(click to enlarge)
Elysian Gangchon is located in Gangwon-do province, but due to its excellent train connection to Seoul you can pretty much think of it as a local Seoul hill along with those in Gyeonggi-do province (in fact it’s even easier to get to than most of those, especially if your starting point is in northern Seoul); hence it’s listed here under both Gangwon-do and the Seoul area.
It’s a fairly typical Korean resort, modest in stature and part of a larger resort concept including a golf course and some large hotel/condo developments, with excellent base facilities and good lift infrastructure. The flexible ticketing and ease of access from Seoul give it top marks for convenience.
(Sorry about the poor pictures on this page – I’ve never managed to be at Elysian with a good camera and nice weather at the same time! It’s nicer than my photos make it look)
Elysian Gangchon: the hill
Highest lifted point: 260m
Lowest skiable point: 88m
Vertical drop: 172m
Lifts: 6
Runs: 8
Longest run: 1,500m (‘Dragon’)
Terrain park: yes (small)
Homepage: English version and full Korean version, piste map here
I like these handy little strapping-in perches they use in Korea! Also in this pic note the hillside golf course to the left, and the train station visible down the valley
Elysian offers 6 chairlifts, essentially all accessing the same top station from two base areas (Ski House and Challenge House); with a vertical drop of just 172m from the top, you roughly speaking have three short options down. Skier’s right takes you for a cruisy run down ‘Dragon’ & ‘Rabbit’ to the Challenge House base; the central option and skier’s left both go down to the main Ski House base, with a couple of route options each. The further over to the left you go, the more challenging the run; the ‘Jaguar’ run at far skier’s left is one of the few genuinely steep slopes in the Seoul area.
The terrain park, such as it is, is located under the central chairlift; it’s a rather humble effort and isn’t always maintained. Here it is looking rather sorry and unloved on a quiet March weekday:
For beginners, the bunny slopes ‘Panda’ and ‘Rabbit’ (with their own chairlifts) are at the Challenge House base; intermediates will probably be happiest starting with the ‘Dragon’ run from the top down to there, and progressing to the other side. Advanced riders will have the whole hill skied out several times over within a 4-hour ticket, and will be happiest on ‘Leopard’ and ‘Jaguar’ over towards the left boundary.
Elysian Gangchon is good for:
Convenience. It’s the most convenient Gangwon-do hill from Seoul (along with Vivaldi Park), and one of the most convenient Korean hills full stop.
Combining skiing with a more general sightseeing trip, especially for fans of Korean drama – Elysian Gangchon is near Gapyeong, home to the Petite France theme park and Nami Island (famous for the TV drama Winter Sonata
Long hours – open until 5am at weekends!
Learners, and those progressing to intermediate.
Despite the small size, the runs & layout are actually quite well-designed and mix it up better than the other similarly sized resorts.
Flexible ticketing.
Elysian Gangchon is not so good for:
Size. Small even by Korean standards, it’s the smallest hill in Gangwon-do except tiny Alpensia.
Freestyle. Though there is a terrain park, it’s a bit of an afterthought.
Elysian Gangchon lift tickets
Elysian does well on this front, as your ticket runs from whenever you buy it rather than requiring you to start and finish at set times; prices start at 56,000 won for a 4-hour ticket. The only slight issue is the 90-minute snow grooming break from 17:30 – if you have unused time on your ticket, you can use it when the slopes re-open at 19:00, but to avoid a forced 90-minute break you should aim to start skiing by 13:30 at the latest. If you need full equipment & wear rentals in addition to tickets, it works out cheapest to book a package (see here) including all that plus transportation.
They open at 9am and close at 5am(!) on Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays, and 3am on other days.
2018 opening week: only this run open, but only 20 dollars for the lift pass
Elysian Gangchon: accommodation
If you want to stay at the resort itself, you can book Elysian Gangchon’s slopeside accommodation here; if you also need to rent equipment & wear, it works out cheaper to book a package including all the transportation, accommodation, rentals etc, see here.
If you’re intending to ski at Elysian Gangchon as part of a visit to Gapyeong, you can search for Gapyeong deals on Hotels Combined; another option is to base yourself at one the hotels in the nearby city of Chuncheon (Gapyeong is a couple of subway stops before Elysian Gangchon, while Chuncheon is a few stops beyond it; see below for access details). If you want to visit Nami & Elysian without staying overnight in the area, see this 1-day tour.
However, the majority of skiers will probably want to stay in Seoul and take the train or bus out to the hill for the day – for the best rates search Hotels Combined for deals in Seoul
Airbnb is also a great choice for Seoul or Chuncheon – hosts usually have it set up so you can arrive & check in by yourself without having to wait around or meet anyone, and the housing standards are decent with underfloor heating and excellent internet connections as standard. If you haven’t used Airbnb before, you can get a 35-dollar discount off your first rental by signing up through Snow Guide Korea; simply click on this link and register!
How to get to Elysian Gangchon
It’s easy to get there by train; Elysian is located about 2km from Baegyang-ri Station, with regular shuttle buses between the station and the resort. If you prefer to book a 1-day package including bus transportation, rentals etc, see here (this works out cheaper if you need to rent all the equipment & wear).
