Travel
Get to South Korea
There are no direct flights to South Korea from Sweden. Flying from Europe to Seoul/Incheon (ICN) with a connecting flight takes approximately 15-20 hours from start to landing. A direct flight from Europe takes approximately 10-11 hours, while the return flight takes around 12-13 hours; flight time has increased for most European airlines since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as they no longer use Russian airspace. The full-scale invasion has also made it more complicated to reach South Korea without flying, as the Trans-Siberian Railway is no longer an available route to most Europeans. Korea can however, for those who wish, be reached by boat from China.
Resa till Sydkorea
Det finns inga direktflyg till Sydkorea från Sverige. Att flyga från Europa till Seoul/Incheon (ICN) med ett anslutningsflyg tar ungefär 15-20 timmar från start till landning. Ett direktflyg från Europa tar ungefär 10-11 timmar, medan returflyget tar omkring 12-13 timmar; flygtiden har ökat för de flesta europeiska flygbolag sedan Rysslands fullskaliga invasion av Ukraina, eftersom de inte längre använder ryskt luftrum. Den fullskaliga invasionen har också gjort det mer komplicerat att nå Sydkorea utan att flyga, då Transsibiriska järnvägen inte längre är en tillgänglig rutt för de flesta européer. Sydkorea kan dock, för de som önskar, nås med båt från Kina.
De flesta anslutningar från Stockholm går via antingen Helsingfors (Finnair) eller Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), och ibland via Peking (Air China). De två första alternativen är också bra om du flyger från Göteborg. Att flyga från Köpenhamn eller Oslo kan erbjuda prisvärda alternativ (Qatar Airways, Lufthansa).
Det finns inga direktflyg från Bryssel till Seoul, men bra alternativ inkluderar mellanlandningar i München/Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Warszawa (LOT) eller Istanbul (Turkish Airways). Air France och Korean Air flyger direkt från Paris till Seoul, även om en anslutningsflygning troligtvis kommer att minska kostnaden något.
Om du reser från USA och vill flyga direkt, är Korean Air det mest använda och tillgängliga alternativet, med mycket mindre tillgänglighet från United, American och Delta Airlines beroende på vilken delstat du flyger från. De sistnämnda tre erbjuder dock fler alternativ om du överväger att välja anslutningsflyg. Nyligen har Air Canada meddelat att de kommer att öka antalet flygningar till Sydkorea och förbättra servicen ombord, så du kan förvänta dig fler anslutningar via Toronto, Vancouver med flera.
Airlines rarely have direct flights between Mexico and South Korea. Aeromexico restarted its direct flights fairly recently after its suspension during the pandemic, although please note that they operate only on selected days each week. Otherwise, United Airlines and Korean Air offer direct flights from Monterrey, Mexico (MTY).
Ni är de lyckligt lottade! De flesta asiatiska länder har direktflyg inte bara till Incheons flygplats, utan även till Gimpo, Busan, Jeju OCH till och med Chungju! Om ni är intresserade av att utforska Sydkoreas mindre kända platser innan ni deltar i vårt bröllop, finns det olika alternativ att överväga. Om ni föredrar att spara tid genom att flyga direkt till Chungju, vänligen kontrollera tidtabellen. De har direktflyg från Da Nang, Phú Quốc, Tokyo, Osaka och många andra asiatiska städer antingen dagligen eller några gånger i veckan (Obs: Tidtabellerna släpps till synes bara en eller två månader i förväg). Med både tid och pengar kan även en båt vara ett utmärkt resalternativ.
