Suwon travel guide

Suwon (Korean: 수원; Korean pronunciation: [sʰu.wʌn]) is the largest city and capital of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea's most populous province. The city lies approximately 30 km (19 mi) south of the national capital, Seoul.

The Gwanggyo Mountains, the developmental part of the Gwangju Mountains, pass through, and high and low hills appear here and there. The terrain generally slopes gently from northeast to southwest. Despite its population exceeding one million since 2002, Suwon had been subject to the same administrative regulations as other local districts, facing difficulties in providing various services. Therefore, it has been granted the status of Suwon special case city, enabling it to enjoy a broader range of services.

Suwon is made up of four districts: Jangan, Kwonseon, Paldal and Yeongtong. Neighboring cities are Yongin to the east, Ansan to the west, Hwaseong to the south and Uiwang to the north.

Features of Suwon accommodation include a large number of love hotel-style motels. They are usually concentrated in the bar area in Ingye-dong, near Suwon Station. It is not just a love hotel-style motel. There are various types of accommodation. There are guest houses, hotels, and jjimjilbangs. Starting with jjimjilbangs, there are accommodation ranges ranging from ₩7,000 to ₩100,000. When using jjimjilbangs, it is essential to use a bathhouse. After taking a shower in a wooden bath, you can enter the sauna wearing jjimjilbang clothes. The average price range is ₩7,000 to ₩10,000. There is a sleeping room in the sauna, where you can sleep well.

Getting in

For visitors to Seoul, Suwon can be treated like another suburb. It is possible to travel from Incheon International Airport to Suwon solely using the Seoul Metro. First, take the Airport Railroad Express (AREX) to Seoul station. From Seoul Station, take the Line 1 (blue) south towards Cheonan and Sinchang Station. From the airport to Suwon should take a little over 2 hours. Make sure you are on the correct train, as the track later splits and travels on two lines: towards Incheon (west) and towards Cheonan/Sinchang (south).

Getting around

The bus system in Suwon is reliable and cheap. Most major stops have a list of available bus lines with route information. Green buses typically run inside the city, and larger blue and red buses take passengers to Seoul and neighboring cities. Most major stops and points of interest are listed in English. English announcements on the bus are only for stops of tourist interest. Suwon Station is not the terminus for the bus lines, so make sure you are traveling in the correct direction.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.