To get there yourself by train: Baegyang-ri Station is located on the Gyeongchun Line, which has two types of trains running on it. Regular subway trains run from Sangbong station (platform 5), stopping at all stations from there to the terminus at Chuncheon; it takes about 50 minutes from Sangbong to Baegyang-ri, plus however long it takes from your originating station to Sangbong, with the whole trip covered by one Metro fare. This is the cheaper option, but could take up to two hours depending where you start from.
The other type of train is the ITX-Cheongchun (ITX is ‘Intercity Train Express’), which starts from Yongsan Station in central Seoul and runs along a combination of the Jungang and Gyeongchun lines, making only limited stops; effectively it’s an express train, but not part of the Seoul Metro. It only takes an hour from Yongsan to Baegyang-ri by ITX, but costs 6,000 won and requires a separate ticket if you transfer from the subway to the ITX; for comparison, Yongsan to Baegyang-ri by Metro takes about an hour and 45 minutes, and costs 2,550 won.
You can board the ITX at Yongsan, Ichon, Oksu, Wangsimni, Cheongyangni, and Sangbong stations. If transferring from the subway, it isn’t necessary to go through the ticket barriers as the trains share the same tracks and stop at neighbouring platforms.
Here’s the Gyeongchun subway line platform at Cheongnyangni Station:
You can go directly up & over from there to the ITX platform without exiting the barriers. So don’t go this way:
But you do need to swipe out of the subway and buy an ITX ticket, so you need to find these machines (located on the platform or in the walkways between platforms):
These are specifically for transferring between subway & ITX; swipe your subway card on the transit card reader (the ones on the left in the above pic) to officially exit the Metro, and buy an ITX ticket from the Korail ticket machine (on the right in the above pic). When you swipe out of the Metro, do it on the right-side panel of the transit card reader:
When going the other way (from ITX to subway), you can just swipe yourself into the Metro using the left-side panel on the transit card reader.
If you’re boarding the ITX without riding the Metro first, just buy your ticket from a counter or machine on the station concourse as usual. The train will be announced as bound for Chuncheon, the final stop; Baegyang-ri is a couple of stops before Chuncheon.
The ITX doesn’t stop at Baegyang-ri year-round though; it’s only included as a stop from mid-December to early March, and only for some trains, so check the schedule on the Korail website. If you go very late or early in the season, the ITX may not be an option.
Once at Baegyang-ri, the shuttle bus pulls up and waits in the parking area over to the right just outside the exit; it’s free of charge, runs every 20 minutes, and can drop you at the main Ski House base or the Challenge House base (the latter being where beginners should go).
Shuttle bus from Baegyang-ri Station
Elysian Gangchon also operates resort shuttle buses directly to / from various points in Seoul, free of charge; when heading home in the evening, it’s simple enough to jump on one of these from the shuttle bus stops outside the Ski House base (there’s a small shuttle bus office in the parking area there, but with limited English spoken by the staff present when I went to make enquiries). It takes 2.5 hours from Elysian to Myeongdong; buses also go to Dongdaemun, Seoul Station, Hongdae, Gangnam, Jamsil, Jongno, and points between. Unfortunately, to take one of these buses to the mountain in the morning requires a reservation, and the only way I could establish for making one without Korean language ability is to have a Korean-speaker do it for you. Therefore my advice is go there by train, and return either by train again, or by shuttle bus if the time suits you (departure was 6pm in the 2016-17 season).
Typically impressive base facilities at Elysian Gangchon:
Any questions about Elysian Gangchon? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.
For more Seoul area ski resorts, see here; for more Gangwon-do resorts, see here; for full reviews of every Korean ski resort, see here
Also check out the best Korean ski resorts according to various criteria, and this size comparison of Korea’s ski resorts using satellite imagery.
Hi! I would like to know when will you open this 2017. Me and my friends are planning to visit Korea this November 20 to 25. Thank you
Hi Joan, for your dates Yongpyong is best: https://snowguidekorea.com/ski-resorts/gangwondo/yongpyong-alpensia/
Hi. I am planning to visit Elysian Ski Resort this coming April 11, 2018. Will you still be open during that time? Thank you 🙂
Hi Katrina, sorry they’re already closed. The ski season ends quite early in Korea
Hi..we are planning to go on feb 20 2019..os it available?
Hi Linda, yes they’ll be open on February 20th!
Is it open this October?
Hi Rush, sorry there’s no skiing in Korea in October. The resorts start opening in November
Hi,
I would like to know the shuttle bus time table from baegyangri station to elysian ski resort as i plan to go to nami island first before elysian. Or if i cab opt for taxi, how much is the cost from baegyangri station to elysian ski park.
Tq
Hi Sarah, there’s no fixed schedule as such, the shuttle bus just runs back & forth every 20 minutes from the station to the resort. There aren’t any taxis around there – if you’re worried about time you could pre-book one to pick you up from the station at a fixed time, but you should be fine just using the shuttle bus.
Let me know if you have any more questions, and have a great trip!
Hi! I want to go back to Seoul from the resort via the ITX, how do I leave the resort? Where do I wait for the bus to the ITX?
