Getting Around Yeosu
Yeosu is a fairly small coastal city, and its compact central business district makes it easy to cover on the ground. The catch is the water: the city is split by a bridge, and that crossing shapes how you plan every trip. Traffic at the bridge bottleneck can be severe, so the mode you choose often depends on whether your destination lies north or south of it.
By Taxi
Taxis are the recommended way to get around the CBD. Fares are quite cheap, and for short hops within the centre they are usually the simplest option. Drivers are also a practical choice for reaching the airport, where cheap taxis are available.
One important caveat: taxis are strongly discouraged for trips that cross the bridge. Despite the city's small size, that bottleneck produces some of the worst traffic jams in Korea. If you do find yourself in a taxi in a jam, or on a bus in one, it can actually be faster to get out, walk across the bridge, and pick up your journey on the other side.
By Bus
The bus system is very convenient in coverage but a little difficult to use in practice. Bus stops are supposed to post the routes that serve them and the stops along each route, but most of these postings have been vandalised. Where they survive, they are strictly in Korean, so a translation app or a local's help is useful.
Once you are south of the main bridge, most buses follow a similar route, which makes it easy to hop on and off in whichever direction you want to go. The main exception is a branch where half the buses turn south-east to stop at the hermitage, while the rest continue south around the island chain. Knowing which branch you want matters more than knowing the individual route numbers.
If you only remember one route, make it the 111. It takes a zig-zagging path from the Intercity Bus Terminal to Hyangiram Hermitage, passing Jinnamgwan and the harbour, crossing the Dolsan Bridge, and calling at many of the tourism attractions on the southern islands. For a visitor sightseeing without a car, it is the single most useful bus in the city.
By Train
Yeosu has two train stations. The main one is Yeosu Expo Station (여수엑스포역), the southernmost station on the Honam line. One stop before it is the smaller Yeocheon Station (여천역). High-speed KTX service reaches Yeosu, with the trip from Seoul taking roughly three hours and twenty minutes. Schedules, fares, and bookings are handled through the Korail website.
By Plane
Yeosu Airport (RSU) is served by Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, which fly between Yeosu and Gimpo Airport in Seoul up to eight times a day. Korean Air also operates a Yeosu–Jeju flight on Fridays and Sundays. The airport has an information desk, a convenience store, cafes, and car rental.
To reach the city from the airport, you have two straightforward options: buses, or the cheap taxis available at the airport. By car, the journey to the downtown area (shinae) of Yeosu can take up to an hour, so allow generous time if you are connecting to a train or a flight.
By Intercity Bus
The express bus terminal connects Yeosu to most bus routes across Korea. From Yeosu, Seoul (Central City terminal) takes about five and a half hours, and Gwangju, the former capital of South Jeolla, takes about two hours. There are two main terminals: one in the middle of the city and one in the Yeocheon neighbourhood on the west end. A minor terminal also operates in the Deogyang neighbourhood to the north.
On Foot
Walking works well within the CBD, which is small enough to cover on foot, and it is the recommended workaround when bridge traffic grinds to a halt. The bridge itself is walkable, and on foot you can simply cross and rejoin public transport on the far side rather than sitting in a jam.
Practical Summary
- Use taxis for short trips inside the CBD, where fares are cheap.
- Avoid taxis for bridge crossings; consider walking the bridge instead.
- Buses are convenient but poorly signposted, and surviving signs are in Korean only.
- South of the main bridge, most buses share a route, so hopping on and off is easy.
- Route 111 links the Intercity Bus Terminal to Hyangiram Hermitage via the main sights.
- Two train stations serve the city: Yeosu Expo (main) and Yeocheon.
- From Yeosu Airport, take a bus or a cheap taxi; allow up to an hour to the downtown.
- Intercity buses run from two main terminals plus a minor one in Deogyang.