OPDADA · Korea Guide

Skiing in Korea 2026-27: Resorts, Getting There From Seoul, Lift Passes and Rentals

Ski & snowboard · Gangwon and Gyeonggi · Updated 2026-08-23

Korea's ski resorts are close to Seoul, lit for night skiing, and built around rental counters and time-based lift passes, so you can arrive with nothing but warm clothes. Most are in Gangwon Province, which hosted the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics; Konjiam is in Gyeonggi Province, under an hour from Gangnam.

This guide covers the resorts most foreign visitors use, how to reach each one by shuttle, train or bus, what the season usually looks like, and how passes and rentals are structured. 2026-27 opening dates have not been announced yet (as of 23 August 2026). We describe the usual pattern and will update this page when resorts publish their dates. For packing and weather, see /guide/korea-winter-survival and /guide/seasons-and-packing.

When is the season?

Korean resorts rely heavily on snow-making, so opening depends on cold rather than snowfall. In the 2025-26 season the first two resorts, Yongpyong and Phoenix Park in Pyeongchang, opened on 21 November 2025, which the Korea Herald described as about a week earlier than the previous year thanks to an early cold snap; High1 was scheduled for 28 November and other Gangwon resorts followed by early December (Korea JoongAng Daily). Resorts open only some slopes at first: Yongpyong said it would gradually open all 28 slopes by the end of the year.

The season winds down in March. Booking-site listings for 2025-26 showed expected closing dates ranging from early March (Vivaldi Park, Alpensia) to the second half of March (High1, Yongpyong), with the usual warning that resorts may close earlier if the weather turns warm.

What to expect for 2026-27: based on the pattern above, late November to early December openings for the Gangwon resorts, slightly later for the Gyeonggi resorts, and closures in March. Treat any specific date as unconfirmed until it appears on the resort's official site.

The main resorts at a glance

ResortProvinceSlopes / lifts (official or KTO data)Best way from Seoul
Yongpyong (MONA Yongpyong)Gangwon, Pyeongchang28 slopes; gondolaKTX to Jinbu + resort shuttle; express bus to Hoenggye
Vivaldi Park (SONO)Gangwon, Hongcheon12 slopes, 1 gondola, 10 liftsForeign-visitor shuttle from Hongdae / Dongdaemun / Konkuk Univ. / Sports Complex
High1Gangwon, JeongseonMountain-top area at 1,340 m with revolving restaurantTrain from Cheongnyangni to Gohan/Sabuk + resort shuttle; ski bus
Phoenix Park (Phoenix Pyeongchang)Gangwon, Pyeongchang21 slopes, 8 lifts, gondolaAbout 1 h 50 min by road; shuttle packages
AlpensiaGangwon, Pyeongchang6 slopes, longest 1,351 mKTX to Jinbu; 2nd Yeongdong Expressway
Elysian GangchonGangwon, Chuncheon10 slopes; 6-person liftsSubway (Gyeongchun Line) or ITX-Cheongchun train
KonjiamGyeonggi, Gwangju9 slopes, 3 lifts, 1.8 km runAbout 40 min from Gangnam by road

Yongpyong (MONA Yongpyong), Pyeongchang

Yongpyong sits in the Daegwallyeong highlands with an average of about 250 cm of snow per season according to the Korea Tourism Organization. It has hosted World Cup ski races and the Asian Winter Games, and ran 28 slopes in 2025-26. Address: 715 Olympic-ro, Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun.

Check the resort's notices before you go for any current safety rules on slopes and lifts.

Vivaldi Park (SONO), Hongcheon

Vivaldi Park is the day-trip favourite: 12 slopes, one gondola and 10 lifts, and strong night skiing. Address: 262 Hanchigol-gil, Hongcheon-gun.

The resort's transport partner runs a dedicated foreign-visitor shuttle from Seoul. For the 2025-26 season the published timetable showed morning departures from Hongik University Station, Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, Konkuk University Station and Sports Complex Station, with returns from the resort at 13:00 and 17:00, running roughly from early December 2025 to early March 2026 (the exact dates varied by route). The foreign-visitor fare was 10,000 won one way or 20,000 won round trip for adults (8,000 / 16,000 for children under 13); the booking site notes this fare differs from the domestic fare because it includes a service fee. Full refunds were allowed until 16:00 the day before travel. The 2026-27 schedule is normally confirmed in mid-November, so check the booking site then.

High1, Jeongseon

High1 has a mountain-top area at 1,340 m with a revolving restaurant. Address (from the resort's own directions page): 265 High1-gil, Sabuk-eup, Jeongseon-gun.