Hi, the shuttle bus stops outside the two base areas. The same place you get off when arriving, you can get on again when leaving. If you’re not sure, just ask a staff member
Also, is Baeyangri station and gongchan station the same thing? haha i am quite confused as I cannot book an itx ticket online baack to yongsan (SEOUL) from baeyangri but I can do so from gongchan
Gongchan is the next station after Baegangri. What date are you trying to book? The ITX only stops at Baegangri for a limited period each winter, so if you’re looking in March it won’t be possible (in that case you can still go to Elysian, you just have to use the slower Metro train instead of ITX)
I’m going probably on Jan 24
oh, well in that case the ITX should definitely be available from Baegangri. If you’re unable to book it online, it must be a problem with the website. But you don’t need to worry too much about making advanced online reservations for the ITX – you can also just buy the tickets in person at Yongsan Station (maybe a day or 2 before, if you have time and you’d like to book ahead). And if for some reason you can’t, you wouldn’t be stuck because you can still take the slower train.
are there still snow or ski on March 18, 2018?
Hi, the resorts haven’t announced their closing dates yet as it’s still too early in the season, but I would expect Elysian to still be open on March 18th. Please note that I can’t guarantee this, so do check again closer to the time.
Hi. I plan to ski at Elysian Ski Resort this February 2018. Is reservation required? Thank you
Hi Janine, if you’re just going to ski then no reservation necessary. Obviously if you want to stay there you’ll need an accommodation reservation, but that’s all. Have a great trip!
Hi
I am visiting Seoul with my family in 2nd week of Feb. Could you please tell me if kids under 7years can Ski at Elysian Resort?
If not then which other resort would you recommend for that age.
My kids are (4yrs and 6yrs) of age.
Also I saw some pictures of Elysian with marshy mud on ice, is it really that dirty?
Hi Vicky, I’m afraid I don’t know what the rules are regarding minimum ages at Elysian. Can your kids already ski? If so, I can’t imagine there’d be a problem. However, if you’re talking about them taking lessons, I’m fairly sure that 4 years is too young (I used to be an instructor in Canada, and the minimum age was 5).
I guess 6 years is probably old enough, but I don’t know this for sure. You’ll need to contact Elysian directly for a definite answer (send them a message via their facebook page – the link is at the bottom of their homepage). If your kids aren’t allowed to ski, you can do snow sledding instead.
The snow condition should still be good in February, the muddy conditions happen later on in spring. Hope you have a great trip!
Here: http://elysian.co.kr/global/eng/index.asp there is a window that says there’s a special discount for people who show their ITX ticket: 49,000 KRW for 6 hours including (?) ski rental. Without ITX ticket it is 66,000 KRW for lift and 38,000 for rental. But the ITX just costs 5,800 so why are they giving such a HUGE discount ?? Can I trust this discount offer I’m seeing? I messaged them at their FB page but they haven’t replied yet. I want to go tomorrow. Has anyone used this discount or heard of this discount? Is it legitimate? Is it really 6 hours of skiing + rental included, for only 49,000 KRW ? Can it be any 6 hours or only morning 6 hours?
Hi Nike,
Sorry, I can’t see the window you mentioned… but if you do go tomorrow, please let me know if you’re able to get this discount so I can update the page for other readers!
Hi,
I’ll be going to Korea by end of February.
I would like to know:
1. What is the easiest way to go to Elysian from Nami Island?
2. After Elysian, I will be staying somewhere in Gangchon-ro, Namsan-myeon. What is the easiest transportation to go to Gangchon-ro?
Thank you
Hi Nurul,
You can use the Gyeongchun Line of Seoul Metro. Nami Island is near Gapyeong Station, which is 2 stops before Baegangri. From Gapyeong you need to take a taxi or local bus to Nami Island, but I’m not sure of the details. From Baegangri, you just hop on the Elysian shuttle bus to the resort.
After that, Gangchon Station is one more stop after Baegangri, and it sounds like your accommodation is near there (but please make sure to double check that). You might be able to walk from the station, or you might need a taxi, I’m not sure.
You could also just use taxis for all of it, the distances aren’t far (but obviously the train’s cheaper)
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions
haii
i need to know the resort still open on 11 march 2018
tq
Hi Nadia,
I think they’ll still be open then, I guess they’ll close in late March – they haven’t officially announced their closing date yet though, so please keep checking their homepage
Hi! I plan to visit Korea this 20 April 2018. Would it still be open at around that time? Thanks.
Hi Fitria, no they’ll be closed by then.
The only possible options in late April are Yongpyong and High1, but they haven’t announced their closing dates yet. They may or may not be open, so you’ll need to check in early April
Hi Simon, My family and friends are planning to have a day tour on Mar. 7 or 8. Elysian Resort are still open by that time?
Hi Janet, I’m afraid not, for a day tour from Seoul you should go to Yongpyong, Welli Hilli Park, or Vivaldi Park
Hi,
When will Elysian Resort will open for Dec 2018 booking ?
Hi Fion, it’s not possible to say at this point. They usually open in early December, but it depends on the temperature in November
Hi,
Hope this message finds you well.
I have a few queries that I hope you could enlighten me on.
1. Correct me if I’m wrong, but did you mention that there is a shuttle bus service from Elysian to Seoul, Hongdae etc? What about from Seoul to Elysian (is there a shuttle bus service too?) May I know where can I retrieve more information on this?
2. Are there any eateries within Elysian resort itself?
That is all.
Thank you.
