Seoul to Odaesan by KTX: An Autumn Forest Journey

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Autumn in Korea is one of the best times to leave the city and head into the mountains.

And you don’t need a car to experience it.

This journey begins at Seoul Station (서울역), where you board a KTX train and travel east toward the mountains of Gangwon-do. Your destination is Odaesan, one of Korea’s most beautiful places to experience forests, temples, mountain streams, and autumn colors.

This isn’t a trip about conquering a difficult mountain peak.

It’s about slowing down and walking through autumn.

TODAY’S ROUTE

Jinbu (Odaesan) Station (진부(오대산)역)

START 01. Seoul Station (서울역) — Leave the City Behind

 

Your autumn journey begins at Seoul Station (서울역).

Instead of spending another day surrounded by skyscrapers, traffic, and busy streets, board a KTX train and watch the city gradually disappear outside the window.

As the train travels toward Gangwon-do, dense buildings give way to countryside and mountains.

Today’s destination is Odaesan.

Bring comfortable walking shoes, water, a light jacket, and enough time to enjoy the journey without rushing.

SPOT 02. Jinbu (Odaesan) Station (진부(오대산)역) — Gateway to Odaesan

 

Step off the KTX at Jinbu (Odaesan) Station (진부(오대산)역) and the atmosphere immediately changes.

You are now in Pyeongchang, surrounded by the mountains of Gangwon-do.

Jinbu Station is the transportation gateway for this trip. From here, continue toward Odaesan National Park by local bus or taxi.

The first destination inside Odaesan is one of Korea’s historic Buddhist temples.

SPOT 03. Woljeongsa Temple (월정사) — Where the Walk Begins

 

Welcome to Woljeongsa Temple (월정사), a historic Buddhist temple surrounded by the forests of Odaesan.

Before starting the long walk, take some time to explore the temple grounds.

The peaceful temple buildings surrounded by mountains create an especially beautiful scene during autumn, when the forest changes into shades of yellow, orange, and red.

But this is only the beginning.

From Woljeongsa, we leave the temple grounds and enter one of Odaesan’s most famous forest paths.

SPOT 04. Woljeongsa Fir Forest Trail (월정사 전나무숲길) — Walk Beneath the Trees

 

The scenery changes as you enter the Woljeongsa Fir Forest Trail (월정사 전나무숲길).

Tall fir trees rise on both sides of the path, creating a natural corridor through the forest.

There is no need to hurry here.

Listen to the wind moving through the trees. Feel the cooler mountain air. Look up at the enormous trunks towering above you.

In autumn, the deep green of the fir trees contrasts beautifully with the changing colors of the surrounding forest.

Keep walking.

The short forest walk soon connects to the main journey of the day.

SPOT 05. Seonjae-gil Trail (선재길) — Walk Through Odaesan’s Autumn

 

Now the real journey begins.

Seonjae-gil Trail (선재길) connects Woljeongsa and Sangwonsa through the forests of Odaesan.

Rather than steep climbing toward a summit, much of the route follows a relatively gentle path through the valley.

Mountain streams run beside sections of the trail. Fallen leaves cover the ground. Bridges cross the water, and the forest becomes quieter as you move deeper into the mountain.

During autumn, this is the heart of the journey.

Don’t think of Seonjae-gil as something you need to finish quickly.

Stop occasionally.

Listen to the stream.

Take photographs.

Sit beneath the trees.

Watch the colors change as sunlight moves through the forest.

The entire experience is the destination.

Continue following the trail through Odaesan until the forest eventually leads you toward another ancient temple.

FINISH 06. Sangwonsa Temple (평창 상원사 중창권선문) — The End of the Autumn Journey

 

After walking through the forests and valleys of Odaesan, you finally arrive at Sangwonsa Temple (상원사).

This is where today’s journey ends.

You started the morning among the crowds of Seoul Station.

You boarded a KTX, crossed into the mountains of Gangwon-do, entered Odaesan through Woljeongsa, walked beneath towering fir trees, and followed an old forest trail through the mountains.

Now, surrounded by the quiet atmosphere of Sangwonsa, Seoul feels very far away.

Take a moment before leaving.

Look back toward the forest you just walked through.

Today wasn’t about reaching the highest point of Odaesan.

It was about experiencing the mountain itself.

ROUTE COMPLETE

Jinbu (Odaesan) Station (진부(오대산)역)

From a KTX platform in the middle of Seoul to a quiet Buddhist temple deep in the mountains.

This is autumn in Korea — one train ride and one forest trail away.