Complete guide of visiting the DMZ from Seoul

Are you ready to visit one of the most mysterious places on Earth? The DMZ is the original demarcation line between North Korea and South Korea at the end of World War II. It is one of the most militarized and monitored places on Earth.

If you want to experience this once in a lifetime experience read on to find out everything you need to know to visit the North Korean DMZ from Seoul.

What is the DMZ?

DMZ is short for Demilitarized zone.  The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in half. It is a highly militarized area where both North and South Korea reside.

Do people live in the DMZ?

Yes, there is a South Korean and North Korean side inside the DMZ and people live in it. It is said to be one of the safest place ever since everyone has to be checked on the way in and the way out so no one is every walking around at night. There is even a school inside the DMZ for children living there.

Why should I visit the DMZ?

Visiting the Korean DMZ is a great opportunity to see and learn first-hand more about the history of the division of North and South Korea. Visiting the DMZ will leave you with a new understanding of the problems this war situation is faced with. It is something you need to see to feel.

What do I need to bring when you go to the DMZ?

1. YOUR PASSPORT
2. Water
3. Camera
4. Sunscreen
5. Mainly don’t forget your passport!
   • You will be checked when going to the DMZ through the gate by the military personnel on the way in and the way out. If you don’t have your passport, you cannot go in.

Things to Remember when you are on your tour

1. Just assume you are always being watched
   • Don’t touch anything that your guide doesn’t say you can, don’t make hand gestures towards North Korea.  Don’t take pictures of anything unless you are told you can.
   • The DMZ is one of the strictest places in the world.  If there was ever a time to be obedient in your life and just do what they tell you to do that time is now!
2. Make sure you dress accordingly
   • The DMZ doesn’t have a specific dress code, but you are going to one of the most militarized places on earth so dress appropriately.
3. You have to take a tour
   • You can take a train to the DMZ zone if you want, but once you are there you have to buy a ticket and get on a bus and take a tour with a guide.  There is no way around it.
   • In addition, if you don’t take a tour from Seoul with an English tour guide you may not get an English tour guide when you are there if you book at the DMZ.  Some are in English, but most of the guides speak Korean only. 

How do I get to the DMZ from Seoul?

The DMZ recently opened for tourists after the long hiatus due to the pandemic.

There are a few ways you can visit the Korean DMZ…

1) You can do a tour through tour agencies

The tour agencies will pick you up from your hotel or location of choice, take you on the tour of the DMZ and bring you back to Seoul.

• I booked mine through Klook.  I have found them to be the cheapest option. You even get a discount if it is your first time booking with them and can earn points for money off if you leave a review. Use my code to book for money off your booking here.
  • I booked this tour: Demilitarized Zone Tour from Seoul  It cost me 76000won = ~$60 total for the whole day.
  • This tour will pick you up around 8am and bring you back around 3pm.
  • They are very organized and on time, but they do wait until the last minute to tell you when they will pick you up. I contacted them in advance because I was unsure if it was a legit booking. Other than that it was a great tour!
  • Also note that some tours are with and some are without lunch. You can take a snack with you and book the ones without lunch or you will have to eat where they take you. My tour was without lunch and there were places we could eat something small on the way.

Taking a tour from Seoul is good for foreigners who do not speak Korean because your guide will speak English.  A lot of the buses once you get to the DMZ and have to take their tour the guides speak Korean only. In addition, a lot of the people at the DMZ don’t speak English. I am sure you will be fine if you don’t speak Korean, but it will make it easier.

2. Go on your own

The second option is to ditch the high price of the DMZ tour from Seoul and just take a train on your own to the DMZ and take a tour once you arrive.

This option may take you slightly more time, but it will save you a little bit of money.

How do I get from Seoul to the DMZ to take a tour on my own?

step 1: Take a train from Seoul to Dorsan Station.  This costs around 23000 won for economy seating (as of June 2022)  You can start at Seoul station and buy a ticket to Dorsan station from the KTX.

*When I went on the tour in May 2022 there wasn’t even an option to take this train. The DMZ recently opened for tourists, and my only option was to take a tour or an hour taxi to the DMZ information center since this train wasn’t running. It may be working now, but I would go check in person ahead of time if you plan to take this option.

Step 2: Then you will be checked and go onto DMZ train.  This train will take you to your destination.  Overall. This will cost you around the same price as taking a tour.

