Train ride to the DMZ

A view of the Imjingang Bridge while passing through it inside a DMZ train running on the Gyeongeui Line.

By Yun Suh-young

For the longest time, a bus was the only option for foreign tourists traveling on their own to visit the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates South and North Koreas.

Now with two new train routes heading to the northernmost parts of South Korea, tourists have more options when deciding to travel to the DMZ.

The Gyeongeui Line which opened on May 4 runs from Seoul Station to Dorasan Station, located close to the DMZ.

The Gyeongwon Line, opened on Aug. 1, takes visitors from Seoul Station to Baengmagoji Station, the northernmost station.

Here is a review by W's reporter of her visit to the DMZ via the two different train routes.

The Dora Observatory

Gyeongeui Line

The visit to Dorasan Station via the Gyeongeui Line is the quickest and most efficient option for foreign travelers with little time on their hands.

The roundtrip takes just five hours in total, so this is a time-saving choice offered on a compact schedule.

The Gyeongeui Line provides two tour programs, the first of which is by bus and the second on foot.

The difference is that the bus tour is a "security tour" program including visits to the 3rd Tunnel and the Dora Observatory whereas the foot tour is a regular one around Dorasan Station due to physical limitations. Thus, we recommend the bus option.

The train ride takes about an hour but before getting off at Dorasan Station, visitors are escorted out of the train at Imjingang Station for an identification check and head count because Dorasan is the only train station located within the civilian-restricted area.

The exterior of the DMZ train

Dorasan Station is, interestingly, dubbed an international station as it is the only one in South Korea with customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities.

When arriving at Dorasan, visitors must buy tickets for the bus tour which includes an entrance fee (3,000 won) to the 3rd Tunnel.

This is the largest underground tunnel dug by the North Koreans to infiltrate into South Korea after the armistice.

The tunnel digging operations by North Koreans began in 1971 upon the order of the late North Korean leader Kim Il-sung.

Discovered in Paju at a point 52 kilometers away from Seoul in 1978, the 3rd Tunnel is 1,635 meters in length, 2 meters in height and 2 meters in width. Apparently it is large enough for 30,000 fully-armed soldiers to pass through within an hour.

The Labor Party building bearing remnants of the Korean War

The walk inside the tunnel was a painful experience, literally. The ceiling of the tunnel was only high enough for a person of 155 centimeters in height to walk without bending. For those taller than 155 centimeters, the 20-minute walk can be excruciating despite the thrill that you're walking inside a tunnel which leads to North Korea.

The tunnel walk is valid only until the 250 meter point from where you started. After seeing the "restricted area" sign, you must head back along the dark, cold path. Bringing a jacket or cardigan is recommended for the tunnel visit because it is extremely cold underground even during the summer. Picture taking is banned inside the tunnel.

The next stop is the Dora Observatory, the northernmost observatory in the South located within the DMZ. It is the observatory from which you can view North Korea closest at hand. The city area of Gaesong, Gaeseong Industrial Complex, bronze statue of Kim Il-sung, the propaganda village, and farmland can be viewed from here.

Visitors walk on the Geumgangsan Bridge, which used to transport war supplies between South and North Korea.

Gyeongwon Line

The Gyeongwon Line, which is the newest route open for a DMZ train tour, heads to Baengmagoji Station.

The ride takes a little over two hours and can be a bit boring until you reach the destination. The merit of the train ride, however, is that the outside view from the train is something that can't be caught from a bus ride.

There are also two tour options offered in this course. One is a security tour and the other is a city tour option. For those visiting the DMZ to experience Korea's painful history, taking the security tour is recommended.

Passengers who have chosen to take the security tour are transported via a tour bus, after getting off at Baengmagoji Station, to a nearby Durumi Village for lunch. They are then taken to the Geumgangsan Bridge, the Labor Party building, and the Communist Observation Post.

Woljeongri Station abandoned after the Korean War

The Geumgangsan Bridge used to connect Cheorwon of South Korea and Naegeumgang in North Korea and was the main transportation route for war supplies during the Korean War (1950-53).

The Labor Party building, the office building used by the North Korean Labor Party until the Korean War broke out, retains its original structure although parts of it were destroyed during the Korean War. It was the post for North Koreans to promote Communist politics and control its people. Look closely into the walls and you'll find remnants of the war with shell and bullet shots that have pierced the walls.

At the Anti-Communist Observation Post, where South Korean soldiers observe the demilitarized zone and the North Korean region, visitors are shown a security video about the role of the post and the threat of North Korea. Photo shooting is prohibited inside the observation post but is allowed outside it, only if the camera is facing the entrance of the post.

Woljeongri Station, the final destination, is an abandoned railway station since the Korean War. It displays remnants of a train blown into pieces by a cannon shot during the war.

Because there are more visiting points on this tour option, a tour guide accompanies the group to explain the historical destinations. The explanations are only useful, however, if you're a Korean speaker.

For foreigners, the Gyeongeui Line tour, which doesn't require explanation, may be a better option.

DMZ train schedule:

Gyeongeui Line

Seoul-Dorasan

One-way train ticket: 8,900 won (weekends) / 8,700 won (weekdays)

All-day DMZ Pass: 16,000 won (adult: 26-55 ages)

Operates twice a day at 8:06 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. departing from Seoul Station

Gyeongwon Line

Seoul-Baengmagoji

One-way train ticket: 12,800 won (weekends)/ 12,400 won (weekdays)

All-day DMZ Pass: 23,000 won (adult: 26-55 ages)

Operates once a day at 9:27 a.m. departing from Seoul Station

Travel tips:

Don't forget to bring your personal identification cards or passports if you're a foreigner when visiting Dorasan Station.

The guards check your ID at the Imjingang Station before reaching Dorasan. Without an identification card, you cannot enter Dorasan.

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