Last checked: November 2, 2026
I couldn’t find a confirmed 2026-27 opening date on the resorts’ own sites yet. Last season, the first slopes opened on November 21. For one ski day from Seoul, I’d book Yongpyong’s shuttle bus from Hongdae or Myeong-dong. It’s the option with published fares and a 5 p.m. bus back to the city.
Quick answer
- 🗓️ Opening: last season from November 21; check 2026-27 dates
- 🚌 Shuttle: Seoul to Yongpyong, 22,000 won each way (listed fare)
- 💰 Day at Yongpyong: about 218,000 won with shuttle, lift, rental, and ski wear (last season)
When does ski season start near Seoul?
Late November for the earliest resorts and early December for the rest, going by last season. Yongpyong’s rental page says its 2026-27 details will be announced later, and Sono’s ski page for Vivaldi Park still showed last season when I checked on November 1.
| Resort | 2025-26 opening |
|---|---|
| Yongpyong (Pyeongchang) | November 21, 2025 |
| Phoenix Snow Park (Pyeongchang) | November 21, 2025 |
| Vivaldi Park (Hongcheon) | December 5, 2025 |
| Elysian Gangchon (Chuncheon) | Early December 2025 |
| Gonjiam (Gwangju, Gyeonggi) | December 10, 2025 |
If you’re traveling in late November, Yongpyong and Phoenix are the only resorts in this table that were open that early last season. Yongpyong’s Seoul shuttle is also listed only from November 27, so I’d check its dates before you plan on it.
Yongpyong by shuttle bus: the easiest day trip
Yongpyong’s English site links to a Seoul shuttle bus run for skiers. The listed fare is 22,000 won each way for adults, or 44,000 won round trip, booking fee included. Children pay 16,000 won each way.
The early buses leave at 5:25 a.m. from Hongik Univ. Station, in front of the Starbucks 130 meters from Exit 8, and from Myeong-dong Station, in front of KEP at Exit 1. Later buses leave Hongik Univ. at 8:50 a.m. and Myeong-dong at 8:45 a.m.
Every run also stops at Sinchon or Dongdaemun. At Sports Complex, you change to the resort bus you booked and show your boarding pass.
Coming back, buses leave the resort’s BlissHill Stay parking lot at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. and go straight to Jamsil, Sports Complex, Myeong-dong, and Sinchon. The site asks you to be at your stop at least 10 minutes early, because buses leave on time.
Yongpyong puts the drive from Seoul at about 2 1/2 hours. The booking site lists Seoul runs from November 27, 2026 to March 1, 2027. Another notice on the same site still says the 2025-26 schedule is undecided, so the site isn’t fully updated. Treat those dates as provisional until you can book a seat.
If you’re landing at Incheon and heading straight to the snow, the same site lists airport buses at 42,000 won each way. They’re listed from December 7, 2026 to February 12, 2027, and Yongpyong says your ride takes about 3 hours nonstop.
Yongpyong also lists regular express buses from Seoul’s Nambu and Dong Seoul terminals to Hoenggye, the nearest town, if your dates fall outside the shuttle season.
⚠️ Heads-up
The day lift ticket runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the same time the last bus leaves. Plan to stop skiing by mid-afternoon so you can return your rentals, change, and reach the parking lot 10 minutes early. Ski wear returned more than 20 minutes after the lifts close costs extra.
What does a day at Yongpyong cost?
For one adult at last season’s prices, the day looks like this. Yongpyong’s rental page says 2026-27 details will come later, so you should expect changes.
- Shuttle: 44,000 won round trip.
- Lift ticket: 96,000 won for the day, or 68,000 won for a morning or afternoon.
- Rental: 48,000 won for a standard set, full day.
- Ski wear: 30,000 won for a jacket and pants, full day.
That adds up to about 218,000 won. A 68,000-won morning or afternoon ticket brings it down to about 190,000 won, or about 182,000 won with the 40,000-won morning rental. You’d ski only half the day, though, so check the ticket hours against the 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. buses. I found no rental prices for gloves or goggles, so I’d bring your own.
Honest take
A ski day from Seoul is long: a 5:25 a.m. bus, at least five hours on the road in total, and a hard stop at 5 p.m. If you want more than a day’s skiing, I’d stay one night and add the 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. evening session.
Your lift pass is an RFID card with a 1,000-won deposit. Hand it in at any kiosk before you board the bus, and you’ll get your deposit back.
Yongpyong also runs ski classes for foreigners, with instructors who speak English. I couldn’t find the prices or times on its English page, so I’d email the ski school before your trip if you’ve never skied.
Vivaldi Park: fewer details posted
Vivaldi Park, run by Sono, is in Hongcheon. Last season it opened December 5 and closed March 2. Sono lists 10 slopes and 10 lifts, a count that includes its moving walkways and gondolas.
