Bukhangang Bicycle Path
The path from Chuncheon, Korea’s romantic city, rolls around a lake and follows a tourist train through tree adorned valleys and the North Han river.
Chuncheon
(춘천)
4 hours
Hanam
Chuncheon
(춘천)
Hanam
- Time – 4 hours (1 day)
- Length – 70 km (44 miles)
- Elevation – 154 m / 30 m (505 ft / 98 ft)
- Difficulty – 🚲🚲
- Certifications – Bukhangang Path, Grand Slam
City-to-City Path Breakdown
Start in romantic city. Follow the North Han River through valleys and along tourist railroads.
Bukhangang Bike Path
The path from Chuncheon, Korea’s romantic city, rolls around a lake and follows a tourist train through tree adorned valleys and the North Han river.
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Highlights
The city of Incheon designated eight scenic views (수향8경) along the Ara Waterway. Beginning from the Cross-Country Bike Route, they are:
- 1st View — Yellow Sea (황해)
- 2nd View — Gyeongin Ara Passenger Terminal (경인아라뱃길여객터미널)
- 3rd View — Sicheon Riverside (시천가람터)
- 4th View — Ara Falls (아라폭포)
- 5th View — Suhyangwon (수향원)
- 6th View — Duri Ecological Park (두리생태공원)
- 7th View — Ara Gimpo Passenger Terminal (아라 김포여객터미널)
- 8th View — Ara Han River Waterside
You will spot these sights as you ride the Ara Bicycle Path. We’ll explore each in depth below.
For a detailed Korean language map of the Ara Waterway, click here.
Path Types & Difficulty
The Ara Bicycle Path is the easiest in all of Korea. You can conquer the twenty kilometer (20 km) in two hours.
Only a few kilometers near the beginning and end of the route detours onto protected sidewalks in industrial areas. The majority of the course follows bicycle-only paths.
Both sides of the Ara Waterway canal hold bike paths. The south bike path climbs a ten meter embankment to hop onto a bridge: your only hill.
Getting There
If you’re already in Seoul or Incheon, subways provide the quickest accessed to the Ara Bicycle Path.
The Airport Express (AREX) is a commuter train that travels from Incheon Airport to Seoul Station. The train runs right along two thirds of the Ara Waterway. Like most subways in Korea, the AREX allows passengers to board with any type of bike on weekends and holidays.
Three AREX stations will drop you off on or near the bicycle path.
The Bukhan River
The Ara Bicycle Path borrows its name from the Gyeongin Ara Waterway (경인 아라뱃길) or Ara Waterway.
The name “Gyeong” (경) is an old name for Seoul. “In” refers to the city of Incheon. The name borrows “Ara” from Arirang, an ancient Korean folk song.
The Ara Waterway is Korea’s first man-made canal. 18 kilometers long. 80 meters wide. 6 meters deep. The canal flows from the Han River in Seoul towards the Yellow Sea.
King Gojong of Goryeo first explored its construction in the 13th century. However, limited technology scrapped the project. The canal’s construction didn’t break ground until 2009, with its completion coming in 2012.
Cities & Towns
Behind Seoul and Busan, the city of Incheon (인천) is the third most populous city in Korea, holding over three million residents. The city sits on the northwestern corner of South Korea, with the Yellow Sea to its west and Seoul to its east.
Incheon is a part of the Seoul Capital Area (수도권), which includes Gyeonggi Province (경기도). Many of Incheon’s residents commute to Seoul via the Airport Express (AREX) or Subway Line 1, which extended across both cities.
Transportation and international business churn the Incheon’s economy.
Incheon International Airport (인천국제공항) is the primary hub for those leaving and coming to Korea. In 2016, worldwide, the airport ranked fifth busiest for cargo and nineteenth for passengers.
Behind Busan, Incheon operates the second largest port in Korea. Its docks feed goods to and from Korea’s largest metropolitan region.
Additionally, Incheon designated fifty thousand acres as a Free Economic Zone. Foreign businesses that set up shop here receive tax incentives and more.
Some of Incheon’s highlights include:
- Songdo International Business District (송도) — a smart city built on reclaimed title flats.
- Chinatown (인천차이나타운) — Korea’s largest Chinatown with historic sites and authentic Chinese food.
- Wolmido (월미도) — A tourist island with a park, garden, and theme park on the Yellow Sea coast. Also the site of the Korean War’s Battle of Inchon.
