Famous Benny — specialty coffee
A pet-friendly roastery cafe a block behind the sand. Have a flat white, walk out light.
Daily 08:00–18:00Gwangalli Beach 1 min
Your first 30 minutes
Sort your transit card and cash before you leave the station — it gets harder once you are on the move.
T-money card
5 convenience stores inside Busan Station sell T-money — you will pass one whichever exit you take.
- · 1F concourse — south & north convenience stores
- · 2F waiting room — south & north convenience stores
- · Platforms 5 & 6 — trackside convenience store
Card ₩4,000, plus whatever you load · works on subway, bus and taxi · Cash only — for buying the card and topping up
ATM & cash
T-money is cash-only, so you will need won right after arriving. Station ATMs marked "Global ATM" accept international cards (Visa, Mastercard and others).
- · 2F waiting room — toward exit 2, next to the storage lockers (BNK Busan · NH · KB)
- · 1F — under the main-entrance escalator
Transit fares
- Metro zone 1 (up to 10 km)
- ₩1,600
- Metro zone 2 (over 10 km)
- ₩1,800
City buses take T-money or cash only — international credit cards do not work.
Buy → top up → go
- 1Buy the card and top it up on the spot — in cash
Storyway at Busan Station takes cash only — both for buying the card and for top-ups. No cash? Withdraw at an ATM inside the station first; machines marked "Global ATM" accept international cards.
- 2To the subway — connected by an underground passage
Off the train, take the escalator down to B1. Follow the "도시철도 부산역 / Busan Metro" signs — the underground shopping arcade leads you straight to the Line 1 gates. No need to go outside.
- 3Going by subway — exits 1 to 8 all come out at the station square
Exits 1 through 8 of the metro station all lead to the station square — none of them strand you on the wrong side. Come up anywhere and reorient from the square.
- 4Know the fare before you tap in
The Busan metro charges by distance — zone 1 or zone 2. Single-ride ticket machines take cash only, one more reason to sort your T-money first. City buses also take T-money or cash only; international credit cards do not work.
By subway
The cheapest way in. Follow the line and the direction exactly as written.
Busan StationKTX & ITX arrivalsNRoute
Line 1, Line 2Gwangan Station (Line 2)
Board · Board Line 1 at Busan Station, toward Nopo · Transfer · Transfer at Seomyeon to Line 2, toward Jangsan
Over 10 km, so the zone-2 fare applies. Gwangan Station is a short walk inland from the beach.
Gimhae AirportPUS international & domesticNRoute
BGLLine 2Gwangan Station (Line 2)
Board · Board the Busan–Gimhae Light Rail at the airport station, toward Sasang · Transfer · Transfer at Sasang to Line 2, toward Jangsan
The light rail and the metro are run by different operators, so fares are combined. Just one transfer, at Sasang.
By bus & taxi
Direct, no transfers — the bus stop is closer to the beach than the subway station.
Busan StationKTX & ITX arrivalsNRoute
41Gwangalli Beach (beachfront stop)
The city bus from Busan Station that stops right on the Gwangalli beachfront road (Gwangnam-ro). No transfers.
TAXIGwangalli (direct taxi)
₩4,800base fare
Busan mid-size taxi base fare plus distance. Card payment works in Busan taxis, and there is no tipping.
Busan Port International TerminalFerries from Fukuoka, Shimonoseki, OsakaNRoute
TAXIGwangalli (direct taxi)
₩4,800base fare
Busan mid-size taxi base fare plus distance — the simplest option straight off a ferry with heavy bags.
Things to do around the beach
Hands-free, half a day covers all of it.
Gwangalli Beach & Gwangan Bridge view
The postcard shot of Busan. Best light in the hour before sunset; the bridge lights up once it gets dark.
Gwangalli Drone Light Show
Twice every Saturday — 20:00 & 22:00 from March to September, 19:00 & 21:00 from October to February. Free, and visible from anywhere on the sand. Cancelled in rain or strong wind.
Millak Waterside Park
Where locals gather at dusk with takeaway food. Convenience-store beer is legal here, and the bridge view costs nothing.
Drop your bags first — LIT partners in Gwangalli
Paul's Farm — fruit dessert cafe
Mango and orange cakes made in-house, one floor up. A quieter corner of Gwangalli, same easy bag drop.
Wed–Mon 12:00–19:00, Tue closedGwangan Station (Busan Line 2) 5 min
Arrive heavy. Walk the beach light.
Leave your bags at Famous Benny Gwangalli and take Gwangalli hands-free. Booking online takes about a minute.
from ₩4,500 / bag / day
Reserve bag storage →- ✓ No Korean phone number needed
- ✓ No app, no login — just email
- ✓ Loss & damage covered by LIT
FAQ
How do I get from Busan Station to Gwangalli?
Two ways. By subway: board Line 1 toward Nopo, transfer at Seomyeon to Line 2 toward Jangsan, and get off at Gwangan — ₩0 with T-money, since the trip is over 10 km. By bus: the number 41 city bus runs from Busan Station and stops on the Gwangalli beachfront road, with no transfers.
Do Busan buses take international credit cards?
No. City buses take a T-money card or cash only. Buy T-money first — 5 convenience stores inside Busan Station sell it for ₩4,000 plus whatever you load, and top-ups are cash only at most of them. The same card works on the subway and in taxis.
How much is the Busan subway?
The Busan metro charges by distance: ₩1,600 for zone 1 (up to 10 km) and ₩1,800 for zone 2 (over 10 km), paid with T-money.
What time is the Gwangalli drone show?
Twice every Saturday — 20:00 & 22:00 from March to September, 19:00 & 21:00 from October to February. Free, and visible from anywhere on the sand. Cancelled in rain or strong wind.
Where can I store luggage near Gwangalli Beach?
Two LIT partner cafes in Gwangalli take bags: Famous Benny, a pet-friendly specialty coffee roastery, and Paul’s Farm, a fruit dessert cafe. Storage is ₩4,500 per bag per day for small bags, ₩6,000 medium and ₩8,000 large, with loss and damage covered by LIT. Book at lifeistravel.io — no Korean phone number and no app required.
Other arrival guides
Photos: partner stores (LIT) · T-money card (public domain) · Gwangalli beach (CC0) · fireworks over Gwangalli © Busan Metropolitan City, CC BY-SA 4.0 — via Wikimedia Commons.