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*2,000 PHP exclusive of food for the three attractions in Gapyeong - Nami Island, Petite France and Morning Calm Arboretum.

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Gapyeong is the location of the four famous tourist attractions in South Korea - Rail Bike, Nami Island, Petite France and Morning Calm Arboretum. So here, I'm posting a guide on how you'll be able to go to Gapyeong using the most affordable mode of transportation - the subway. :))

Taking the regular subway and train to Gapyeong would take you an hour and forty minutes but it only costs 2,250 KRW (around 2.25 USD) when you're using your T-Money Card. Taking the ITX is also an option if you're pressed for time and willing to spend more 'cause riding the ITX will only take an hour and cost 5,200 KRW (5.20 USD) However, T-money isn't used when riding the said train. You'd have to purchase your tickets in KoRail.

For a more hassle-free tour, as in 'yung susunduin ka na lang ng bus sa lahat ng pupuntahan, it's best to avail a group tour. There are lots of tour packages that you can avail and the meeting place is usually somewhere in Seoul.

[Klook Link] Nami Island, Garden of Morning Calm and More by KTOURSTORY

South Korea Travel Sim? Purchase yours here.

Download the Subway Korea App before going and enter the closest subway to you as your departure and enter Gapyeong as your arrival station. Actually, download the App before going to Korea 'cause the routes can get very confusing.

Mine was:

Seoul Station - Dongdaemun History Culture Park - 7 minutes
Dongdaemun History Culture Park - Gunja - 15 minutes

Gunja - Sangbong - 9 minutes

Sangbong - Gapyeong - 53 minutes

So all in all, I transferred four times. Sangbong to Gapyeong is the longest route. The first three transfers are fine because the last took almost an hour - matagal pa rin pahinga.

I left Seoul at around 6:30 in the morning 'cause I wanted to ride the first bus to Nami Island. And yep, thanks to the very efficient public transportation in South Korea, I arrived in the time for the first bus. <3

Below is the timetable of the Gapyeong Bus as of February 2018.

There are free travel brochures with a print of this schedule, these are also posted in bus stops, you can take a picture of it once you get there or you can download the picture above.

Since I arrived early, there weren't any lines yet so I am not sure how packed this gets especially during Spring and Autumn. If you arrive there earlier or for whatever reason that you can't take the bus, you can also hail a cab from this station.

Ooooh, was I the 17th rider for that day?? haha! The city tour bus ride costs 6,000 KRW for the entire day. It's like an on and off city tour bus that will take you to the tourist spots in Gapyeong, you just have to show this stub/ticket to the driver once you enter the bus then you're good to go.

Winter Morning at Nami Island link: here.

Nami Island is very famous that it's included in the bucketlist of almost all people travelling to South Korea so the only way to beat the crowd is to go there as early as possible especially before the tour buses arrive. If you want a picture like the one above, you really have to take the 9 AM bus.

Petite France link: here.

Petite France was my second destination for that day. Although it is a small place that also gets very crowded, I think that it's still worth the while. The Little Prince is one of my favorite books and you'll find a lot of Little Prince references in this place. Don't you love how Europe this place is? Lakas maka-France at lalong lakas maka-Kdrama eh. Wala nga lang akong Manager Do. :))

I don't think though that I'll still go here if I'll be able to go back to Korea and explore Gapyeong during a different season. I would choose to visit Gapyeong Rail Bike on that second time just so I'd be able to see more of the city. Hindi ko na lang pinuntahan din kasi sa oras saka baka mas maganda pumunta doon pag kasama jowa. HAHAHA!

Konting-konti na lang baka kunin akong model ng Adidas. Lagi akong nakatalikod tapos nakikita 'yang bag na 'yan sa picture kasi tinatamad akong tanggalin. haha.

Morning Calm Arboretum link: here.

My last stop for that day is the Morning Calm Arboretum. The bus ride from Petite France takes about an hour to this garden so you'd have time to rest. Though it looks gloomy during winter, I've seen pictures of it during Spring and Autumn when it's more beautiful and colorful. You won't notice the crowd here since this is a huge place. I appreciated the frozen lake because it's not all the time that I'll see frozen bodies of water but the main reason why people go here during winter is to watch the light show at night. I wasn't able to watch that though 'causeI headed back and rode the 5:00 PM bus.

You won't need to travel back to Gapyeong Station if you're going back to Seoul since Chongpyeong Station is closer. 'Yung tour ng Gapyeong e nagsisimula sa pinaka-malayo hanggang sa pinaka-malapit... pero pinakamaganda. :)) If not for the perfectly lined meta-sequoia trees that I've always dreamed of seeing, Morning Calm Arboretum 'yung number one ko sa Gapyeong.

Looking forward to visit this place again during autumn or spring. <3

BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES FOR GAPYEONG TOUR: (without food)

Subway and Train from Seoul to Gapyeong: 2,250
Gapyeong Tour Bus: 6,000
Nami Island Entrance Fee and Roundtrip Ferry Ride: 10,000
Petite France Entrance Fee: 10,000
Morning Calm Arboretum Entrance Fee: 9,000
Subway from Chongpyeong to Dongdaemun: 2,050

Total transportation and entrance fee expenses: 39,300 KRW or around 2,000 PHP.

It wasn't that difficult to do a DIY tour, you just have to know the schedule of the bus so you'd be able to maximize your time. I don't know the rates of the group tours to Nami but I think this is one the cheapest options you have especially if you don't mind the train transfers.

Pero two hours on the train tapos nasa 100 PHP lang? Sus! Madali lang lalo na kapag EDSA-trained, diba? Hindi mo na kailangan mag group tour. :))

P.S. For the food, you can look for stalls that offer affordable food if you don't have a big budget for it. Kimbap, Tteokbokki, and Ramyeon were my savior while in S.Kor. There are lots of restaurants and convenience store near Nami Island but I didn't see a lot of food establishments near the other two.

South Korea Trip Summary link: here.

South Korea Travel Video:

[Klook Link] Nami Island, Garden of Morning Calm and More by KTOURSTORY