Best regards,
MS
Hi MS,
1. Yes there are direct shuttle buses to Elysian from Seoul, but you’d need to make a reservation by having a Korean friend call them for you. That’s why I advise travelling there by train, then returning by shuttle (the return shuttle’s easy to arrange, you can just do it there)
2. There’s loads of food available at Elysian, with a couple of food courts and also a branch of Lotteria (Korean burger chain)
Hope this helps! Cheers
Hi Simon,
My group of 3 (all beginners) are looking to try our hands at skiing in Jan 2019. We are still undecided to choose between Elysian and Vivaldi. I read that Elysian would be less crowded than Vivaldi. Is this generally the case? And would you be able to recommend which resort we should head to?
Thanks!
Micheline
Hi Micheline,
Yes generally speaking Vivaldi’s the more crowded – however, rather than which resort you go to, the main thing for the crowds is which day. If you go on the weekend you can expect heavy crowds regardless of where you go, so try to do it on a weekday.
Are you planning to stay overnight? If so, I’d recommend Vivaldi as there’s probably a bit more to do there in the evening. If you’re just doing a daytrip, make your choice according to the transportation i.e. Vivaldi if you’re staying near Myeongdong (free shuttle bus from there), or Elysian otherwise (and take the train – the faster ITX service starts from Yongsan Station)
Give me a shout if you have any more questions,
Cheers!
Hi. We are planning to go to korea mid November of this year. Where can you suggest the best place to go for us to experience snow. Thanks in advance.
Hi Seph,
Mid-November’s a bit early, so for the best chance you should head to Yongpyong or High1. They’re the biggest & highest resorts and usually open around the middle of November or slightly after.
Hi,
I plan to visit Korea in October this year. I want to know whether the Elysian Resort already open at that time or not.
Tq.
Hi Hidayah,
Unfortunately October’s too early for the ski resorts to be open, they usually open in mid to late November. October’s a great time to enjoy hiking instead – see here for some suggestions.
Hi, I’m going to Seoul from 18 to 24 Dec, with my hubby and 2 kids (11 and 12 yo). We are planning to stay 1 night in a ski resort. Which resort would you recommend for lesser crowds, relatively near to Myeongdong and snow activities for kids?
When would the accommodation be open for booking?
Hi, I’d recommend Vivaldi Park (see here) as there’s a direct free shuttle bus from Myeongdong. To avoid the crowds try to go midweek, as weekends are crowded at all resorts.
Thanks! What’s the accommodation at Vivaldi that’s ski-in-ski-out? The Park Hotel?
Basically all of it! The buildings are all arranged near the bottom of the ski slope, so it’s just a short walk over from any of them. The Park Hotel would be a good choice.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Thanks! I was trying to search for hotel accommodation at several websites including Agoda, as recommended here. However, no rooms are available on 20 Dec 18. Are they fully booked? Or not open for bookings yet?
I’ve also sent several emails to different ski resorts, requesting for rates for my booking. No response too.
Bookings are already open, so I’m afraid if you can’t see anything available it means they’re fully booked. December’s peak season so it’s not so surprising.
For easily-accessed alternatives near Seoul, try Elysian or Konjiam. If you’re ok going a bit further try Welli Hilli, Phoenix Park, Alpensia, or Yongpyong.
Unfortunately, all the accommodation are not available +/- 20 Dec 18 ?. Any other recommendations?
Oh, that’s too bad. You may have to consider just doing a day trip – Vivaldi Park’s convenient for a day trip from Myeongdong using the free shuttle buses.
Thanks! Didn’t expect the rooms are fully booked 4.5 mths ahead. Peak season indeed. How’s High1?
High1’s great, arguably the best ski resort in Korea. Do they have availability for your dates there? If they do, then you should probably just go ahead and book it. The travel time is a bit longer (3.5 hours by bus), but that’s the only downside.
Hi Simon, not sure if you would know the answer to this but my friends and I are planning to book a Nami island and ski tour package to Elysian Gangchon ski resort for a visit on Feb 11, 2019. Do these tours get booked quickly or can we wait until Dec 2018 to book online?
Hi Pam, I’m not really sure to be honest. Is that a guided tour? Booking with a local operator or an online travel agent? To be honest I doubt they get booked out, but as I said I don’t really know.
I’m planning to go end Oct to early Nov – will there be any ski slope open?
Hi Kristine,
Unfortunately that’s a little too early. The earliest resorts to open are Yongpyong and High1, usually in mid-November
Hi,
we will take subway train from Dongdaemun Histoy & culture park station to Elysian ski resort in early Dec 2018. So which station/line we should change and time need to the Elysian ski resort?
Hi Lee,
First take Line 2 to Wangsimni. From Wangsimni there are 2 options – you can take the ITX from there, which is faster but more expensive. Or to continue by subway, it’s Gyeongui-Jungang Line from Wangsimni to Sangbong then change to the Gyeongchun Line to Baegyang-ri.
It’ll take almost 2 hours to go all the way by subway. About an hour if you use the ITX, but there are only a few ITX trains per day which stop at Baegyang-ri so be careful about the schedule.
I recommend that you download an app called KakaoMap for navigating the Seoul subway.
