Routes
Want to explore Korea by Bike? You’re in luck. The country maintains thousands of kilometers of bike paths that follow rivers, sail coastlines, and pass historic landmarks.
Looking for a quick cycle? How about an epic cross-country tour? Korea by Bike has all the resources you need. Find breakdowns of Korea’s certification cycling paths and more.
Circle Korea’s tropical getaway. Ride to a romantic city. And complete the east coast.
Circle Korea’s tropical getaway. Ride to a romantic city. And complete the east coast.
About the Routes
South Korea operates a Bicycle Certification System. Also known as a “stamp tour,” the system allows cyclists to document their biking adventures around Korea in a Bike Passport.
The Certification System includes 12 certification bike paths, which I group into four buckets:
- Cross-Country Route (4 certification bike paths)
- East Coast Route (2 certification bike paths)
- Western Routes (4 certification bike paths)
- Jeju & More Routes (2 certification & 2 non-certification bike paths)
As you travel the certification bike paths, find certification centers or red stamp booths spaced between 10 to 30 kilometers apart. Inside, find stamps to mark your Bike Passport.
Collect all the stamps on a certification bike path to receive a certificate. Ride a group of bike paths, like the Cross-Country Route, to earn an Olympic-style medal.
Korea by Bike provides a set of guides for each certification bike path:
- A bike path profile which gives a general overview (e.g. Saejae Bike Path).
- City-to-city breakdowns that guide you through one-day rides (e.g. Seoul to Yeoju).
- A Highlights page which profiles the most noteworthy sites.
- A description of the local geography (i.e. The Han River).
- And info about How to Get There.
Scroll to explore!
Cross-Country Route
The Cross-Country Route follows a series of cycling paths and picturesque country roads from South Korea’s northwest to the southeast tip of the peninsula.
Four separate certification bike paths create the route, each strung together to form a continuous path.
The Stats
Incheon City
(인천시)
34 hours
Busan City
(부산시)
- Time 33.5 hours (5 to 9 days)
- Length 633 km (393 miles)
- Elevation 539 m | 1 m (1,768 ft | 3 ft)
- Difficulty 🚲🚲🚲🚲
- Certifications Hangang Path, Saejae Path, Nakdonggang Path, Four Rivers, Cross-Country, Grand Slam
Cycle a short stretch from the Yellow Sea, down a canal, and onto the edge of Seoul.
Cycle a short stretch from the Yellow Sea, down a canal, and onto the edge of Seoul.
Ride the Han and South Han Rivers through Seoul, into tunnels, over weirs, and by river isles.
Track the Nakdong River by architectural wonders, ancient academies, and bird sanctuaries.
Track the Nakdong River by architectural wonders, ancient academies, and bird sanctuaries.
Overview
The Ara Bicycle Path starts near the Yellow Sea in Incheon City. It rides east for a quick 21 kilometers and ends on the Han River in Seoul.
The Han River (Hangang) Bike Path continues the Cross-Country Route. It flies through the capital’s core, offering glimpses at iconic highlights.
After leaving the mega-city, travel the pastoral South Han River. Ride old rail bridges and tunnels, by watergates, and past river islands filled with migrating birds.
In the middle of Korea, the Saejae Bike Path takes over the Cross-Country Route. It ascends two mountain passes near the highest point of an ancient highway. Discover waterfalls, hot springs, and high-angle views along the way.
Dive onto the Nakdong River (Nakdonggang) Bike Path, the last leg of the Cross-Country tour. Wind south down the Nakdong River, the nation’s longest. Zig past eight weirs. Zag around Daegu City. And climb spiky hills overlooking ancient Confucian academies and hanok villages.
The Cross-Country Route ends near where the Nakdong River spills into the Korea Strait in Busan City on the southwest corner of the peninsula.
East Coast Route
The East Coast Route travels along the shores of Korea’s East Sea (동해; map). Two bike paths navigate from North Gyeongsang Province, a third of the way up the nation’s coastline, to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) on the North Korean border.
The Stats
Yeongdeok County
(영덕군)
23.5 hours
Goseong County
(고성군)
- Time 23.5 hours (4 to 6 days)
- Length 352.8 km (219 miles)
- Elevation 104 m | 0 m (341 ft | 0 ft)
- Difficulty 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲
- Certifications Gyeongbuk, Gangwon, Grand Slam
Traverse a hilly route by seafood ports, ancient pavilions, and oversized snow crab statues.
Traverse a hilly route by seafood ports, ancient pavilions, and oversized snow crab statues.
Overview
Planners mapped out the East Coast Route in two separate bike paths with a cyclist-friendly 4.8-kilometer gap between them:
- The Gyeongbuk Bike Path forms the route’s bottom section. It crosses 122 kilometers along Yeongdeok and Uljin Counties in North Gyeongsang Province’s coast.
- The Gangwon Bicycle Path spans 242 kilometers along Gangwon Province’s coast and creates the East Coast Route’s top section.
Gyeongbuk Bicycle Path
The Gyeongbuk Bicycle Path forms the East Coast’s southern section. It travels between the neighboring Yeongdeok and Uljin Counties on the bottom third of Korea’s coastline.
At 122 kilometers, the Gyeongbuk course is shorter than the northern Gangwon Bike Path. But it’s more challenging, traversing a series of spiky hills between sleepy fishing ports.
Western Routes
Four bike paths in Korea’s western regions create the Western Routes. They follow three rivers (Geum, Yeongsan, Seomjin) and five mountain streams (Ocheon). Each explores unique topographies and local cultures.
The Stats
- Time 27.5 hours (5 to 10 days)
- Length 527 km (327 miles)
- Elevation 236 m | 1 m (774 ft | 3 ft)
- Difficulty 🚲🚲🚲
- Certifications Ocheon, Geumgang, Seomjingang, Yeongsangang, Four Rivers, Grand Slam
Sail the Yeongsan River through flat, foodie provinces to the southwest tip of Korea.
Sail the Yeongsan River through flat, foodie provinces to the southwest tip of Korea.
Ride the Seomjin River along railroads and cherry blossoms to the bottom of Korea.
Ride the Seomjin River along railroads and cherry blossoms to the bottom of Korea.
Overview
The Western Routes feature four bike paths. None of them connect end-to-end. But they share similar features:
- The cycling paths explore smaller cities, towns, and quiet countrysides.
- They cross only a handful of challenging hills along their tame waterways.
- Each bike path will take one or two days to complete.
Let’s look closer at them.
Jeju & More Routes
Jeju & More Routes sends you around Jeju Island, up to Chuncheon City, down the rest of the east coast, and on more cycling courses. Only two of these cycling courses are certification bike paths. But each provides unique and picturesque backdrops.
The Stats
- Time 17 hours (3 to 5 days)
- Length 304 km (189 miles)
- Elevation 165 m | 10 m (541 ft | 33 ft)
- Difficulty 🚲🚲🚲🚲
- Certifications Jeju Fantasy, Bukhangang, Grand Slam