Price
The cost for a reasonably long/priced round-trip from Europe to Seoul for May 2025 currently spans between approximately 8000-9500 SEK/690-835 EUR. Hannes’ flights in the past have, for comparison, cost between 5500 SEK/480 EUR (Air China from Stockholm) - an exceptional price - and 11 500 SEK/1000 EUR (Korean Air from Amsterdam). The two Korean airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, fly directly from multiple other European airports and provide excellent experiences, but prices are likely to be somewhat higher than the airlines/connections mentioned above. The cost of an economy ticket to and from Mexico ranges between 1500-2000 USD depending on the time of travel and booking. The price may likely rise as it nears the travel date, so be advised to start booking earlier than later. For the guests traveling from East and Southeast Asia, the ticket price will vary widely depending on the promotion, time of purchase, inbound and outbound cities. The economy round-trip to and from Incheon international airport is between 200-400 USD but it’s possible that you can level it down if you find a good deal.
To keep in mind when booking:
We recommend securing your tickets at least 3 months in advance, although it should be noted that some airlines may introduce new departures after that. skyscanner.com is a useful flight search engine (usually better than for example Google Flights).
To keep in mind before traveling:
- Visa/waiver. EU citizens may travel to South Korea visa free for up to 90 days. Normally, a Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) is however required. Nationals of 12 European countries, including Sweden, are exempt from the K-ETA requirement until the end of 2024. It is at present unclear whether this will be extended to 2025. The processing time for a K-ETA request is typically very short, but we recommend applying at least a week before traveling. There is an administrative fee of around 100 SEK/9 EUR.
Similar waivers are applied to limited countries outside the EU, such as Mexico, Canada, US and Japan. However, as mentioned above, the waiver holds only until the end of 2024 as we know of now. All the international guests are advised to check the official website, “K-ETA Application Eligibility Guide” to verify the most updated status of your nationality, and apply for K-ETA if not listed under the guide. - Vaccinations. There are no particular vaccinations recommended before traveling to South Korea.
- Prepare for car rental. If you plan to rent a car, please be advised that an international driver’s license is required. For Swedes, this can be obtained from organizations such as OK Marknadsservice/Vi Bilägare for a fee of 450 SEK. Follow this link for more information.
Pris
Kostnaden för en rimligt lång och prismässigt överkomlig tur- och returresa från Europa till Seoul i maj 2025 ligger för närvarande mellan cirka 8000-9500 SEK/690-835 EUR. Hannes tidigare flygningar har, som jämförelse, kostat mellan 5500 SEK/480 EUR (Air China från Stockholm) - ett exceptionellt pris - och 11 500 SEK/1000 EUR (Korean Air från Amsterdam). De två koreanska flygbolagen, Korean Air och Asiana Airlines, flyger direkt från flera andra europeiska städer och erbjuder utmärkta upplevelser, men priserna är i regel något högre än hos de flygbolag/anslutningar som nämnts ovan.
Att tänka på angående bokning:
- Vi rekommenderar att du bokar dina biljetter åtminstone 3 månader i förväg, även om det bör noteras att vissa flygbolag kan införa nya avgångar efter det och att det kan gå att hitta bra priser nån månad före men det finns naturligtvis inga garantier för dettaa.
- skyscanner.com är en användbar flygsökmotor, men det kan vara bra att jämföra med andra (till exempel flygresor.se) eftersom ingen av dessa motorer är helt uttömmande och vissa avgångar kan saknas i sökresultatet.
- Om möjligt, var flexibel avseende resdagar när du bokar. Biljetter kan vara mycket mer prisvärda vissa rese dagar än andra.
- Om priserna för närvarande är höga kan det så småningom tillkomma nya avgångar som är billigare. Men det finns som ovannämnt så klart ingen garanti för detta.
Att tänka på inför resan:
- Visum. EU-medborgare kan resa till viseringsfritt till Sydkorea i upp till 90 dagar.
- K-ETA. Normalt krävs dock en koreansk elektronisk reseautorisering (K-ETA). Medborgare från 12 europeiska länder, inklusive Sverige, är för närvarande undantagna från K-ETA-kravet fram till slutet av 2024. Det är oklart om detta kommer att förlängas till 2025. Handläggningstiden för en K-ETA-ansökan är normalt mycket kort, men vi rekommenderar att man ansöker minst en vecka före resan. Det tillkommer en handläggningsavgift om cirka 100 kr. Dubbelkolla inför resan via den koreanska regeringens guide huruvida du behöver ett K-ETA: “K-ETA Application Eligibility Guide”.