Hi,
Is the Elysian ski resort area/park open at 7 Dec 2018 for people ski? How much of entrance fee for normal wear people just go in take a photo or walking on the snow? Thanks
Hi Lee,
Yes they’ll be open by December 7th. There’s no entrance fee just to walk around at the bottom and take photos, but you can pay to ride up the chairlift to see the view from the top (price should be around 15 dollars)
Hi,
I’m going on 30/November/2018,
Will Elysian skii open?
How to book the resort & skii slope?
Thanks
Hi Elise,
They usually open in late November. So I hope they’ll be open by the 30th, but it can’t be guaranteed until they officially announce it.
There’s no need to book the ski slopes, you can just buy your tickets there. If you want to book resort accommodation, please see the accommodation section above.
Let me know if you have any more questions
Hi! My friends and I are planning to go to Elysian just to ski. We’ll be renting the skiwear and equipment. Just wondering, will there be assistance to help guide beginners? Or do we have to pay for lessons?
Thank You!
Hi Arisha,
You don’t have to pay for lessons, but you definitely should. Without instruction you’ll basically be wasting the money you pay for rental, because it’ll be difficult to use the equipment and there’s no assistance available other than lessons. Also it’s much safer for beginners to take lessons with a qualified instructor.
Hi
I would like to know the sledding package price for kid.
What is include in the sledding package?(sled,gloves..etc)
If parent accompany the kids only..do we need to pay?if yes,what is the price.
Also,any limited time for sleddig time? (E.g 9am till 5pm)
Thank you for your time
Hi Yin,
I don’t work for Elysian, but you can see the sledding hours & pricing information on their site here. I don’t think adults have to pay just to watch, and I’m not sure about gloves – please contact Elysian directly about that (I find the best way to contact them is via Facebook)
Hi Simon,
Just want to ask if Elysian is open on Dec 5? I will be travelling with kids ages 2-9yrs old and we are more interested in sledding or playing with thick snow rather than skiing. If Elysian is not available what ski resort can you recommend near seoul for a day tour? Thank you so much
Hi Maureen, yes they should be open by then, they usually open late November
Hi, is the resort fun enough for a beginner? Or do you have any other suggestions? And is it worth to pay for the moving walkway?
Hi Izzah, if you’re planning to try skiing I strongly recommend that you pay for a lesson. If you don’t you’ll pretty much be wasting the money you pay for equipment rental. If that all sounds like too much hassle you could try sledding instead
hi, what does it mean by Disposable Ticket (for the lift)?
Hi Che,
That’s a single use lift ticket. It’s mostly for tourists who aren’t skiing but want to see the view from the top of the mountain – you ride the lift up, walk around at the top (maybe visit the cafe there), and then ride the lift back down.
Ohhhhh hahaha yeheyyy Simon that’s what I wanted to know on how to ride on a lift. Thank you, thank you thank you a million times for giving time to reply, hopefully that will be for January 6 as per our Itinerary, God willing.
God Bless Simon.
Cheers Che!
Hi simon,
I will go to korea on 21st until 26th November bringing my 2 kids age 5 to 7 y/o.
Is elysian a good place for sightseeing and playing snow since we dont know how to ski?
If not.. Can you suggest places that we should go to do so?
Hoping for your answer.. Tq ?
Hi Zara,
If you don’t want to ski, it might be better to go to Vivaldi Park. Three main reasons I say this – first, Vivaldi Park has a gondola which you can ride to the top whereas Elysian only has a chairlift (15 dollars to go up in both cases), the gondola’s more comfortable and it goes higher. Secondly, there are more shops & cafes etc at Vivaldi (there’s an underground shopping centre beneath the car park). Finally, Vivaldi has a free shuttle bus direct from Myeongdong so very easy to get there.
Be careful about the date though – it looks like both of these resorts are aiming to open on November 24th, but that isn’t confirmed yet. It should be announced in early November, at which point I’ll post an update so check back then.
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions
hi simon
can you please update the opening date for vivaldi park for this month?
thank you 🙂
Hi Zara, as far as I know they’re planning to open on November 25th
They are opening on Nov 30. They sent me email about cancelling my Vivaldi shuttle reservation 🙁
Oh, sorry to hear that Ann, but thanks for letting me know – I’ve been pestering them to confirm the opening date but no concrete answer yet, so it’s very useful to hear it from you.
Hello!
Fortunately, Elysian announced its opening on the 24th due to conducive temperature and I got to rebook the free shuttle service for today (27th). Thank you for sharing the useful information 🙂
Hi Ann, that’s awesome, hope you had a great day! So where did you actually go yesterday in the end, Elysian?
Ooops, wrong info I typed there. I actually got to visit Vivaldi which continued its Nov24th ope date and rode the free shuttle from Myeongdong. They also offer Vivaldi to Nami shuttlw for free and took that too. Thank you again!
Ah, yeah I thought maybe you meant to say Vivaldi. Glad you were able to go in the end, and Nami too!
hi, im interested to your elysian snowboarding package depart from hongik station, i have a request to the package, i want to stay back at the ski resort till night time and go back to seoul by own transportation. 1) can i stay back until late night with equipment rental from your pacakge, how much will be? 2) can i stay back until late night, and return the gear & equipment before 5pm. how much will be? 3) can you help me to rent skiing equipment? how much will be?
Hi Catherine,
Sorry, I don’t actually do packages, but you can search the packages available here (and you can email them with specific questions). Hope that helps!
