Wanderyn
Pyeongchang
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
city · KR

Pyeongchang

Recommended stay: 2 days
Getting around: The KTX line built for the 2018 Winter Olympics connects Pyeongchang's Jinbu Station to Seoul in about 1.5-2 hours, but the area's ski resorts and Olympic venues are spread across a mountainous county, so a car (or resort shuttle) is genuinely necessary once you arrive - public buses exist but run infrequently between the scattered sites.
Hours: Ski resort lift operating hours are strictly seasonal (roughly late November through March) and weather-dependent; outside ski season, the Alpensia and Yongpyong areas run on a much thinner summer schedule of hiking trails and cable cars rather than winter-sport facilities.

Pyeongchang hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics, and its identity as a destination is now built substantially around that legacy - the Alpensia Resort ski jump tower and Olympic Plaza, along with the Yongpyong (Dragon Valley) ski resort, are the area's anchor attractions. Before the Olympics, Pyeongchang was known mainly as a high-altitude farming region (its cabbage fields at Daegwallyeong are a well-known scenic and agricultural feature) and for the Woljeongsa temple's fir-tree forest approach path.

In winter, it functions as Korea's most prominent ski destination, drawing both domestic skiers and the K-pop-adjacent "ski trip" crowd; outside ski season it's quieter, appealing more to hikers and to travelers visiting the Olympic venues or Daegwallyeong's sheep farm and wind-turbine ridgeline than to beach- or city-style tourism.

Pyeongchang FAQs

How do I get to Pyeongchang from Seoul?

The Olympic-era KTX line to Jinbu Station takes about 1.5-2 hours.

Do I need a car once I'm in Pyeongchang?

Yes - the ski resorts and Olympic venues are spread across a mountainous county with infrequent public buses between them.

When are the ski resorts open?

Roughly late November through March, and both lift operations and conditions are weather-dependent.

What can I do in Pyeongchang outside ski season?

Visit the Olympic venues at Alpensia, hike, or see Woljeongsa Temple's fir-tree approach and the Daegwallyeong sheep farm and wind-turbine ridgeline.

Is Pyeongchang only for skiers?

No, though it is the main draw in winter - the area also has agricultural and Olympic-legacy sightseeing that works year-round.

Your travel graph
Ready to plan Pyeongchang?Planning a trip soon? Add it to build an itinerary.

Reviews/Comments

No comments yet — be the first.