Phoenix Park (Phoenix Pyeongchang), Pyeongchang

Phoenix Park in Bongpyeong-myeon was the venue for the freestyle skiing and snowboarding events of the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The Korea Tourism Organization lists 21 slopes, eight lifts, a gondola and six conveyor belts, and puts it about 1 hour 50 minutes from Seoul by road. Address: 200 Taegi-ro, Bongpyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun. On its 2025-26 opening day it sold all lift tickets for 30,000 won, an example of the early-season promotions resorts sometimes run. Seoul shuttle packages exist through tour operators; the resort's official site (phoenixhnr.co.kr) has the current transport page.

Alpensia, Pyeongchang

Alpensia is the compact resort next to the 2018 Olympic ski-jump, biathlon, cross-country and sliding venues, at about 700 m altitude in Daegwallyeong. Its official slope map shows six runs (Alpha to Foxtrot), the longest 1,351 m. The resort says it can be reached in 1-2 hours from Seoul by the 2nd Yeongdong Expressway or KTX to Jinbu Station.

Elysian Gangchon, Chuncheon

Elysian Gangchon is, according to the Korea Tourism Organization, the only Korean ski resort you can reach by subway (Gyeongchun Line) or by the ITX-Cheongchun train. The Korea Tourism Organization lists 10 slopes, eight of them beginner to intermediate, with 6-person lifts and a beginner practice slope. Address: 688 Bukhangangbyeon-gil, Chuncheon-si. Check the resort site for the nearest station and any station-to-slope shuttle.

Konjiam, Gwangju (Gyeonggi)

Konjiam is the closest full-size resort to Seoul: the Korea Tourism Organization puts it about 40 minutes from Gangnam, with nine slopes, three lifts and a 1.8 km run. Address: 278 Docheogwit-ro, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do. Konjiam's own website was not reachable when we checked, so confirm season dates and shuttle details directly before travelling.

How lift passes and rentals work

Korean resorts sell time-block passes rather than a single all-day ticket. Yongpyong's published 2025-26 price list is typical of the structure: a daytime pass (09:00-17:00), a morning or afternoon pass (four hours), an evening pass (19:00-23:00) and an afternoon-plus-evening pass with a break between 17:00 and 19:00. In 2025-26 Yongpyong charged 96,000 won for an adult daytime pass and 68,000 won for a four-hour block; a 1,000 won RFID card deposit is refunded at a kiosk, and passes are valid only on the day of purchase. Other resorts use similar blocks with different prices; expect 2026-27 prices to be published with the opening dates.

Rentals follow the same time blocks. Yongpyong's rental page lists ski sets (skis, poles, boots), snowboard sets, premium sets, and ski-suit rentals as full or half sets, with an adult standard set priced around 40,000-48,000 won depending on the block in 2025-26. You must leave an ID card at the rental desk until you return the equipment, so carry your passport or a Korean residence card. Helmet availability and any helmet rules are not listed on the rental price page; check the resort's rental desk or notices.

Tour companies sell bundled day packages (shuttle + lift pass + rental) from Seoul; compare with the resort's own rates before booking. For paying at counters and kiosks, see /guide/money-and-payments.

Practical notes

FAQ

Q. When do Korean ski resorts open for 2026-27?
Not announced yet as of August 2026. In 2025-26 the first resorts (Yongpyong and Phoenix Park) opened on 21 November and most others followed by early December. Expect similar timing, confirmed on each resort's official site in November.

Q. Which ski resort is easiest to reach from Seoul without a car?
Elysian Gangchon is the only resort reachable by subway (Gyeongchun Line) or ITX-Cheongchun train, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. Vivaldi Park runs a paid foreign-visitor shuttle from central Seoul stations. Yongpyong and Alpensia are reached by KTX to Jinbu Station plus a resort shuttle.

Q. Is there a shuttle bus for foreigners to Vivaldi Park?
Yes. In 2025-26 the resort's transport partner ran a foreign-visitor shuttle from Hongik Univ., Dongdaemun H&C Park, Konkuk Univ. and Sports Complex stations for 10,000 won one way / 20,000 won round trip (adult). The 2026-27 timetable is usually confirmed in mid-November.

Q. Do I need to bring my own ski gear?
No. All major resorts rent skis, snowboards, boots, poles and ski suits by time block, and you leave an ID (passport) at the counter until you return the gear. Check the resort's rental desk or notices for helmet availability and any helmet rules.

Q. How are lift passes priced?
By time block: daytime (about 09:00-17:00), a four-hour morning or afternoon block, an evening block, or afternoon-plus-evening. At Yongpyong in 2025-26 an adult daytime pass was 96,000 won and a four-hour block 68,000 won; 2026-27 prices will be posted with the opening dates.

Q. Which resorts were used in the 2018 Winter Olympics?
Phoenix Park (Phoenix Pyeongchang) hosted freestyle skiing and snowboarding; Alpensia hosted ski jumping, biathlon, cross-country and sliding events. Both are in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon.

Sources

Written and maintained by OPDADA · Last checked 2026-08-23 · Spotted an error? Let us know. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, prices and schedules change — confirm with the official source before you act.