Hi simon,
Are use of walk way free of charge? Don’t see any walkway fees posted on their website.
Also, If we ski, can we just purchase single use lift tickets?
Planning to visit on first week of January.
Thank you in advance!
Hi Gerald,
Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean by walkways?
Yes, you can buy single ride lift tickets, but they’re not great value – it’s around 15 dollars for a single ticket, but you can get 4-hour tickets for 60 dollars.
Hi Simon,
Thank you for very much.
What i mean is the moving walk.
Ah ok, sorry, they’re not free I’m afraid, they’re covered by the regular lift ticket fees.
hi, I am planning to visit South Korea January 2019 next year.Please guide me how to go to elysian if I stay at Itaewon. At the same time I will going to Nami Island
Hi Azman, the fastest way is to take the ITX train from Yongsan Station to Baegyang-ri (there are only a couple of ITX per day which call at Baegyang-ri, so it’s a good idea to go to the station the day before to check the times & buy a ticket). From Itaewon you can ride the subway 3 stops (change at Samgakji) to reach Sinyongsan, from there it’s a 5-minute walk to the main Yongsan station.
The cheapest way is subway all the way. Line 6 > Line 7 > Gyeongchun Line, changing at Taereung & Sangbong.
But the easiest way to visit Elysian & Nami island on the same day is probably this tour.
Hope this helps & let me know if you have any more questions.
Hi there,
I will be going to Seoul on 21st until 25th November next month.
Do you think I will be able to join any tour to go to elysian during that period of time?
If not, can you suggest places that we should go to do so?
Hope to hear from you! Thank you 🙂
Hi Grace,
It looks like Elysian are aiming to open on the 24th, so hopefully you can go then. If you prefer to go by organised tour you can search & book the options here.
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions!
Hi, I’m going on Feb 18, 2019
Will Elysian skii open?
Hello, yes they’ll definitely be open then
It’s me again. Just want to confirm, the ski resort is also open in Monday to Thursday right?
Yes they open every day, and weekends can be super crowded so it’s actually better to go midweek if you can.
Hi, may i know if there is a bus from Elysian ski to train station?
Hi Jane, yes there is (no charge), see the transportation section above.
Hi.
We initially planned to go to Vivaldi on November but it will be delaying its opening to the 30th. So I am looking at Elysian. If we will not ski (my sister is careful of hwr knees), are there other activities to do there? Like riding to the top or something? And is there an entrance fee if we will not ski or will not book any package?
Yes you can ride to the top using the chairlift, that’s about 15 dollars and there aren’t any other entrance fees. There isn’t much else to do there though other than food & drink places.
Actually it might be more fun to go to Phoenix Park or Yongpyong, they’re both opening on Friday 23rd, they’re a bit further away but they have gondolas you can take to the top (which are better than chairlifts for non-skiers) and the tops are higher so the views are better.
Ok thank you very much. I will consider looking at Yongpyong and Phoenix, and decide based on ease of transportation since we will be using public commute. More power to your very useful blog.
Cheers Ann! For ease of transportation you might want to book a day tour package, the links are on those resort pages.
Hi… This is my first time for ski. Can you help me by tell what i should rent? Should i take ski lift?
Hello, the best thing to do would probably be to book a 1-day package; this works out cheaper, and it includes rentals and a basic ski lesson. You probably won’t need to get a lift ticket, but if you’re a fast learner and are ready for the lifts then you can add the lift ticket option on the day.
Hi Simon,
It s great to read your guide here.
However, i would like to confirm, do we need to wear/rent ski clothings to join sledding? I read somewhere that some places require visitor to rent ski clothing(or proper cloth??) for sledding,and the other places do not ever mention it.actually, what kind of attire to do sledding?
I am visiting Seoul from 13-18 jan. My family(husband, and 4 kids age 11,8,6,2.5)would like to sled since the is age limit to ski.but we r not sure which is better between vivaldi and elysian: the fee and rental cost, family friendly facilities, the activities for kids etc.(staying in myeongdong)pls help.tq
Hi Ida,
I’d recommend Vivaldi over Elysian for you. Two reasons – first, you can get there more easily from Myeongdong. Second, it has better sledding (as part of ‘Snowy Land’, which is kind of a mini winter theme park), it has a gondola you can ride to the top of the mountain (15 dollars), and it has a bigger range of shops, cafes etc at the base of the mountain. The easiest & cheapest way is the ‘snow sled (Snowy Land)’ option on this package
For sledding, you need to be dressed warmly enough for temperatures of maybe minus 10 Celsius. If you already have suitable clothing, there’s no need to rent; if you don’t have suitable wear, then you can rent it.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Hi Simon,
Tq for the effort to reply and explain to all of us!
How long it takes for that gondola rides up to snowyland?
I read somewhere that the gondola riding up yongpyong ski takes up to 40 min one way.
Does the view riding the gondola and the cost per ride and the journey time while riding up at any ski resort is taken into consideration to decide which is the best?
and, i am so excited seeing those chairlifts moving up the ski resort. It is too adventurous/ dangerous for us with children? If we dont ski can we use/ pay the chairlift? every ski resort in korea has the said chairlifts?
Tq!
Hi Ida,
Gondolas are much more comfortable than chairlifts, especially if you’re not skiing.
