Daegu Day Trip from Seoul, Korea: ₩39,000 KTX, Seomun Night Market Hours and Kim Kwang-seok Street
Last updated: 31 October 2026. Train and bus fares and times are from the national timetable data on data.go.kr, read on 31 October for Saturday 31 October. Market, cable car and transit figures come from the Daegu city government, the Apsan cable car operator and Kakao Map. Confirm your train in the Korail+ app (코레일+) before you go.
A Daegu day trip from Seoul is cheaper than it was in August. Since Korail and SR merged on 1 September, the KTX from Seoul Station to Dongdaegu (동대구) costs ₩39,000, down from ₩43,500. Most trains take 1 hour 45 to 1 hour 55, and the fastest on Saturday 31 October took 1 hour 36. From Suseo in Gangnam it is ₩37,500 and about 1 hour 45. The express bus costs less but takes almost four hours. Daegu's best evening, the Seomun Night Market (서문야시장), runs only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 19:00. This plan is built around that window.
For two hours of standing at an outdoor night market in November: Made-in-Korea hand warmers, 30-pack, on AmazonAffiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, EpicKor earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Daegu day trip from Seoul: the numbers at a glance
| What | The number |
|---|---|
| KTX Seoul Station → Dongdaegu | ₩39,000, about 1 hr 50; 66 high-speed departures from Seoul Station on Sat 31 Oct |
| KTX Suseo → Dongdaegu | ₩37,500, about 1 hr 45; 28 departures on Sat 31 Oct |
| Last train back | To Seoul Station 22:57 (arrives 00:42); to Suseo 23:14 (arrives 01:06) |
| Daegu metro and bus | ₩1,500 by card; T-money works; no cash on buses |
| Seomun Night Market | Fri–Sat 19:00–23:30, Sun 19:00–22:30, until December |
| Apsan cable car | ₩14,000 return |
The short version: go on a Friday or a Saturday, take a morning KTX from whichever Seoul station is closer to your bed, and book the return before you leave. The Saturday-evening seats back to Seoul sell out first.
Daegu hotels on Agoda — turn the day trip into a night The night market keeps going until 23:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, well after the last comfortable train to Seoul. A bed near Dongdaegu Station also makes Palgongsan's autumn colour an easy next morning. EpicKor may earn a commission if you book through this Agoda link, at no extra cost to you. Confirm dates, taxes, cancellation terms and the final price on Agoda before booking.
Compare Daegu stays on AgodaYou might like: Korea's KTX and SRT Merged on 1 September: Cheaper Fares, One App, One Thing to Do First
Seoul to Daegu by train: Seoul Station or Suseo
Since the merger there is one company and one app, so pick the station closer to where you are staying.
| Seoul Station → Dongdaegu | Suseo → Dongdaegu | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult fare (standard) | ₩39,000 (₩38,600 on some southbound trains via Seodaegu; all northbound ₩39,000). Was ₩43,500 before 1 Sept | ₩37,500 |
| Time | Median about 1 hr 53; fastest 1 hr 36; a few slower KTX services take 2 hr 30 or more | 1 hr 41 to 1 hr 53 |
| Departures, Sat 31 Oct | 66 high-speed, plus 20 slower trains | 28 |
| First south / last north | 05:03 (arr. 06:46) / 22:57 from Dongdaegu (arr. 00:42) | 05:30 (arr. 07:12) / 23:14 from Dongdaegu (arr. 01:06) |
| Good for | Myeong-dong, Jongno, Hongdae, Itaewon | Gangnam, Jamsil, Seongsu |
The slower trains are cheaper. An ITX-Saemaeul is ₩31,400 and takes about 3 hours 30 to 4 hours, and a Mugunghwa is ₩21,100 and takes about 4 hours to 4 hours 30. On a day trip that costs you most of your daylight.
Booking. Use Korail+ or korail.com. Seats go on sale two months ahead (see our guide to the 1 October booking change). Search for Dongdaegu, not "Daegu". Daegu Station (대구역) is a different station on the older line.
The last-train trap. The two latest trains reach Seoul after midnight, when much of the subway has stopped, especially at weekends. Our guide to Seoul's last trains has the times by station. On a Saturday, take a train that gets in by about 23:00.
Seoul to Daegu by bus
Express buses run from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal (서울경부, Gangnam) to the Dongdaegu terminal next to the station. The fares in the 30 October timetable data already include the 1 October rise in the bus fare cap, which our KTX vs bus guide explains. Standard is ₩22,100, deluxe (우등) ₩32,700 and premium ₩34,000. There are 28 runs a day, for example the 06:00 and 07:20 deluxe and the 10:00 premium. The timetable gives every run 3 hours 47 minutes.
For a day trip it is not worth it. Deluxe saves ₩6,300 each way over the KTX and costs nearly four extra hours on the road. It makes sense one way, for example down on a Friday night if you are sleeping over.
