Ski Resorts Near Seoul: 3 Picks, How Far and How Much?
Ski resorts near Seoul range from one you can reach by city bus to ones that need a KTX train and a taxi. The nearest of the three covered here, Jisan Forest Resort in Icheon, charged ₩75,000 for a 4-hour weekday lift pass in the 2025-26 season, and its website takes 25% off when you book online. Below are last season's official lift prices, rental costs, travel options from Seoul and what to expect when the 2026-27 season opens.
Quick answer
₩75,000 Jisan 4-hour weekday lift pass, 2025-26 list price · about 1 h 40 min from Gangnam by bus
The nearest of the three is Jisan Forest Resort in Icheon: a 4-hour weekday pass was ₩75,000 in 2025-26, 25% less online. Yongpyong charged ₩96,000 for a full day and needs a KTX ride.
Jisan, Mona Yongpyong and High1 official rate pages, read 2026-10-13 · 2026-27 prices not published yet, so these are last season's rates and may change
Which ski resort is closest to Seoul?
Of the resorts with prices posted on their own websites, Jisan Forest Resort (์ง์ฐ ํฌ๋ ์คํธ ๋ฆฌ์กฐํธ) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, is the nearest to the capital. It is a compact resort aimed at day trips and evening sessions, so it suits beginners and anyone who wants a few hours on snow without staying overnight.
Jisan's own transport page lists two bus routes. Express buses from the Gangnam terminal reach Icheon in about one hour and leave every 30 to 40 minutes; buses from Dong Seoul terminal take about 1 hour 20 minutes. From Icheon terminal, city bus 12 runs to the Jisan Mart stop in about 40 minutes, and the slopes are a 15-minute walk from there.
Other well-known names close to Seoul include Konjiam, Elysian Gangchon and Vivaldi Park. Their price pages load as booking apps rather than plain rate tables, so they are left out of the price comparison here; check each resort's own app before you go.
Tip · Shuttle buses Several private companies run winter shuttle buses from central Seoul to the big resorts, and Jisan lists its shuttle operators on its homepage. A shuttle saves the bus change in Icheon, and booking a few days ahead is the safer plan for weekends.
Lift pass prices for the 2025-26 season
None of the three resorts has posted 2026-27 rates yet; Mona Yongpyong's rate page says the new season's details will be announced later. The figures below are the 2025-26 list prices on each resort's own website, and new-season prices often move a little, so treat them as a budget guide.
| Ticket | Jisan | Yongpyong | High1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| About 4 hours, weekday | ₩75,000 | ₩68,000 (half day) | ₩68,000 |
| About 4 hours, weekend | ₩92,000 | ₩68,000 (half day) | ₩68,000 |
| Longest daytime ticket | ₩79,000 for 6 hours (weekday) | ₩96,000, 09:00–17:00 | ₩104,000 full day |
| Child price | same as adult | ₩56,000 half day | ₩56,000 for 4 hours |
Jisan sells time-based tickets that start when you first pass the gate, with separate weekday and weekend rates, and from 2025-26 it charges children the same as adults. Booking on its website takes 25% off every time band, so the 4-hour weekday pass drops to ₩56,200 and the weekend one to ₩69,000.
Yongpyong sells fixed blocks instead: morning (09:00–13:00), afternoon (13:00–17:00) and night (19:00–23:00) passes at ₩68,000 for adults, and a full daytime pass at ₩96,000. High1's rate page lists 3- to 7-hour tickets from ₩62,000 to ₩82,000 and a full-day pass at ₩104,000, but does not say which season the table belongs to.
Getting to Yongpyong by KTX
Yongpyong, in Pyeongchang, is the big mountain resort that hosted alpine events at the 2018 Winter Olympics. It is farther than Jisan, but the Gangneung KTX line makes it a realistic day trip. The nearest station is Jinbu (Odaesan), and Mona Yongpyong's page lists the Seoul Station to Jinbu fare at ₩22,000.
- Take a KTX from Seoul, Cheongnyangni or Sangbong station to Jinbu
- Leave the station and take a taxi to the resort, about 16 km
- Buy your lift pass at the resort ticket office or on its app
- Book the return train before you start skiing
The Pyeongchang Trout Festival, held a few minutes from Jinbu station, gives the train time from Seoul Station to Jinbu as about 1 hour 40 minutes, or about 1 hour 20 minutes from Cheongnyangni. Mona Yongpyong puts the taxi from Jinbu at about 20 minutes. The resort also runs a small station shuttle for its guests, but it makes only a few trips a day.
