Taehwagang & the City Centre

Getting here

From Busan

Take the train from Bujeon. VisitKorea's 2026 guide puts Taehwagang Station about 40 minutes away by KTX-Eum and around 80 minutes by the Donghae Line metro; Busan City's 2022 figure for the metro is 76 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes at peak times and every 25 to 30 minutes off-peak. The metro opened all the way to Taehwagang on 28 December 2021, and Taehwagang is the end of the line.

From Seoul

Take the KTX from Seoul Station or the SRT from Suseo to KTX Ulsan Station: Ulsan City's 2021 timetable has the first KTX leaving Seoul at 5:15 and arriving at 7:29. Limousine 5001 or 5003 on Ulsan City's 2021 list brings you into the centre. The Jungang Line KTX-Eum from Cheongnyangni has also run via Andong, Gyeongju and Ulsan to Bujeon since 20 December 2024, and Korail held one of its opening-day welcome events at Taehwagang Station.

From KTX Ulsan Station

Ulsan City's 2021 list of KTX limousine buses gives two for the centre. Route 5001 calls at Taehwagang Station, Boram Hospital, City Hall and Mugeo Covered Stream, every 20 minutes, 04:00–24:00. Route 5003 calls at Hakseong Park, New Jungang Market, Seongnam-dong, Taehwaru Pavilion and Taehwa-dong, every 30 minutes, 04:25–23:25. Pick a stay near one of those stops and you ride straight in.

From Gimhae Airport

VisitKorea's 2026 Gimhae Airport guide says you can buy tickets at the airport for intercity buses to Ulsan. The rail alternative runs through Bujeon in Busan, where KTX-Eum reaches Taehwagang Station in about 40 minutes (VisitKorea, 2026) and the Donghae Line metro in 76 minutes (Busan City, 2022).

On your doorstep

• Taehwagang National Garden An ecology park along the river through the centre of Ulsan, recognised as Korea's second national garden in 2019; Ulsan City dates the designation to July 2019. It takes in the Simnidae Forest, which VisitKorea says was nearly cleared for flood control and saved by the community. VisitKorea lists it as open 24 hours, all year.
• Simni Bamboo Grove A bamboo forest about 4 km long on the bank of the Taehwagang, open 24 hours. VisitKorea's 2024 guide says the groves have stood since the Joseon period, and it calls the grove a night garden, the Milky Way Trail. Ulsan City notes it was selected as an Accessible Tourism Site in 2017.
• Taehwaru Pavilion A pavilion on the Taehwagang River that Ulsan City calls an urban tourist attraction. Jung-gu traces it to the pavilion built when the Great Monk Jajang founded Taehwasa Temple.
• Ulsan Keunaegi Night Market Ulsan's first permanent night market, according to Ulsan City, at Jungang Traditional Market in the original downtown. Jung-gu describes it as grown up around the market in the former downtown area.
• Ulsan Keunaegi House The tourist information centre for Jung-gu's Ulsan Keunaegi brand, at 28 Munhwaui-geori on Culture Street: a character shop on the first floor, a Keunaegi room on the second and a photo studio lending vintage-style clothes on the third.
• Koboksu Music Salon A tribute to the Ulsan-born singer Ko Boksu, with an exhibition hall on the first floor and a café on the second, at 9 Jungang 1-gil. Open 10:00–18:00, Tuesday to Sunday; closed on Mondays.
• Ulsan Museum The city museum, opened in 2011, at 277 Duwang-ro in Nam-gu. Open 09:00–18:00; closed on Mondays.
• Ulsan Grand Park In Nam-gu, and one of the best urban eco-parks in the country in Ulsan City's words. It hosts a Rose Festival in May and a Light Festival from December to January.
• The Taehwagang River VisitKorea gives the river as 47.54 km long, rising at Tapgolsaem Spring on Baegunsan Mountain and flowing west to east through downtown Ulsan into Ulsan Bay. Its banks are a well-known habitat for migratory birds.

One easy day from here

1. Morning Arrive at Taehwagang Station by KTX-Eum or the Donghae Line metro, or by limousine 5001 or 5003 from KTX Ulsan Station (Ulsan City's 2021 list), and leave your bags.
2. Late morning Walk Taehwagang National Garden and the 4 km Simni bamboo grove along the river.
3. Afternoon Taehwaru Pavilion, then the old downtown around Jungang Market and Culture Street: Ulsan Keunaegi House, and the Koboksu Music Salon from Tuesday to Sunday.
4. Evening Back to the river after dark for the bamboo grove's Milky Way Trail; the grove is open 24 hours.

Before you book

• Arriving by KTX or SRT from Seoul? You land at KTX Ulsan Station, not Taehwagang. Book near a stop on limousine 5001 or 5003 from Ulsan City's 2021 list and you ride straight in.
• Coming from Busan, Taehwagang Station is the one you want: KTX-Eum and the Donghae Line metro both run there from Bujeon. From Gyeongju, the Donghae Line KTX-Eum stops there too.
• May is festival month at the national garden, with the Taehwagang Spring Flower Festival and the Taehwa River International Jazz Festival, and the Ulsan Maduhee Festival fills Culture Street in June. Book early for those weekends.
• For the Milky Way Trail after dark, stay close to the river: VisitKorea lists the bamboo grove as open 24 hours.