Chimaek at Banpo? You’re Missing 90% of the Han River

Let’s be honest. If you google "things to do in Seoul," every single travel youtube tells you the exact same thing: Go to Banpo Bridge, open a picnic mat, and order fried chicken and beer (chimaek).

You can also pedal from the middle of Seoul all the way to a lakeside city called Chuncheon.

South Korea built a flawless, dedicated, entirely segregated cycling infrastructure. It’s flat, perfectly paved, and stretches for hundreds of kilometers.

The best part? You don’t need to pack like you’re entering the wilderness.

As you ride east, the cityscape dissolves. You pass through giant river gorges, old countryside towns, and the best part—cool, dimly lit train tunnels. They took abandoned, old railway tracks and retrofitted them specifically for cyclists. It feels like riding through a movie set.

The whole trip to Chuncheon is about 80 to 100 kilometers. It’s actually highly achievable because there are almost no steep hills—the path just hugs the flat riverbed the entire way.

The Ultimate Cheat Code: The Weekend Subway

Here is the secret weapon that makes this trip completely foolproof: The Gyeongchun Subway Line.

The train tracks run completely parallel to the bike path. On weekends, Seoul subways allow you to bring your bicycle onto the first and last cars.

This means you only have to ride one way.

You pedal out to Chuncheon, completely drain your energy, reward yourself with the city's legendary Dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken), and then simply roll your bike onto the subway. You can take a nap on the train and wake up back in central Seoul.

Bring a decent hybrid or road bike, head east, and see what Korea actually looks like when you get past the concrete. I can problably join your ride if the time’s right.