All Aboard the Haeundae Express
By: Phillip Sanchez

It's Sunday and you want to spend the day at Haeundae Beach. How long will it take to get there?
How much will it cost if you don't opt to take a taxi?
And if you stay at there until rush hour traffic kicks in, how long will it take you to get back? Quite often, getting to Haeundae involves penetrating a wall of traffic. It is possible to get there in twenty minutes or so, depending on the time of day and whether or not Pusan's traffic gremlin feels like being congenial. On weekends, the time most of us want to rest and maybe spend an afternoon on the beach, the traffic can be bad. Some days it may take fifty minutes to an hour to get there. Or on a particularly bad day, it can take up to two hours. This is the gamble urbanites of Pusan take when they brave taking public transportation. Even on those rare occasions when traffic flows well, getting anywhere in this city is a reasonable time investment. There is however, a more convenient way to get there. A small commuter train ferries people to and from Haeundae and Song Jong Beaches to Pusan Station. The ride at full length is at most forty minutes, which is much faster than any other mode of transportation. It runs about once every hour and a half and the ride is absolutely pleasant. The cost is inexpensive, only 1000 won and the stations are conveniently located.

-Pusan Station is the easiest to find. Instead of entering the main train terminal, turn left and take the walkway up to the second floor.
-The station at Haeundae Beach is also conveniently located. Just walk to the main bus terminal and the station is just around the corner (number 14 on The Expatriate's map of Haeundae).
-Tongnae's station is a little trickier to find as it is nestled inconspicuously down a side road that is easy to miss if you are not paying attention. It is about a mile beyond the Tongnae subway stop just beyond the main rotary heading toward Haeundae. Some advantages to Tongnae's station are the travel time, 15 minutes, and its close proximity to many hogwans and Pusan National University.
-There is also a station at Pujon Dong which lies between Hialeah military base and the Somyon subway shop. To get there, walk behind the Somyon Shopping Center, which is halfway between the Pujon-dong and Somyon subway stops.
-In addition to these familiar locations, there is a small stop at Kojedong which is between the Kyodeap (Pusan National University of Education) subway station and the main bus line to Somyon.

In truth, the best way to learn the route is to take it from one of the hubs. So if you want to go to Haeundae but dread the traffic, maybe this is just the solution to your anxiety. Give it a shot! I'll bring the football. You grab the Frisbee.

[This article has been rather heavily edited. - Please see the schedule on this same page for train times. -Ed.]