I couldn’t find this season’s day ticket prices on Sono’s site. Its ski page links to a shuttle booking for foreigners, but it shows you no times or fares. Once you’re there, you rent gear by scanning the QR code on your ticket, Sono’s ski page says.
One tour site sells a Vivaldi day package for foreigners, with a December to February season on its listing. The bus leaves Hongik Univ. Station at 6:30 a.m. and heads back around 4:30 p.m. Ski rental, ski clothes, and a one-hour basic lesson are included, though snowboard lessons run only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
The lift ticket comes only with the options that include it, and helmets aren’t included. The listing says skiers must wear one, so bring your own or rent one there.
If you’re trying skis for the first time, I’d pick a package like this, with the lift ticket, over planning the day yourself. Check the cancellation rules before you pay: that listing refunds in full only 10 or more days ahead.
Can you go by train or car?
For Yongpyong, not easily. The KTX stops at Jinbu Station, but Yongpyong says its Jinbu shuttle is only for resort guests, with a reservation or membership card. Without a resort reservation, you’d have to find your own way from the station.
If you’d rather take the train, Elysian Gangchon is the resort I’d look at. A VISITKOREA article, last updated in 2019, says some ITX-Cheongchun trains stop at Baegyang-ri Station, near the resort, during ski season. I couldn’t read Korail’s timetable, so check which trains stop there when you book.
Gonjiam Resort, in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, says it’s 10 minutes from Gonjiam Interchange and about 40 minutes from Gangnam. It’s the one I’d pick for a few hours on the snow if you’re driving. I couldn’t confirm a shuttle bus.
Yuna’s pick
First time on skis: a Vivaldi day package with a lesson and lift ticket, or Elysian Gangchon by train.
A full day of skiing: Yongpyong on the early shuttle.
Only a few hours, with a car: Gonjiam.
FAQ
Can I ski at night on a day trip?
Not on the shuttle, which leaves Yongpyong at 5 p.m. Yongpyong’s evening ticket covers 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., so night skiing means staying over.
Do I need to speak Korean?
Not for Yongpyong’s basics. Its lift prices and getting-here pages are on its English site, and its ski school lists English-speaking instructors. The rental price page and Sono’s Vivaldi pages are in Korean.
When will 2026-27 opening dates be announced?
I couldn’t find a date. Last season, Yongpyong and Phoenix opened on November 21, so I’d keep checking the resort sites through November.
Pick your resort first, then book the bus as soon as dates go up, and pack gloves and goggles. If something here has changed, tell me on the Contact page and I’ll check it. Have a great first run!
Hwaiting!
Yuna
📌 Read next
- Where to Stay in Seoul (2026): Best Areas for First-Timers: Myeong-dong and Hongdae are shuttle stops
- Korea eSIM, SIM Card, or Pocket Wi-Fi (2026): How to Choose: data for booking buses on the go
- Seoul Fall Foliage in November (2026): Ginkgo, Palaces & Parks: what to do before the snow
Sources and last check
How I put this guide together: from the resorts’ own websites, the shuttle booking site Yongpyong links to, VISITKOREA, and Korean news reports, checked on November 1 and 2, 2026. Prices are last season’s unless marked. Which resort suits whom is my own read. Nothing here is sponsored, and no resort or tour company paid for or reviewed it. More on how I research every guide is on the About page.
Last checked: November 2, 2026. I couldn’t find confirmed 2026-27 opening dates or prices. The shuttle site lists 2026-27 dates, but I didn’t book a seat to confirm them, so please check before you book. This is an independent guide, not affiliated with any resort.
Sources:
- Mona Yongpyong: Lift prices
- Mona Yongpyong: Rental prices (in Korean)
- Mona Yongpyong: Getting here and Jinbu shuttle
- Mona Yongpyong: Ski school
- Yongpyong shuttle: Timetable and fares
- Yongpyong shuttle: Season dates and boarding rules
- Sono: Vivaldi Park ski information (in Korean)
- Sono: Vivaldi Park slopes and lifts (in Korean)
- VISITKOREA: 2025-26 ski resort openings (in Japanese)
- VISITKOREA: ITX stops at Baegyang-ri in ski season (in Korean)
- Gonjiam Resort: Introduction (PDF, in Korean)
- Asia Business Daily: First openings of the 2025-26 season (November 2025, in Korean)
- Asia Business Daily: Vivaldi Park opens (December 2025)
- Asia Business Daily: Gonjiam opens (December 2025)
- Herald Business: Gonjiam season (December 2025, in Korean)
Cover image: Ski runs at Yongpyong Resort. Photo: Kalatpadai, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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