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South Korea

Busan

Korea's second city, famous for its beaches and film festival. The metro runs from the seaside to the hot springs.

Gimhae International Airport access (PUS)

The airport sits on the light rail, at the same zone fare as the city; a transport card's transfer discount keeps the ride in at 1,600 won. The metro app's tickets are not valid here, so bring cash or a transport card.

Updated on August 20, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Get a transport card first
    Changing to the metro? Buy an EZL (Cashbee) card at a convenience store - single-journey tickets get no transfer discount.
  2. 2
    Board the light rail at the airport station
    Tap in at the gate. Change to metro line 2 at Sasang, or line 3 at Daejeo.
  3. 3
    Always tap out as well
    Tap out when you leave. Skip it and the discount on your next ride disappears.
  4. 4
    For the limousine, go to stop 3 on the first floor
    It takes no cash. Buy at the ticket machine or in the app; while seats last you can just tap a transport card.
  5. 5
    Ticket intercity coaches before you board
    Use the bus counter by Gate 4, or the Bustago app. You cannot board an intercity coach without a ticket.
  6. 6
    Take taxis from the rank
    Check the meter is running. Standard taxis add 30% outside the city and 20-30% at night; deluxe ones add neither.

Fares

Single fares9

Busan-Gimhae light rail, zone 1 (transport card)
A single-journey ticket costs 1,700 won; children ride free with a transport card
1,600 KRW ≈ $1
Light rail then metro, total for one adult
Transport cards only - single tickets get no discount; a zone-2 metro leg adds 200 won
1,600 KRW ≈ $1
Airport Limousine 2 (Seomyeon and Bujeon)
Leaves the airport 07:20-21:30 every 60-80 minutes, with no transfer discount
6,000 KRW ≈ $4
Airport Limousine 1 (Haeundae and Gijang)
From the airport, 07:10-16:50 towards Jangsan and 10:10-21:40 towards Gijang
9,500 KRW ≈ $7
City bus 109 and 307 (standard bus)
1,550 won by transport card, 1,700 in cash - and cash buys no transfer discount
1,550〜1,700 KRW ≈ $1
Community bus Gangseo-11 and Gangseo-13
1,480 won by transport card, 1,600 in cash, for short hops towards Hadan and Gupo
1,480〜1,600 KRW ≈ $1
Express city bus 3003 (towards Taejongdae)
2,100 won by transport card, 2,200 in cash - express buses cost the same as seated ones
2,100〜2,200 KRW ≈ $2
Taxi from the airport to Seomyeon (standard, estimate)
The airport's own estimate, about 45 minutes; traffic and night surcharges move it
18,000 KRW ≈ $13
Taxi from the airport to Haeundae (standard, estimate)
The airport's own estimate, about 70 minutes; a deluxe taxi is 45,000 won
25,000 KRW ≈ $19

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

Intercity coaches must be ticketed before boarding, at the airport ticket machine or in the Bustago app. The airport limousine is unreserved, so you can board on the spot while seats last.

Payment

Tap to ride
There is no scheme anywhere in Busan for tapping a bank card to travel
Card payment at machines The limousine ticket office by Gate 4; nothing at all is published for the light-rail machines Unverified
The operator does not name the brands it accepts
The limousine machine says only 'card payment' - no method, no brands
IC card On the limousine you can only tap on the spot while seats are still free
At the gates: A transport card works on the light rail, on city buses and on the limousine
App tickets
Tickets bought in the Busan Metro app are not valid on the light rail
부산도시철도캐시비
The limousine and intercity coaches can be booked in the Bustago app
Paper tickets
At machines: The light rail sells its own single ticket, not the metro's QR ticket
Cash
The airport limousine takes no cash
At machines: Nothing official says what the light-rail ticket machines accept On board: You can pay a city or community bus in cash as you board

Quick facts

Hours
Airport station 05:33-00:10
Fares from
1,600 KRW+

Heads-up

  • Airport limousine takes no cash

    The airport limousine takes no cash at all. You either pay by card at the ticket machine beside the stop, book ahead in the Bustago app, or tap a transport card while seats are still free. It is also excluded from Busan's transfer discount, so the metro or city bus you take afterwards costs the full fare.

  • App tickets and day passes are not valid on the light rail

    The QR and mobile tickets sold in the Busan Metro app are valid on the metro only, not on the Busan-Gimhae light rail that serves the airport. The same goes for the app's 1-day and 3-day passes. To ride out of the airport, buy a single-journey ticket with cash or have a transport card ready.

  • The transfer discount applies to transport cards only

    The Busan-Gimhae-Yangsan transfer discount is limited to prepaid cards (Mybi, Cashbee and the like) and postpaid transport cards. Buy a single-journey ticket at the airport station and change to the metro at Sasang or Daejeo and you get no discount at all: 1,700 won for the light rail plus 1,700 for a metro single, 3,400 in total. Paying a bus in cash works the same way. Getting into the city for 1,600 won requires a transport card.

Timetable

Operating hours Airport station 05:33-00:10
Typical duration 6-7 minutes to Sasang by light rail; the limousine takes 50 minutes to Seomyeon and Bujeon, about 90 to the Haeundae area
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka