The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is launching a pilot project for the “Namdo Train Trail” in partnership with the Korea Railroad Corporation and five southern regions. It is a two-day, one-night travel product that uses the Gyeongjeon Line connecting Busan and Mokpo to link tourism destinations in the southeastern and southwestern regions. Busan, Gwangju, Ulsan, South Jeolla Province, and South Gyeongsang Province are participating.
The key is price. The package, which bundles train travel, bus transfers, and lodging, will receive support to discount up to 35% from market cost. There are four routes. They include a Haenam and Jangheung course departing from Busan Station and arriving at Haenam Station, and a Jinju and Hadong course departing from Mokpo Station and arriving at Jinju Station.
The first departure will be on May 16 for the Jinju-Hadong route. After that, it will continue throughout the year. Information on the products can be found on the Korail website. This initiative follows the regional tourism leap strategy announced at the expanded National Tourism Strategy Meeting on February 25. It also marks the first step in the “Korea Train Trail” project, which links outer regions of the country through a wide regional rail network.
For years, the overconcentration on the Seoul metropolitan area has been a persistent challenge for South Korean tourism. Under a structure in which most foreign visitors stay in Seoul and then leave, provincial cities have struggled with accessibility despite having attractive resources. Traveling through two or three southern cities without a car has been virtually impossible. This pilot project directly targets that gap.
Indicators are signaling change. In the first quarter of 2026, 853,905 foreign tourists entered through regional airports, up 49.7% year on year. The number of foreign travelers using rail also rose 46.4% to about 1.69 million.
During the same period, 180,000 people visited Tongyeong’s Gangguan in South Gyeongsang Province, 260,000 visited the whale village in Jangsaengpo, Ulsan, and 570,000 visited Suncheon Bay National Garden in South Jeolla Province. This means tourism hubs nurtured with central government subsidies are actually creating visitor flows. The package-style product is laying a bridge at a time when rail infrastructure and local content are maturing together.
A discount alone will not create a sustained flow. A 35% discount may be enough to attract a first visit, but the power to bring people back ultimately depends on the on-site experience.
Every touchpoint a traveler encounters on the way from Busan Station to Haenam, and then from Haenam to Jangheung, must be smoothly connected.
If details such as shuttle bus frequency linking stations to tourist sites, the cleanliness and service of accommodations, or clear price labeling at restaurants break down, the first experience becomes the last. The trial-project status is also an advantage, as it allows operators to quickly collect data and refine the routes.
The second pillar supporting sustainability is the depth of the local content itself. This is why the ministry is investing a total of 179.6 billion won in local governments this year, including 141.5 billion won for the southern regional wide-area tourism development project, 21.1 billion won for the Chungcheong region, and 17 billion won for the western inland region.
“The rail-linked travel product was created to reduce the burden of travel costs for the public and provide an opportunity to rediscover the charms of the beautiful southern region,” said Kang Jeong-won, head of the Tourism Policy Office. “We will continue to expand local tourism content and revitalize regional tourism and local economies.” The trail has been laid; now begins the work of giving people reasons to stay along it.