Busan Station is not near Haeundae. This catches people out, because the KTX arrives in what feels like the middle of the city and the beach is still 17 km away on the far eastern side.
The short answer: subway if you’re travelling light, taxi if you have suitcases. The subway takes about 50 minutes and costs a bus fare; the taxi takes 30–45 depending on traffic and costs somewhere in the region of ₩20,000–28,000.
Where you actually are
Busan Station sits in the old port district in the west of the city — near Chinatown, the fish market, and the harbour. It’s a genuine part of Busan and worth an hour, but it is not the Busan most visitors booked a hotel in.
Haeundae is a separate district on the eastern coast: the wide beach, the high-rises, the resort hotels. Between them is most of Busan, and Seomyeon — the commercial centre — sits roughly in the middle. That geography is why every route involves either a transfer or a long straight taxi ride.
Subway: one transfer, about 50 minutes
Busan Station is on Line 1. Haeundae is on Line 2. They meet at Seomyeon.
- Board Line 1 at Busan Station heading toward Seomyeon
- Transfer to Line 2 at Seomyeon, direction Jangsan
- Ride to Haeundae Station
Under ₩2,000 with a transport card, and it runs frequently enough that you don’t need a timetable.
The catch is Seomyeon. It’s Busan’s busiest interchange, and the connection between Line 1 and Line 2 is a long walk with stairs. With one backpack this is nothing. With two suitcases and a jet-lagged travelling companion, it is the part of the journey you’ll remember.
Once at Haeundae Station, the beach is another five to ten minutes on foot — usually Exit 3 or 5, then straight downhill toward the water.
Your Seoul transport card works here. Korean transport cards are national, so whatever you topped up in Seoul taps through in Busan without any action on your part. If you haven’t sorted a card, how to pay for transit in Korea covers it.
Taxi: direct, 30–45 minutes
Straightforward: the rank is right outside Busan Station, and you say “Haeundae.” Roughly ₩20,000–28,000 depending on traffic and exactly where in Haeundae you’re going.
Take the taxi if you have luggage. The Seomyeon transfer is the single argument for it, and it’s a strong one. Split between two or three people the cost difference against the subway becomes minor, and you arrive at your hotel door rather than a subway exit.
Traffic is the variable. Mid-morning it’s a 30-minute ride; at 6pm on a Friday in August it can be well over an hour and the subway wins outright on both time and money.
Have your destination in Korean on your phone to show the driver. Hotel names in English are often recognised, but street addresses are not.
City bus: cheapest, slowest
Buses run the route — 1003 among others — for around ₩1,550. They’re fine if you like watching a city go past and have no schedule.
They are not fine with luggage. Busan buses are crowded, the aisles are narrow, and there is nowhere to put a suitcase. This is a third option in the sense that it exists, not in the sense that most visitors should take it.
The decision
- Light bag, no rush → subway. Cheap, predictable, and you get a look at Seomyeon.
- Suitcases → taxi. The transfer is the reason.
- Two or more people with luggage → taxi, easily. The per-person cost stops being an argument.
- Friday evening or a summer weekend → subway regardless. Traffic makes the taxi worse on every measure.
- Arriving late at night → check the last subway before you assume it’s an option. Busan’s runs earlier than you’d expect.
One thing worth knowing before you commit
If you’re going to Haeundae and you’re arriving on a summer weekend, consider whether you want to be in Haeundae at all. In July and August the beach is genuinely, famously packed, and the neighbouring Gwangalli — one Line 2 stop cluster further west, with the bridge view — is the more pleasant version of the same evening.
That’s a preference, not a rule. But nobody warns visitors that the beach they’ve seen in photos is the one photographed at 7am in May.
For the journey that gets you here in the first place, see Seoul to Busan compared, and Seoul vs Busan if you’re still weighing the trip up.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Haeundae from Busan Station? About 17 km east across the city. Roughly 50 minutes by subway, 30–45 by taxi.
Is there a direct subway? No. Line 1 from Busan Station, transfer to Line 2 at Seomyeon, then on to Haeundae.
How much is a taxi? Typically ₩20,000–28,000 depending on traffic and destination within Haeundae.
Does my Seoul transport card work in Busan? Yes. Korean transport cards work nationally.
Is the subway hard with luggage? The Seomyeon transfer involves a long connecting walk and stairs. With suitcases, take a taxi.
How far is the beach from Haeundae Station? Five to ten minutes on foot, downhill toward the water.
Fares are approximate and change. Check current prices before you travel.