With a morning train you can be on the slopes before 11:00 and still catch an evening train back. If you plan to ski two days in a row, staying near the resort is cheaper than paying for the train twice.
Renting gear and saving on tickets
All three resorts rent skis, boots and snowboards on site, so you do not need to bring anything except warm layers and gloves. Rental is charged in the same time blocks as the lift pass.
- Jisan: ski or board set ₩31,000 for 4 hours, ₩23,200 when booked online
- Yongpyong: full set ₩40,000 for a half day, ₩48,000 for the daytime pass
- Ski wear can be rented at Jisan from ₩25,000 for 4 hours
Online booking is the simplest way to save at Jisan, since the 25% discount applies on weekdays and weekends alike. Yongpyong's page notes that discounted tickets cannot be combined with other discounts, and that used tickets cannot be refunded or changed. Early-season opening days often come with large one-day discounts, so watch each resort's notices in November.
Which ski day fits your plans
| Plan | Resort | Pass + rental | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| First try, weekday, booked online | Jisan, 4 hours | ₩56,200 + ₩23,200 | half a day plus about 3 h of travel |
| Weekend afternoon | Jisan, 4 hours at the gate price | ₩92,000 + ₩31,000 | half a day plus travel |
| Big-mountain day trip | Yongpyong, 09:00–17:00 | ₩96,000 + ₩48,000, plus KTX | a full day, early train |
| Half day after a late train | Yongpyong, afternoon pass | ₩68,000 + ₩40,000, plus KTX | 13:00–17:00 on the slopes |
2025-26 list prices from resort websites · 2026-27 prices not yet published · travel times are planning estimates
When the season starts and what to know first
Opening dates depend on cold nights and snowmaking, so they shift from year to year. Last winter Mona Yongpyong opened on 21 November 2025, selling one-day tickets at a token price on its first days. Weekends and the Korean school winter break bring the longest lift queues.
- Slopes close for grooming in the late afternoon (Jisan 17:00–18:30, High1 16:00–18:00)
- At both, a time ticket that overlaps grooming is extended by the closed time
- Bring a hat, neck warmer and goggles, since wind on the upper lifts is strong
- Keep some cash or a card with you for lockers and food
For what to wear in each winter month, see the Korea weather by month guide. Paying for buses and subways on the way to the terminal is easier with a T-money card.
Sources checked · 2026-10-13 checked
- Jisan Forest Resort: 25/26 lift, ski and board rental rate table · Jisan
- Mona Yongpyong: 25/26 lift and rental rates · Mona Yongpyong
- Pyeongchang Trout Festival: KTX times from Seoul to Jinbu · Pyeongchang Trout Festival
- Adult 4-hour weekday ticket and lift-plus-rental totals compared across three official rate pages (2026-10-13) · Totals = lift price + same-length rental price, e.g. Jisan online ₩56,200 + ₩23,200
- Gangnam express bus to Icheon takes about 1 hour, Dong Seoul · jisanresort.co.kr
- Seoul Station to Jinbu KTX fare ₩22,000; taxi from Jinbu sta · yongpyong.co.kr
- High1 adult lift prices: 3 hours ₩62,000, 4 hours ₩68,000, 7 · high1.com
FAQ
Are there real ski mountains in South Korea?
Which ski resort near Seoul suits beginners?
Do Korean ski resorts have English-speaking instructors?
Can I ski at night in Korea?
In three lines
- Jisan in Icheon is the nearest priced option: about 1 h 40 min by bus, 4-hour weekday pass ₩75,000 in 2025-26, 25% less online
- Yongpyong is a KTX ride to Jinbu plus a 20-minute taxi, with a ₩96,000 daytime pass last season
- 2026-27 prices are not out yet, so budget on last season's rates and book online once they appear
Next: Korea Weather by Month: What to Pack for All 12 Months →
By Jay · Runs the JLOGUE everyday calculators · checks official sources
Checked Jisan, Mona Yongpyong, High1 and Pyeongchang Trout Festival official pages (2026-10-13) · Draft assisted by AI; figures, tables and links checked by hand.
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