All of the resorts sell single ride sightseeing tickets to go to the top of the mountain. If the resort has a gondola, then the sightseeing ticket is for the gondola. If the resort doesn’t have a gondola, then you go up on a chairlift instead (this is what happens at Elysian).
Hi, I’m a first timer who want to try ski. And also want to see beautiful nature that covered by white snow.
I plan to use public transportation only (try to not take the tour package).
Any advice which ski resort is suit for me? (Visit on weekday. 1 day trip)
I read that Elysian can combine with Nami island tour. How about Vivaldi? Is it possible to combine with nami island tour?
Or I should change option to Yongpyeong?
And about the price, which one is cheaper? ?
Thank’s before.
Hi Debby, Elysian’s easy by public transport as you can go by subway. Vivaldi’s also easy as you can take the free shuttle bus from Myeongdong. Nami can be accessed by the same train line that goes to Elysian, while Vivaldi actually has a free shuttle bus from the resort to Nami & back. Considering all this, Vivaldi’s probably your best choice e.g. you could take the train to Nami in the early morning, then 11:40 shuttle from there to Vivaldi Park and finally the 18:00 shuttle back to Seoul from Vivaldi (when you arrive at Nami go to Nami Island Informaton Center first thing to book the shuttle)
Another question… about disposable (one-time) ticket of ski lift in elysian, can I use it for returns? I mean, I just want to try that ski lift only once, after seeing the scenery above the hill, can I use the same ticket to go down?
Many thanks. 🙂
Absolutely, it’s a round-tip ticket so non-skiers can go up to see the view.
Hai,
i’m a family of 5 (with 2 elderly & 1 a 4yo kid) we are planning to go ski trip next january & stay in the ski resort vivaldi but then it was fully booked . So which one do you think the best between bears town & elysian?? We don’t want to go too far From seoul & Which one do you think has more entertainment for kids & for the non skier who just want to enjoy the sightseeing?? And which one have a more modern architecture because i see some of the ski resort are very old fashioned.. ?
Hi Rifa,
Elysian is easier to get to but Bears Town is bigger and probably a bit better for non-skiers. You might also want to consider Oak Valley, it’s bigger than both of them and you can easily get there using their free shuttle bus (under 90 minutes). For a more modern resort, and definitely good for non-skiers, maybe consider Alpensia but it’s a bit further (2.5 hours by bus)
Oh no so bear town is better than elysian?? But I already canceled my booking at the bear town & changed it to elysian coz someone said they went there and everything there was closed & I thought elysian is newer from bear town & has lot more restaurants there & also near other tourist attractions like nami island etc..am i making a wrong decision?? ? btw i saw it in the bear town site there’s a playground & lil farm for kids is it still open in winter?? Thanks a lot for your help simon..
To be honest there isn’t a huge difference, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Bears Town is a bit bigger and has more cafes & food places, but if you’re interested in visiting Nami Island then that makes Elysian a better choice. I don’t think the farm’s open at Bears Town in winter, I’ve certainly never seen anything like that!
Hi! We really wanted to go to Vivaldi but the shuttle going back to Myeongdong is a bit too late for us. The earliest one is at 6pm. Is Elysian also a good place for sledding? Do we still need to ride the chair lift to go sledding?
Hi Kathryn,
The sledding’s better at Vivaldi, but yes you can also go sledding at Elysian (there’s no chairlift involved though)
Hi, I will be going to Elysian on 5th Feb for night skiing after Gapyeong morning ice trout festival. Would like to check if its opened on 5th, and does ticket run out, like do we need to book online or just go there to buy on the spot?
Hi Chloe, yes it’s open on the 5th, and yes you can just buy tickets on the spot when you get there.
Hi, im planning to go there. My trip should be on 28 feb 2019. Would like to check whether its still open?
Hi Hanisah, yes they stay open until March
Hi
i will be going to Elysian to ski on 11 feb. This is my first time to ski. If i were to travel myself, would i still be able to take the ski lesson at the venue?
May i know what are the available timing of the ski lesson?
Hi, yes sure you can go there alone and join a group lesson. I’m afraid I don’t know the specific lesson times, but they start at regular intervals throughout the day.
Can i go there tomorrow afternoon, maybe around 2pm.. is that ok if i go there by my self?
Hi AA, sure no problem
Hi. How can i go here from nami island?
Hi Mira,
It’s probably easiest to book this package. A direct taxi would take about 25 minutes, or you could do bus > train > shuttle bus which would be maybe an hour including waiting times.
Hi Simon,
What a great article for reference ! I am going to Elysian Ski Resort this February. Do you perhaps know the last shuttle bus to Baegyangri Station ?
Hi Lysaa, I think it runs all day until the train stops (though I’ve never actually stayed there that late)
Is this open intill march 10?
Hi Robin,
I’m afraid they’re closing on March 3rd this year. It hasn’t been a good season for snow – your best chances for March 10th are Yongpyong, High1, or Phoenix Park.
Hi Simon. Good sharing. I’d like to experience skiing or sled but I’ll be in Korea on 22nd March 2019. Please advice any ski resorts open by chance on that date?
Hi Aizah,
It’s quite likely that the resorts will all be closed by then I’m afraid. The resorts with the best chances of still being open for you are Yongpyong, Phoenix Park, and High1.