- Vaccinationer. Inga särskilda vaccinationer rekommenderas inför resor till Sydkorea.
- Eventuell hyrbil. Om du planerar att hyra bil så krävs det att du innehar ett internationellt körkort. För svenskar kan detta erhållas från organisationer såsom OK Marknadsservice/Vi Bilägare mot en avgift på 450 SEK. Följ denna länk för mer information.
Visit Korea
Daejeon
Seoul
Cheongju
Daejeon
Daejeon is located in the center of South Korea, and thus is known for its well-connected transportation, science & IT infrastructure, and education. For example, the research and development district called “Daedeok Science Complex/Daedeok Innopolis” is located in the Yuseong-gu district in Daejeon housing over 20 major research institutes and over 40 corporate research centers. For this reason, Daejeon held an international exposition in 1993 under the title of “The Challenge of a New Road of Development”. However, contrary to it being a nice residential city, it is hardly known for its tourism. With that in mind, some of the places to visit in Daejeon are:
1) Daejeon Expo Science Park (address: 3-1 Doryong-dong, Yuseong District, Daejeon): You can visit the EXPO Hanbit Tower, the EXPO bridge and the exhibition museum to know more about the historical event.
Daejeon Expo Science park
2) Sungsimdang: One of the oldest bakeries in Daejeon and it has become extremely famous nationwide in the past couple of years. Advised to avoid the main store and visit the DCC branch (address: 107 Expo-ro, Yuseong District) and the Lotte branch (address: first floor, Gyeryong-ro 598, Seo-gu, Daejeon) both of which are located inside two different department stores.
3) Yuseong hot spring public bath house: Public bath houses are a big thing in Korea, but even more so in Daejeon thanks to its natural hot springs. It smooths your skin through various minerals contained in the water. There are three different ways to experience the hot spring in Yuseong district.
- Going to “Mogyoktang” (recommend the facility at Kyeryong Spatel, 계룡스파텔 대온천탕: 81 Oncheon-ro, Yuseong District): There are usually two different types of public baths. One is called “Mogyoktang” or “Sauna” (used interchangeably) and is just for a bath while the other is called “jjimjilbang” which is for both taking baths and enjoying additional activities such as eating, relaxing and sleeping. Depending on the type, location and size, the price shifts between 7,000 krw and 12,000 krw. Baths are separated by gender and typically have hot tubs, showers, wet saunas and massage tables.
Couple of points to be aware:
-Everyone needs to be COMPLETELY naked when going into the bath. This also means you will share the big bathtubs and the sauna rooms with total strangers, naked. It goes without saying, you need to be naked when the masseur/masseuse scrubs you.
-Also, don’t forget to take a shower before going into hot/cold tubs (of course, you will have to take one before coming out as well). This is to maintain public hygiene when using facilities commonly.
-Lastly, you are not allowed to take your phones inside “Mogyoktang” where everyone is naked. The phones are allowed only in the changing area.
For the brave, I highly recommend you try a message. “Massages” in the context of bath houses in Korea mean rather to exfoliate the dead skin. They scrub ALL parts of your body, obviously naked, except for your face and hair. I would advise you to shy away from it if your skin is sensitive. It costs an extra 25,000 krw (19 USD) more or less. It can feel weird when trying for the first time, but it is very refreshing after (FYI, Hannes tried it and he quite liked it).
