About Gyeongju

Gyeongju (경주시, 慶州市; formally romanized as Kyongju) is in North Gyeongsang province, South Korea. The capital of the Silla Kingdom for approximately the whole first millennium CE, Gyeongju is definitely worth visiting if you are interested in Korean history.

Source: Wikipedia

Essential Information

Currency

South Korean won (KRW)

Symbol: ₩

Language

Korean

Phone Code

+82

International dialing code for South Korea

Driving

Drive on the right

Standard for South Korea

Region

Asia

Eastern Asia

Connectivity

South Korea used to have a different mobile phone standard from the rest of the world, though foreign 3G and 4G mobile phones should nowadays work in the country. SeeSouth Korea#Connectfor details and check with your own operator.

How to Get to Gyeongju

Transportation options and arrival information

The nearest airports areBusanGimhae International AirportandUlsan, each about an hour away by express bus. From the airport in Ulsan there are four daily buses and tickets cost ₩4500, from the larger Gimhae airport there are twelve daily buses and tickets cost ₩9800.

Getting Around Gyeongju

Local transportation and navigation tips

Be sure to visit the two tourist kiosks to get maps and guides. One is next to the express bus terminal while the other is beside the parking lot in front of Gyeongju Station. Whether walking or biking, if you know your destination's Romanized or Hangul name you will find countless signs along the path at just about every intersection pointing the direction to the nearest attractions with distances provided.

Safety in Gyeongju

High Safety (Global Peace Index: 1.779)

About the Global Peace Index: Global Peace Index measures peacefulness on a scale of 1 (most peaceful) to 5 (least peaceful)

Source: Institute for Economics & Peace (2022)

Where to Stay in Gyeongju

Accommodation tips and recommendations

There are someyeoinsuk(guesthouses) near the old (abandoned) railway station where you can stay for as little as US$10/night. However, none of these places have hot water, making it difficult to use the very dirty facilities. There are also roaches in many of the rooms. Far better are the few "motels" in the same area that charge around $20/night.