You might like: KTX vs SRT vs Express Bus in Korea: What the Merger Changed
A sample Daegu day trip timeline (Saturday)
These are times from the Saturday 31 October timetable. Check your own day in Korail+.
| Time | What | Cost (adult) |
|---|---|---|
| 07:50 | KTX 15, Seoul Station → Dongdaegu (arr. 09:31). From Gangnam: Suseo 07:25 → 09:09 | ₩39,000 (₩37,500) |
| 09:45 | Metro to Seomun Market: 6 stops on Line 1 to Myeongdeok + 3 on Line 3 | ₩1,500 |
| 10:15–12:30 | Seomun Market, then a noodle lunch | About ₩5,000 |
| 12:45 | Line 3 to Cheongna Hill, Line 2 to Kyungpook Nat'l Univ. Hospital, exit 3 | ₩1,500 |
| 13:00–14:30 | Kim Kwang-seok Street | Free |
| 15:00–17:45 | Taxi to Apsan, cable car up for sunset, cable car down | Taxi + ₩14,000 |
| 18:30–20:15 | Taxi back to Seomun Market; night market from 19:00 | Taxi + stall food |
| 20:30 | Line 3 and Line 1 back to Dongdaegu | ₩1,500 |
| 21:13 | KTX 72, Dongdaegu → Seoul Station (arr. 23:06). To Suseo: 21:23 → 23:12 | ₩39,000 (₩37,500) |
That comes to about ₩96,500 per person before taxis and food: ₩78,000 in trains, ₩4,500 for three metro rides and ₩14,000 for the cable car. Via Suseo it is ₩93,500.
On a weekday the night market is closed and the last Apsan cable car down is at 18:30, so head home around 19:00. On a Sunday do Apsan and Kim Kwang-seok Street first and the night market (19:00–22:30) last, because many market stalls are closed in the daytime.
Getting around Daegu: metro, buses and T-money
Line 1 runs under Dongdaegu Station, and Line 3 is an elevated monorail that takes you to Seomun Market. Lines 1 and 3 cross at Myeongdeok, Lines 1 and 2 at Banwoldang, and Lines 2 and 3 at Cheongna Hill.
- Metro: a flat ₩1,500 by card for adults, or ₩1,700 for a single ticket (fares since 13 January 2024).
- Buses: ₩1,500 by card, ₩1,950 on express (급행) routes.
- No cash on buses since 1 April 2025. Without a card you can take a payment slip on board and pay later by bank transfer, or set up a mobile transport card from the QR code at the stop. It is much easier to bring a card.
- T-money from Seoul works on Daegu's metro and buses at the card fare.
Seomun Market and the Seomun Night Market
Seomun Market (서문시장) is Daegu's biggest traditional market, with fabric, bedding, kitchenware, dried fish and food stalls. A 2020 report counted about 4,600 shops. Kakao Map lists it as open 09:00–18:00. Under the market's rules as reported in 2020, the first and third Sundays are closing days. Kakao Map also showed the market and the food stalls we checked as closed on Sunday 1 November.
Lunch. Hapcheon Halmae Son-kalguksu (합천할매손칼국수) has hand-cut kalguksu for ₩5,000 and kaljebi for ₩6,000, as listed on Kakao Map on 31 October. Its listed hours are 09:00–19:00, closed on Sundays. The government price survey puts kalguksu at ₩7,583 on average in Daegu and ₩10,038 in Seoul (see our Seoul restaurant prices guide). Look out for napjak-mandu (납작만두), Daegu's paper-thin flat dumpling, pan-fried and eaten with soy sauce and chilli flakes.
The night market. It reopened for the 2026 season on 27 March. The Daegu city government published the schedule:
- Friday and Saturday 19:00–23:30, Sunday 19:00–22:30, closed Monday to Thursday.
- 26 stalls, open until December. The smaller riverside Chilseong Night Market closes after November.
- The food includes butter-fried octopus, lamb skewers, grilled makchang (막창, beef intestine, a Daegu speciality) and gochujang-bulgogi tacos.
- There is no published price list. Each stall shows its prices on a board, so bring a card and some cash.
Arrive near 19:00, when the first hour is calmest.
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Kim Kwang-seok Street
The singer Kim Kwang-seok (김광석) was born in 1964 in Daebong-dong, the neighbourhood around Bangcheon Market. He died on 6 January 1996. His songs, among them "서른 즈음에" (Around Thirty), are still sung across Korea. Kim Kwang-seok Street (김광석 다시그리기길) is an alley of about 350 m along the Sincheon embankment, painted with murals of the singer and his songs. It began in 2009 as an art project to revive Bangcheon Market.
- Getting there: Line 2 to Kyungpook National University Hospital Station (경대병원역), exit 3. Kakao Map puts the street about 520 m away, through Bangcheon Market.
- Crowds: about 897,000 visitors came in 2023, according to a 2024 Kyungbuk Maeil report.
- Honest note: if you do not know the songs, this is a pleasant mural lane rather than a big sight. Listen to "서른 즈음에" on the train down first.
