Gangneung Coffee Festival 2026: Dates (Ends Oct 25), Free Entry, and a Seoul Day-Trip Guide

Bottom line: To visit the Gangneung Coffee Festival from Seoul as a day trip, take an early morning KTX-Eum train, spend the afternoon and evening at the Anmok Beach coffee street, and catch an evening train back — admission is free.

If you didn't know: The Gangneung Coffee Festival runs for only five days each autumn. This year it ends on October 25, and if you put it off until next week without knowing that, you'll have to wait a full year to see it again. The hands-on "Be a Barista" program also requires advance reservation, so travelers who try to sign up on the spot often find it full and end up only watching.

Anmok Beach is a rare stretch of sand where the sound of waves mixes with the smell of roasting coffee beans. Along the shoreline, cafe after cafe has people sitting on terraces with a cup in hand, and during the festival large tent booths are set up on the beach for bean tastings and a coffee-history exhibition. The dates and venue were re-verified directly on the festival's official website and the Korea Tourism Organization's Daegukgukseo festival database. For a day trip, it's safer to book an early KTX departure, stay in Gangneung until late afternoon, and check the Korail app in advance for an evening train back — weekend seats fill up fast.

Journey stage: During the trip · Verified 2026-10-22 · Source: Gangneung Coffee Festival official website, Korea Tourism Organization