Sitting in my apartment in Dublin during the 2020 pandemic mindlessly scrolling on TikTok, I was captivated, on my screen were small, slow-moving, colourful retro trains one after other passing each other with ocean views, surely this is AI? No after some googling I quickly added these to my bucketlist. Four years later I finally got to visit! The wait was so worth it! These Tiktok and Instagram famous trains are a must-do activity in Korea, and my guide is about to let you in on all the insider information you need to have a magical experience on the Busan Sky Capsule.
Located in the coastal city of Haeundae, Busan Sky Capsule, also known as Blueline Park, is hands down one of the best and most memorable things to do during your South Korea trip. Busan Sky Capsules take you on a journey between Haeundae and Cheongsapo on an elevated platform with coastal, forest and city views. Describe the main features, such as the scenic coastal views and the unique design of the capsule. If that’s not reason enough to visit, the area that the Sky Capsule travels has observatory platforms, twin lighthouses, and a famous pine tree moon trail, which I outline further below (skip ahead).
This post has all you need to know about how to ride Busan Sky Capsule, tips for purchasing tickets, what to do nearby and frequently asked questions.
But first, let’s have a quick history lesson!
History Of Haeundae Blueline Park
I’m sorry, you didn’t click the link for a history lesson, but the background of Busan Sky Capsule is interesting. From 1935 until 2013 the Blueline Park was a fully operational coastal railway, part of the Donghae Nambu Line that served other coastal cities in the east. Due to a declining customer base, the railway was shut down. In 2013 the tracks were repurposed into what is today.
And today it is an iconic Korean attraction that draws over 2 million visitors each year. Offering an alternative and fun way to view the coast while holding on to the nostalgia of the old railway, this is repurposing done right.
Ok, let’s dig deeper into this guide!
About Busan’s Sky Capsules
The sky capsules are slow-moving, small, retro trains on an elevated railway. Travelling at 2 km above ground, at a distance of 2.3 km and a speed of 4 km per hour, the entire journey lasts about 20 minutes. They are relaxing, peaceful and surrounded by scenic views. It was the most unique thing I have experienced in Korea, witnessing a continuous line of these beautiful colourful capsules travelling down the track with the coastal backdrop was an unforgettable experience.
The capsules are comfortable with large windows, a small table and most importantly, air conditioning. For anyone afraid of heights, the sky capsules are not scary, you go very slowly along a wide track.
The Blueline Park route passes the newly opened observatory platform, the pine forest of Moontan Road, and the skywalk below you.
Sky Capsule Tickets – What You Need To Know
The Sky Capsules have 2 routes:
- 1. Haeundae’s Mipo Station to Cheongsapo Station
- 2. Cheongsapo Station to Haeundae’s Mipo Station
The journey is ONE-WAY, it does not go on a loop. If you start at Mipo station you will need to get off at Cheongsapo station, you cannot stay in the capsule and go back to Mipo station.
How To Buy Sky Capsule Tickets
The best way to secure your Blueline Park tickets is to book online in advance! You can book online up to two weeks in advance, during peak months these sell out fast.
Additionally, a small number of tickets are reserved for anyone looking to purchase tickets on the day, but you need to purchase these early, around 1-2 hours from the park’s opening. There are lots of cafes close to both blueline park ticket kiosks so if you have to wait around it is not that bad.
Each Sky Capsule departure time period is 30 minutes. For example, a reservation for the 11:00~11:30 slot does not mean it departs at 11:00 and arrives at 11:30. Instead, it means that the Sky Capsule boarding time is between 11:00~11:30. If you arrive after this time you run the risk of being denied entry.
Sky Capsule Tickets Cost
⚠️ For any solo travellers out there, you cannot purchase a single ticket for the Busan Sky Capsule, the minimum is a 2-person ticket. This kind of sucks if you are on your own as it works out expensive but on the bright side, you have an entire capsule to yourself. Which, let’s be honest, is nicer than being packed in with strangers (cable cars I’m looking at you!).
These are the different types of tickets and their cost:
- 2-seater capsule 35,000 KRW / $26.30 / €23.70
- 3 seater capsule 45,000 KRW / $33.80 / €30.40
- 4-seater capsule 50,000 KRW / $37.60 / €33.80
Combination Tickets
You can combine the sky capsules and the beach train. This is an easy way to get back to your starting point. I explain the beach train a little further down but these are the prices:
- 2-seater capsule + beach train 59,000 KRW / $44.30 / €39.90
- 3-seater capsule + beach train 78,000 KRW / $58.60 / €52.70
- 4-seater capsule + beach train 94,000 KRW / $70.60 / €63.50
Another option is to purchase the tickets as part of a tour that will take you to other nearby locations. For example, this tour includes Oryukdo Islands Skywalk, Huinnyeoul and Gamcheon Culture Villages. For anyone staying in Busan or just staying in Busan for a short period, it is the perfect way to see lots of the coast in just one day.
