Anmok Beach Coffee Street, Gangneung: 2026 KTX Travel Time, Fares, and Getting There from Seoul

A little over two hours after boarding a KTX-Eum train at Seoul Station, you can step off right in front of a seaside coffee street. The roastery cafés lining Anmok Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, trace their roots back to vending-machine coffee stalls from the 1980s and have since grown into one of Korea's best-known coffee streets. Being able to sip coffee within earshot of the waves draws plenty of Seoul residents down for a weekend day trip, too.

At a glance: Seoul Station or Cheongnyangni Station to Gangneung Station by KTX-Eum, about 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes · Fare around 27,600 won in standard class (adult) · City bus from Gangneung Station to Anmok Beach, about 20 minutes · No admission fee for either Anmok Beach coffee street or Gyeongpo Lake · Gyeongpo Lake walking path about 4.3 km, roughly an hour on foot.

Gangneung's appeal lies in reaching a coastal city with a single train ride, no flight required. Getting to Jeju usually means four to five hours once you count airport transfers and check-in, but Gangneung is just two hours from the moment you board at Seoul Station. Close to thirty cafés operate along Anmok Beach's coffee street, with a cup typically running 5,000 to 8,000 won. The street itself charges no admission, so simply strolling and browsing costs nothing.

A short walk from the coffee street, Gyeongpo Lake has a 4.3-kilometer loop trail that takes about an hour to walk at an easy pace. Bicycles are available for rent to circle the lake, and the Gyeongpodae pavilion and Gyeongpo Beach sit right alongside it, making it easy to combine into a half-day itinerary. A day trip is possible, but with only about ten train departures a day, it's safer to book the return train in advance.