Pyeongchang Must-See Spots: A KTX Day-Trip Course for Car-Free Travelers

“Can you actually see Pyeongchang’s must-see spots without a car?” Bottom line first: from Cheongnyangni, the KTX gets you to Jinbu Station in about 1 hour 20 minutes, and with Jinbu Station as your base, Woljeongsa Temple, the sheep farm, and the trout festival all fit comfortably into a single day trip. Here’s a car-free route built around Pyeongchang’s best must-see spots, with no driving required.

Pyeongchang Must-See Spots: Follow This Order (Route at a Glance)

Here’s a comfortable one-day, car-free route laid out in a table first. Basing yourself at Jinbu Station keeps the route clean and simple.

If you’re visiting in winter (January~February), you can swap the 2:30 PM sheep farm slot for the Pyeongchang Trout Festival (Odaecheon Stream) instead. We’ll break it down by season below.

Arriving at Jinbu Station & Getting Around

Pyeongchang has two KTX gateways. Jinbu Station is closer to Mt. Odaesan, Woljeongsa Temple, and the trout festival, while Pyeongchang Station is closer to Bongpyeong and the Lee Hyo-seok Culture Village. Since most of the must-see spots cluster around the Jinbu area, we recommend getting off at Jinbu Station for a day trip.

Woljeongsa Temple and the sheep farm are both a fair distance from Jinbu Station, so a taxi is the most realistic option if you’re going car-free. Split between 2~4 people, the fare isn’t a big burden. Booking the Pyeongchang City Tour, run by Pyeongchang County, at the right time of year is another way to hit the major sights in one go — check the schedule on the Pyeongchang County Office’s culture and tourism page before you leave.

Jinbu Station has a traveler’s lounge (beanbags and a small library) inside, so it’s a comfortable place to wait for your KTX. Book your return train ticket ahead of time.

Mt. Odaesan’s Woljeongsa Temple & Fir Tree Forest Trail

This is the very first must-see spot we’d recommend in Pyeongchang. Admission to Woljeongsa Temple is free, and the highlight is the Fir Tree Forest Trail, stretching about 1km from Iljumun Gate to Geumgang Bridge. Lined with roughly 1,700 fir trees, the trail turns into a snow-blanketed scene in winter and a cool, shady walk in summer.

If you’re driving, parking costs ₩3,000 for cars/EVs and ₩6,000 for mid-size vehicles (source: Pyeongchang County Office). A light round-trip walk on the forest trail alone takes 40 minutes~1 hour; budget about 1 hour 30 minutes if you also stop by the Octagonal Nine-Story Stone Pagoda.

Daegwallyeong Sheep Farm — Pyeongchang’s Signature Must-See Spot

This spot is popular year-round. Walking the ridge along the 1.2km loop trail, you can see flocks of sheep and sweeping open pastureland. The scenery is good enough that it’s been repeatedly selected as one of Korea’s Top 100 tourist attractions.

For ₩9,000 adult admission plus ₩1,000 for the hay-feeding experience, you get the fun of feeding the sheep too (source: Daegwallyeong Sheep Farm). One full lap of the loop trail takes about 40~50 minutes at a leisurely pace.

The winter ridge trail has strong winds and icy, slippery snow. Be sure to bring crampons or non-slip shoes and a heavy coat — the wind chill on the ridge is much lower than you’d expect.

Winter Only — Pyeongchang Trout Festival

If you’re looking for winter must-see spots in Pyeongchang, the trout festival is unmissable. The 2026 festival runs from January 9 to February 9, around Odaecheon Stream in Jinbu-myeon. Hours are 9 AM~5 PM (closing at 2 PM on the final day).

It’s not an all-in-one admission ticket — it runs on a pay-per-activity system, so it’s worth knowing the fees ahead of time.

• Ice fishing: Adults ₩25,000 / Elementary schoolers ₩20,000 (includes catching 1 trout)
• Trout prep (sashimi/grilling): ₩4,000
• Also runs winter activities like snow sledding, ice biking, and bare-hand trout catching

The festival grounds are close to Jinbu Station, making this route especially convenient if you’re going car-free. The heart of the trout festival is the fun of having the trout you just caught prepared as sashimi on the spot (source: Pyeongchang Trout Festival).

If you haven’t settled on a destination yet, you might want to compare other regions too — for families, Danyang Family Day Trip Course follows a similar route and is worth a look.

Pyeongchang Food — Trout Sashimi, Hwangtae & Makguksu

Fill your midday meal with Pyeongchang specialties. Food matters just as much as the must-see spots.

Trout and hwangtae restaurants cluster near Jinbu Station and Woljeongsa Temple, making them convenient lunch stops along the route. During the winter trout festival, having sashimi made from the trout you caught yourself is a specialty experience in its own right.

Pre-Visit Checklist

Pyeongchang’s mountainous terrain means big swings in weather and wind chill. Check off the list below before you leave and you’ll be well prepared.

• Book round-trip KTX tickets to Jinbu Station (especially for weekends/festival season)
• Check the sheep farm’s operating hours (winter ticket sales end at 16:00)
• Check the trout festival’s official page for schedule and activity fees (varies by season)
• Non-slip shoes, crampons, and cold-weather gear (for the ridge and snowy trails)
• Confirm taxi/city tour options between Jinbu Station and the attractions beforehand

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I get from Jinbu Station to the sheep farm without a car?

Direct public transit isn’t very frequent, so a taxi is the most realistic option. If you’re traveling with others, you can split the cost, and depending on the season, the Pyeongchang City Tour is another way to cover the sights together. Be sure to check the schedule before you go.

Do I need to book ahead for the Pyeongchang Trout Festival, or can I just show up?

Walk-ins are fine, but popular programs like tent fishing fill up fast on weekends and holidays. We recommend booking key activities like ice fishing in advance. The 2026 festival runs January 9~February 9.

Is the sheep farm’s winter ridge trail okay to walk with kids?

The loop trail itself is gentle, but it gets slippery when the snow freezes over. If you’re bringing kids, pack crampons and go during a time with lighter wind (midday). Winter ticket sales end at 16:00, so leave plenty of buffer if you’re planning for the afternoon.

Pyeongchang is just one KTX ride away, and basing yourself at Jinbu Station alone lets you pack in Woljeongsa Temple, the sheep farm, and the trout festival. On a day when you want to travel without the hassle of driving, just follow this route.

Sources

• Pyeongchang Trout Festival Official Website
• Pyeongchang Culture & Tourism - Woljeongsa Temple & Mt. Odaesan Fir Tree Forest Trail
• Every Corner of Korea (Korea Tourism Organization) - Car-Free Pyeongchang Travel
• Pyeongchang Culture & Tourism - Pyeongchang City Tour