Daegu is South Korea’s third-largest city and a natural stopover between Seoul and Busan. The KTX takes 1 hour and 40 minutes. Here is every way to get there.
Daegu sits roughly halfway between Seoul and Busan on the Gyeongbu corridor. For travellers doing the full Seoul-to-Busan route, Daegu is a logical one-night stop. The city has a distinctive food culture, the Apsan cable car and mountain park, d and a good base for visiting Haeinsa Temple (home to the 13th-century Tripitaka Koreana printing blocks, about 1 hour by bus from Daegu).
Quick answer: KTX from Seoul Station to Dongdaegu Station. 1 hour 35 to 1 hour 50 minutes, around 38,000 won standard class. Multiple services per hour throughout the day. Book at korail.go.kr.
Option 1: KTX (Recommended)
- Departure: Seoul Station (city centre, subway lines 1 and 4)
- Arrival: Dongdaegu Station (Daegu’s main KTX terminal, subway lines 1 and 2)
- Journey time: 1 hour 35 to 1 hour 50 minutes on Saemaeul or KTX services
- Cost: Around 38,000 won for standard class one way
- Frequency: Multiple services per hour
- Booking: korail.go.kr or Korail app. Walk-up tickets are usually available except during holidays.
Dongdaegu Station is well-connected to the city centre by the Daegu subway. The downtown area (Dongseongno shopping street and the Seomun Market) is about 20 minutes from Dongdaegu Station by subway.
Option 2: Express Bus
- Departure: Seoul Express Bus Terminal (Gangnam) or Central City Terminal
- Arrival: Daegu Express Bus Terminal (western Daegu)
- Journey time: About 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes, depending on traffic
- Cost: Around 17,500 to 20,000 won one way
Option 3: Uber
- Departure: Seoul, from your hotel or chosen pickup point
- Arrival: Daegu, to your hotel or chosen drop-off point
- Journey time: About 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes, depending on traffic
- Cost: Usually much higher than bus or train, likely around 250,000 to 400,000 won one way depending on demand, route, and vehicle type
Uber may be convenient for door-to-door travel, especially with luggage, but it is usually the most expensive option. The bus is significantly cheaper than the KTX and is the better option for budget travellers with flexible schedules. Allow extra time during peak holiday traffic (Chuseok, Seollal, summer weekends).
Daegu as a Day Trip from Seoul
Daegu is reachable for a day trip; the KTX journey is short enough, but a night is better. The city’s distinctive food (makcha, ng grilled off;l, Daegu ta,n g grilled fish so;p, and the apple orchards producing Korea’s finest apples) rewards an evening and a morning rather than a rushed 4-hour visit.
Continuing from Daegu
From Dongdaegu, the KTX to Busan takes about 50 minutes and costs around 20,000 won. Gyeongju is accessible by local train or express bus in about 50 to 60 minutes. See the Busan and Gyeongju travel guides for onward destinations.