Initially, these costs might seem steep, but I feel for the duration of the ride, the fact you get the whole capsule to yourself, and the uniqueness of the attraction, it works out as great value.
Mipo or Cheongsapo – What Direction Is Best?
Generally, Cheongsapo to Mipo is considered the most scenic route on the sky capsule, specifically at sunset. These tickets can be difficult to get your hands on and to be honest, I wouldn’t stress too much about the direction as you can look out behind you and still see the view. Or, you can walk the boardwalk from Cheongsapo to Haeundae which is just as beautiful.
What you really should consider is what you would like to do afterwards. I actually think it is better to start in Mipo Station, explore Cheongsapo and then walk back to Haeundae on the incredible skywalk. You could also take the sky train from Cheongsapo to Seongjong Beach (the 3rd most popular beach in Busan), look around and then take the sky train back to Cheongsapo to walk back.
Blueline Park Opening Hours / Final Boarding
Haeundae Beach Train
The Haeundae Beach Train is a retro-style train that goes under the elevated sky capsule track from Mipo to Cheongsopa and Seongjong. The seats face out to the ocean for a scenic and panoramic train ride. The train runs 3 times per hour, and a single journey from Mipo to Seongjong lasts 25 minutes.
You can get a ticket that allows you to get off at all stops, if you require round-trip, you need to purchase the double-ride pass or 1-day pass.
I decided not to take the beach train as whenever it passed by it looked overcrowded and stuffy. If you can I would recommend just getting the Busan sky capsule, walking back via the boardwalk and taking in the various sites along the way.
Similar to the sky capsule tickets, Haeundae Sky Train can be booked online in advance or from the ticket kiosks on the day at Mipo, Cheongsapa and Seongjong.
Getting To Haeundae Sky Capsule From Busan Centre
Most people who visit Busan tend to stay in the centre. The good news is that Busan has excellent transport links that make it super easy to get around.
- Pro Tip: Purchase a T-money card to make paying for transport in Korea easy
Getting To Mipo Station From Busan Centre
- Metro: Take the orange line to Seomyeon, transfer to the green line to Jungdowg station, from here it’s a 10-minute walk.
- Bus: 1003 (express) or 1001 from Busan Station.
Getting To Cheongsapo Station From Busan Centre
The best option is to take the 1003 express bus to the Youngnam Apartment stop, from there it is an 18-minute walk to Cheongsapa station.
What To Do Near Blue Line Park – Suggested Itinerary
If you are unsure of what to do nearby I have a suggested itinerary below. There is a lot of walking so pack some comfy shoes.
- Take Capsule From Mipo StationStart your day in Haeundae. If you need to purchase a ticket on the day and have time to kill I recommend a morning coffee and pastry in Rendezvous cafe.
- Explore CheongsapaAfter you finish your sky capsule journey take a walk around Cheongsapa. There is a popular photo spot at the crossroads and twin lighthouses.
- Walk To Daritdol Sky Walk10 minute-walk from Cheongsapa (in the direction of Songjeong) is the Daritdol Observatory. A glass platform with nothing but the crashing waves below. You can then just go back to Cheongsapo and rejoin the greenline trail.
- Cafe StopCafe Whiterock is a lovely cafe with insanely delicious pastries and views if you need to rest.
- Walk Back Towards Mipo On The Greenline TrailIt takes approximately 40 minutes (2.6 km) to walk back to Mipo station along the scenic Greenline path. The path is a wooden boardwalk with uninterrupted sea views to your right and the sky capsules/beach train to your left.
- If you would like to do a little hike then consider taking a detour to Moontan Road, a well-marked trail through a pine forest.
Tips For Visiting Busan Sky Capsule
- Buy your tickets in advance, especially if you want to visit during sunset.
- There are no bins/trash cans on the way, so bring a tote bag to put anything in.
- Plan your day in advance, there are lots to do in Haeundae that you won’t want to miss.
- Purchase tickets via your mobile browser, for some reason, there can be issues using a foreign credit card on their desktop site.
So, Are The Sky Capsules Worth It?
Sky Capsule Busan is an expensive activity, especially for solo travellers, that takes some advance planning, which might sound unattractive to visitors. I feel this advance planning is worth the time and effort as Sky Capsule Busan is such a unique thing to do. The unobstructed sea views and the surrealness of travelling in these cute capsules make it worth the money.
In addition to this, there is a lot to do in the area such as walking the boardwalk under the elevated track, platform observatories, Cheongsopa twin lighthouses, Moontan Road, cute cafes and Haeundae.
Thank you for reading, let me know in the comments below if you want to visit these iconic retro trains in Busan!
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