I would research further on this topic as I did not have the option to go on my own, so I couldn’t research this as much when I was in Seoul.

* note: When buying Korail tickets as a foreigner you need to buy them at the desk and not on your own because they do not accept foreign credit cards.  This is easier to buy them in person anyway so you can be sure you are going to the right location.  The attendants are usually very nice and most speak English as well.

You can buy a ticket, but I find it a lot easier and safer just to buy them at the station (Seoul Station)

Pros and Cons of Each option

Advantages of the tour from Seoul

1. You will have a guide that speaks English
2. The tour starts around 8 and gets you back to Seoul by 3pm so you will have time for the rest of your day and not waste any time
3. You see the same sites if you take the tour or you don’t because you have to take a tour bus once you get to the DMZ tourist area.

Disadvantages of going on the DMZ tour from Seoul

1. It costs a little more money than going on your own

Advantages of taking going on your own

1. It saves you money.
   • DMZ tour can cost about 60000-80000won and just going on your own will save you some money…but costs of the train and tour once you get there doesn’t save you that much when it comes down to it. 
2. You can see the DMZ train and experience some extra modes of transportation.

Disadvantages of going on your own

1. Time
   • You may have to wait extra if you don’t get on the specific DMZ tour train once you get to the DMZ due to lines. It is a first come first serve type of tour and a bus leaves every 30 min or an hour depending on the day you go.
   • Also, when taking the trains to the DMZ they only come a few times a day. If you time everything perfectly you will be fine, but that is almost impossible due to the uncertainty of which bus you will get to get on once you get to the DMZ for your required tour.
2. English may not be spoken on your tour
   • As I said before, some tour buses for the DMZ tour speak English and some do not.  It is the luck of the draw.

Overall, do what is best for you on your DMZ tour.  If you are crunched for time take a tour from Seoul, but if you want to make a whole day out of it take the train.

I almost never take tours when I travel, but I did when I went to the DMZ.  I would have taken the train, but once I factored in train tickets and the amount of time it would take to research and buy tickets and transfer between trains I wasn’t going to be saving enough going on my own to make it worth it if the trains were even an option.   I also was stress free the whole time taking the tour so that is worth it in itself.  You don’t want to mess up going to the DMZ or in anything regarding North Korea, so sometimes it is worth the extra money. 

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Now the more important stuff:

Where will you get to visit on the North Korean DMZ tour?

Once you get to the tourist information center you will buy your tickets for the DMZ tour inside at the ticket booth.

Once you get on the bus here are the places it will take you on your DMZ tour

1) Imjingak Park

Imjingak park is the biggest area you get to visit on your DMZ tour.  It has many different landmarks and additional museums you can visit for a small fee. This was my second favorite place to visit because you had your own free time to walk around and see everything in the park. Of course you cannot go off the path, but the amount of things you can see at this park is enough.

There is even an option to pay an additional fee to walk on a glass terrace called Dokgae bridge. From here you’ll have a better look of what used to be the connection between what once was just Korea. There is even an underground center you can visit as well for even more history.

2) Freedom Bridge

Freedom Bridge is a landmark in the park. It is decorated with ribbons with notes on each one.

3) The Third Infiltration Tunnel

You cannot take cameras when you visit this location.  You must put everything in a locker before you take the ~300m walk down into the tunnels.

The Third Infiltration Tunnel is one of the tunnels that was discovered by the South Koreans when North Korea was trying to invade. You walk down about 300m to see. It is a small, confined space and takes a little bit of exercise to get up and down so keep that in mind before you go.

4) The DMZ Exhibition Hall

The DMZ Exhibition Hall is a place outside the The Third Infiltration Tunnel where they show you a short informational video about the DMZ. It is informative and quick. You can also walk around to take pictures around the area.

5) DMZ observatory towers

The DMZ observatory towers was my favorite spot on the DMZ tour. This is where you can look out and see the North Korean Flag along with the South Korean Flag in the distance. It is interesting to see the two villages so close.

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*Locations of observation can be different depending on what tour you go on and when you take it. These spots are the most visited on the tours since the reopening of the DMZ to tourists in May 2022.

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No matter what way you decide to go I would highly recommend going to visit the Korean DMZ. It will give you a better understanding on the relationship between North and South Korea.

There is a lot you can learn from actually being there that you can never learn from reading, research, videos or anything else. Some things you have to experience in person for yourself.

Have you been to the Korean DMZ?

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