Apsan cable car and observatory
Apsan (앞산) is the ridge on Daegu's southern edge. The Apsan cable car (앞산케이블카) goes up to the observatory, which has the best view of the city. The operator's fares are ₩14,000 return and ₩10,000 one way for adults. Children from 36 months through primary school pay ₩10,000 return. November hours: the first car goes up at 10:30. The last car down from the top leaves at 18:30 Monday to Thursday and 20:30 Friday to Sunday. Ticket sales close 30 minutes earlier, and wind or rain can stop the cars. City buses 410 and 410-1 stop at the Apsan Park Management Office (앞산공원관리사무소). On a tight day a taxi is simpler.
Lonely Planet Korea — for the rest of the trip south of Seoul Daegu sits on the KTX line to Gyeongju (Singyeongju) and Busan, and a country guide is still the easiest way to see the whole route before you book the trains. Check the edition date on the listing. As an Amazon Associate, EpicKor earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
See Lonely Planet Korea on AmazonYou might like: 7-Day Korea Itinerary: Seoul, Gyeongju, and Busan by KTX
Late autumn in Daegu: Palgongsan
In November, Palgongsan (팔공산), north of the city, is Daegu's autumn-colour mountain. A Daegu newspaper reported the first colour on 26 October and a peak expected around 12 November. From 31 October to 15 November, the Express 1 (급행1) bus from Dongdaegu Station towards Donghwasa temple runs 95 trips a day at weekends, every 10–11 minutes (₩1,950 by card). Check the cable car stop in Kakao Map. Cable car hours on Kakao Map are 09:30–18:00 on weekdays and 09:30–18:20 at weekends. We could not confirm the fare on the operator's site; one travel site reports ₩14,000 return. Palgongsan and Seomun Market are at opposite ends of the city, so on one day you will drop Apsan. Daegu's normal first snow is not until 5 December (our first-snow guide), so November is usually dry, with cold evenings.
You might like: Korea Autumn Foliage 2026: The Forecast Peak Dates for Seoraksan, Seoul and Naejangsan
Mistakes to avoid on a Daegu day trip
- Booking "Daegu" instead of "Dongdaegu". They are different stations.
- Going on a Monday to Thursday for the night market. In 2026 it opens Friday to Sunday only.
- Planning a market lunch on a Sunday without checking. The first-and-third-Sunday closure comes from a 2020 report, so check Kakao Map before a Sunday visit.
- Taking the last train. The 22:57 and 23:14 reach Seoul after midnight.
- Bringing only cash. Daegu's buses do not take it.
Comparing day trips? Our day trips from Seoul by train hub puts Daegu next to 11 other cities, with the fare and the last train back for each.
FAQ
Q: How long is the KTX from Seoul to Daegu, and how much is it?
A: About 1 hour 45 to 1 hour 55 from Seoul Station to Dongdaegu, and ₩39,000 for an adult standard seat since 1 September 2026, down from ₩43,500. From Suseo it is ₩37,500 and about 1 hour 45.
Q: Is a day trip to Daegu from Seoul worth it?
A: Yes, on a Friday or Saturday. A 07:50 departure and a 21:13 return give you more than 11 hours in Daegu: enough for Seomun Market, Kim Kwang-seok Street, the Apsan cable car and an hour at the night market. On a Sunday many market stalls may be shut in the daytime, so check before you go.
Q: When is Seomun Night Market open?
A: In 2026 it opens Friday and Saturday 19:00–23:30 and Sunday 19:00–22:30, from 27 March until December.
Q: Can I use T-money in Daegu?
A: Yes, on the metro and buses: ₩1,500, or ₩1,950 on express buses. You need a card, because the buses have taken no cash since April 2025.
Sources
- Trains: national rail timetable data (data.go.kr) via train.asamaru.net, Seoul and Suseo ↔ Dongdaegu, read 31 October 2026. Fare cut: Maeil Shinmun, 5 August 2026; Kyungbuk Maeil, 25 August 2026 (₩39,000; ₩38,600 via Seodaegu).
- Buses: express bus timetable data (data.go.kr) via transportation.asamaru.net, updated 30 October 2026; 1 October fare-cap rise, EpicKor 485.
- Daegu transit: Daegu Metropolitan City, metro fares; Kyungbuk Maeil, 28 December 2023 (bus fares); Financial News, 18 February 2025 (cash-free buses, bank-transfer slip, QR mobile card).
- Night markets: Kuki News, 26 March 2026; Asia Economy, 26 March 2026.
- Seomun Market: Maeil Shinmun, 21 February 2020 (Sunday rule, 4,600 shops); Kakao Map listings read 31 October 2026; kalguksu averages from 참가격 (price.go.kr) via EpicKor 554.
- Kim Kwang-seok: Seoul Shinmun, 29 December 2014; Newsis, 6 January 2026 (died 6 January 1996); Kyungbuk Maeil, 5 February 2024 (visitors).
- Apsan cable car: official site, fares, hours and directions, read 31 October 2026.
- Palgongsan: Kyungbuk Maeil, 27 October 2026; cable car hours from Kakao Map. First snow: KMA via EpicKor 486.
- Photos: Choi2451, Striker9498, LERK, kajikawa and Im Taewon on Wikimedia Commons; details in the image-sources file.
In short: a morning KTX for ₩39,000, Seomun Market, Kim Kwang-seok Street, Apsan at dusk, and the night market before a train home just after 21:00.
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