South Korea Day 3: Hello Busan!

The bags were packed the night before and despite having dropped off most of our luggage at the hotel we were staying at upon our return to Seoul, we found that we had an extra bag of snacks we couldn't finish and opted to bring along another extra bag for the laundry we did the night before. In short, too many bags.

We woke the girls around 6.15 am, rushed through the morning routine and took the local metro to Seoul station. Mommy had bought KTX 3 days  KR Passes for two adults and one child ( Children under four travel for free, sitting on the parent) prior to departure from Singapore. It allows you unlimited rides (except on subways) within the 3 days and even though we were only getting tickets from Seoul to Busan and back, it still worked out to be a lot cheaper than buying the tickets separately. We collected our KR Passes on Saturday after arrival and bought tickets from Seoul to Busan and back. The thing about KR Passes is that once you set the window for use ( for example Monday to Wednesday), you are not allowed to make any changes to the dates so do make sure you plan your travel well. Even though KTX is considered the country's speed train, some trains take a longer time to reach their final destinations, depending on the number of stops they make along the way. While still in Singapore, we went onto KTX website (www.korail.com) and checked out the timings for the trains. We picked a reasonable time range (8-9am) and started selecting the shorter train journeys. When we got to Korea, we went to Seoul Station (take subway and alight at Seoul station, take Exit 1 up the escalator and KTX Seoul Station is on your left) and bought our tickets based on our preferred timing. As seats are not necessary available, it is advisable that you buy your tickets early.



At busy Seoul Station



On the platform...early

Clean and comfortable

We got to Seoul Station 30 minutes before our 8.30am train, bound for Busan. It gave us ample time for toilet break and to settle the children in the train. Transportation in Korea prides itself for being punctual so you can expect to be left behind even if you are on the platform by 8:31:00am. The ride took about 2 hours 50 minutes and was very smooth. The girls had some of the snacks we brought along before drifting off to sleep for the majority of the journey. The ride was generally uneventful but the most exciting part was the opportunity to admire the rural landscapes, architecture, farmland, countryside, rolling hills, and scenic waterways we were passing by, and fantasize about the day we get to visit these places.



KTX tickets from Seoul to Busan



We arrived at Busan station a little behind schedule and bought a one day pass for the Humetro for 4000 won per adult. It can be purchased from the normal ticketing machine. One thing to note is that the ticketing machine only accepts 1000 won notes so make sure you carry enough to last you during your visit in Busan. The kids ride free, but the amusing thing about a number of the stations we encountered was that the gantries only opened when a ticket was inserted, and because the kids had no tickets, the staff told us that they had to either crawl under or climb over the gantries. It sure was amusing seeing two little children crawling their way through. As they were the only two children wherever we went, we stood out a lot.

One day unlimited travel pass for 4000 won.

 




Snacks after the train journey

Our accomodation for the next two nights was the Ibis Ambassador Busan, conveniently located just outside the Bujeon station, which is seven stops away from Seoul Station. We walked through a small underground shopping mall before exiting infront of the hotel.

The reception was on the 17th floor and the hotel shared a building with a hospital which occupied the first seven floors. The staff here were able to communicate fluently in English and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that we could check in early.   

The suite comes with a nice attached bathroom, and the ladies will be sharing the queen-sized bed while daddy curls up on the sofa. The room is a luxury compared with the Seoul apartment, and has heating function on the air conditioner. However, the real star of the show had to be the state of the art toilet bowl. It had an array of buttons on its control panel that did everything from keeping the toilet seat warm to cleaning you up when you are done. But even technology couldn't solve the occasional clog and a plumber had to be called to fix that after check-in.   

 

Girls prefer the warmth of the room and bed

A 24 hour convenience mart located on the first floor was a real plus for quick snacks and drinks.   

Since the kids had their nap on the train, we were ready to begin our exploration after a short change and refresher. Next stop: Haeundae Beach!