- Going to “Jjimjilbang” (recommend 유성온천불가마사우나 adjacent to the designated hotels: 76 Gyeryong-ro 113beon-gil, Yuseong District): Jjimjilbang is a complex that has several floors of which one contains “Mogyoktang/Sauna”. After you clean and change (clothes are provided), you can move to the common area (unisex) where a restaurant/snack bar, ondol-heated floor for lounging and sleeping, saunas, and wide-screen TVs are offered. Some of these services such as food and drinks will be charged additionally but at an affordable cost. Many of the sleeping rooms have themes or elements to them. Also, it has rooms with different temperatures to suit guests’ preferred relaxing temperatures. Walls can be decorated with woods, minerals, crystals, stones, and metals that have traditional Korean medicinal purposes which make the ambient mood and smell more natural.
- Yuseong outdoor foot spa (address: 574 Bongmyeong-dong, Yuseong District): No need to pay and no need to be naked. If you want a short and simple experience, you are welcomed to visit the free, open all-year around foot spa between 7am to 11pm. You still need to use it with strangers but it’s only your legs that need to be naked. Don’t forget to bring a towel to dry off your feet after.
Yuseong outdoor foot spa
4) Uam historical park (address: 65 Gayang-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon): This park is built around the original house of the renowned Confucian scholar, “Song Si-Yeol’ (1607-1689), during the Joseon dynasty. Scholar Song Si-Yeol (whose pen name was Uam) was a politician, philosopher, writer and a scholar who strived to establish social rules and justice in the aftermath of the Second Manchu invasion of Korea (Joseon at the time). Siding against the toadyism of the Josheon aristocrats to the Qing dynasty after the invasion, he advocated the autonomy of Joseon and the dismantlement of the Qing dynasty through his research and educational activities based on Confucian. The structures of the buildings and the surrounding park beautifully captures the typical traditional Korean gardening, demonstrating the unharming harmony of the garden and nature. Similar sights around Korea usually charge a measly buck or two but this place is free to visit.
Uam historical park
5) Daedong Sky Park (address: 20-9 Jayang-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon): The park was formed as part of the Rainbow Project in December 2009, a restoration project of the older neighborhoods in the city. The village was first formed when refugees of the Korean War settled here. Follow the winding narrow alleyways and you can still get a glimpse of wounds of the past through the old buildings clustered together with barely space in between. Thanks to many local artists and people of the neighborhood who participated and personally decorated their home, now it has become Daejeon’s iconic mural village, marked with a giant windmill on top of the hill located 127 meters above the sea level. Visitors can see an amazing panoramic view (especially an incredible sunset view) of the city as well as relax at one of the many benches and pagodas. While walking up the mural village that connects to the Sky Park, take a break at a coffee shop called “Five Percent” which offers a magnificent view from inside. Be aware though, coffee includes the price for the view.
Daedong Sky Park
6) Gyeryongsan Gapsa Temple/Gyeryongsan Mountain (address: 567-3 Gapsa-ro, Gyeryong-myeon, Gongju-si): Buddhism has long been one of the most predominant religions in Korea. They are usually located away from the city center and close to nature due to its doctrine. There are bigger and flashier temples throughout Korea, however if you want to visit an unassuming temple and take a leisurely stroll inside the perimeter of Daejeon, this is the biggest one it has. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the public bus stop to the temple, so be ready for an easy walk with a nice breeze. The walk from the bus stop to the temple would not require much strife for most people, but for those who would like to continue the walk and hike up to one of the mountain summits, be prepared in terms of your outfit, water and physical strength because it will be a steep climb until the first peak (Sambul bong) which is located at 775m altitude.
Other recommended areas at the outskirts of Daejeon where you need a car to drive:
-Aquatic Botanical Garden (255 Bangasil-gil, Gunbuk-myeon, Okcheon-gun,Chungcheongbuk-do): beautiful garden in harmony with lake Daecheong
-Sosolu cafe (440 Baramjae-ro, Geumnam-myeon, Sejong-si): a hidden jem in the middle of a hill overlooking a small quaint village.
Recommended sites to plan your trip: Link