to Jikjisa Temple; routes 80 and 81 link to the KTX station.
- Taxis are plentiful at the stations and bus terminal and reasonably priced, and are the simplest way to cover gaps in the bus schedule.
- Walk in the downtown core; drive or take a taxi for outlying sights such as Jikjisa Temple and Buhang Dam.
- Fly into Daegu, Cheongju or Busan, or arrive via Seoul and continue by KTX.