Hi simon, just want to ask…im planning to visit elysian ski resort with my wife and baby…is it possible that i am the only one who take the ski package & rental while my wife & baby take the basic package which is ski view only. Im afraid that the offer package need to include all family member. Thanks in advance.
Hi, yes that’s fine, you can just get a ski package for yourself. They can wait in one of the food courts or cafes.
Tq Simon for your prompt reply,
i just realised that vivaldi ski park has better offer in term of facility such as Gondola and snowy land compared to elysian.
So let say if i changed my decision which is to take snowboard & clothes rental + lift pass package and my wife & baby take snow sled (snowyland) package at vivaldi park, am i allow to join my wife and also play snowboard at snowy land area?or i’m restricted to play only at ski slope area…what is your suggestion?
Sorry, no, Snowy Land is fenced off from the ski slopes and it’s impossible to ski there. Snowy Land is accessed by its own dedicated gondola. But absolutely it’s fine for your wife & baby to go and enjoy Snowy Land while you’re skiing. Alternatively they could wait for you in the cafe while you try skiing, and then you could all go to Snowy Land together.
Noted Simon…thank you for this useful information.
Hi simon,
I am planning to stay at elysian ski resort on the 4 – 6 dec… on the 5th morning i plan to go to nami island.. how can i go to nami from the ski resort and how much the round tranfer from ski resort – nami – ski resort?
Hi Linda,
To get to Nami Island you need to go to the Gapyeong ferry dock to catch the ferry. The ferry dock’s a 5-minute bus or taxi from Gapyeong Station; a taxi should be around 5000 KRW (i.e. 5 US dollars), or the bus runs hourly and costs just over 1 dollar. To get to Gapyeong Station from the resort you just need to take the free resort shuttle down to Baegyang-ri Station then ride the train 2 stops west; this is a 7-minute train ride for 1,250 KRW. Finally, the ferry is 8000 KRW (I think), so if you do shuttle-train-bus-ferry it should be around 10 dollars total, if you do shuttle-train-taxi-ferry it should be around 15 dollars.
Alternatively a taxi direct from Elysian to the ferry dock (20 minutes) should only cost around 15-20 dollars (so maybe 25 total including the ferry), so you might want to just do that.
hi i would like to ask is it open on march 6 2020 nextyear?
Hi, they usually close around that time – last season they closed on March 3rd. The best bet for a Seoul area ski resort still open on March 6th is Vivaldi Park
Hi,
I want to ask about eden valley ski, busan. If we take one-time lift ski can we return by using the ski lift? I just want to enjoy the scenery.
But if i must purchase ski/snowboard equipment to go up the hill, can i return using ski lift because im afraid a fail to go down hill by skiing. =P
Hi Aimi,
Don’t worry, the 1-time ticket is to go up & come back down again on the lift! You don’t have to ski or rent any equipment
This is a good news because i read somewhere in klook or trazy for eden valley ski we need to rent the ski/snowboarding equipment to go up the hill. Thank you for the clarification.
Hi Aimi,
Interesting, actually I’d better check this for you – it’s normal at Korean resorts to be able to use a 1-time ticket to go up & down for sightseeing, without any equipment. But yes it’s possible Eden Valley has different rules so I’ll check it and get back to you
Hi again Aimi, ok so yeah it does look like Eden Valley has this rule, sorry I didn’t realise before. It’s one of the resorts that completely separates the snow area, so you have to pass through the ticket gates to go onto the snow. I guess they won’t let you through the gate if you’re not in ski gear; but if you do go up with a 1-time ticket and then ask to go back down on the lift, I’m sure they’ll let you – this is what resorts do if a beginner goes to the top and then realises it’s too difficult to ski down. So that should be fine
Hi Simon,
Thanks for you effort to confirm this matter. At least i can confirm thant i can go back down using lift. Thank you. Have a nice day.
Hi, planning to book a 1 Night stay in Elysian between 31/01/2020
However there is no available room starting from 19/12/2019 till March 2020
Cannot find any availability from agora, Expedia, booking and etc……
Is that possible all fully booked in advance?
Or not open to public for that period?
Or under renovation or closed down?
Or is there other way to book?
Kindly advice me.
Thank you
Appreciate.
Hi Larry, not sure why that’s happening. Try here
Hi, i am planning to ski at Elysan this coming January 2020. Do i need to book the package in advance or it is just fine if i walk in to the counter during that day. thanks
No need to book, you can just walk in
Hi…me and my family will be going to seoul from 7 march to 14 march 2020…just wondering whether the elysia resort is still open or not…not going there for ski..just to play with snow with the kids…
Probably not, they usually close in early March. For your dates you can probably only try Vivaldi Park, High1, or Yongpyong.
Hi Simon, really useful site and articles as I’ve been looking at different Korean ski resorts, really appreciate it.
What’s the snow like this year in Korea/Elysian? Do you know if it’s gonna be mostly artificial snow if I go to Elysian during the first week of March 2020? Additionally, any ideas if the rental gears there are any good? Thanks a bunch!
Hi Kevin,
Most snow in Korean resorts is man-made, and conditions in March are usually pretty slushy; to be honest if you go in March I’d only really recommend Yongpyong, Phoenix Park, or High1.
The rental gear is as you’d expect: low quality and well-used!