Top North Korea hotels
As a sight seeing attraction you might be allowed to ride one stop with the Pyongyang Metro. The stations are very deep in the ground and have mostly very beautiful stations with propaganda mosaics and nice lighting. You will not have the chance to talk to people as your guides will watch you. Also ask your guides first, if you want to take pictures of people. Price for a ride is about 3 cents.... paid by your guides.
Just forget if you want to drive a car in North Korea as a tourist. You will have a driver and some guides watching you. They will show you around in North Korea. Annoying: Roads (even highways) are in very bad shape. Expect a lot of road holes!
After France put Air Koryo on its "Black List" I decided to enter North Korea rather by train than plane. Another advantage in my opinion is that you have the chance to see some more of North Korea without beeing watched too much. But still a lot of North Korean more-or-less-officials are on the train. Please watch your language and do not take too many pictures out of the train. Trains are leaving Beijing on 5.25pm (Train No. K27) on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. It takes 25 hours for 1349 km, also because the Tracks in North Korea are in very bad shape and the train can not go faster then about 30 km/h...Very annoying: Custom and Immigration in China and North Korea might take up to 5 hours (!) including a lot of questions, going through your luggage, your purse, your pockets. Also expect low temperatures in winter (especially for North Korean Trains), bad air (smoking),...
As already described, the train is the best way to enter the country, it is even a fantastic experience to ride the K27 international train from Beijing to Pyongyang. Another interesting option would be to enter the country from russia, but may be very difficult to obtain the ticket...
There are flights from Beijing to Pyongyang, but taking the overnight train is an interesting alternative. Probably a bit safer, it also allows one to get interesting views from the country side and the farmers´ life in the north.It leaves at 17h25 in Beijing Central Station and arrives at 19h30 the following day in Pyongyang.Train tickets can be arranged by the North Koreans (see link below).
The only way to move around from A to B in the country is with you car (provided with guides and driver only) to you.There are some exeptions, domestic flights are provided most on charter basis, there are some trains you could take, as example from Pyongyang to Myohyang. We used also to take a one station trip with the Subway in Pyongyang, the stations are really art and are great looking...
There are not many flights into Northkorea and the only Int'l Airport there is Pyongyang there are no other airlines flying into Northkorea with exeption of the Northkorean National Carrier. Most tourist are taking Air Koryo in Beijing and there are two weekly flights out/in on Thusday and Saturday. The flight is done with a Ilyushin Il-62 (russian built). The Airline has in general a good safety standart.Other routes to Macao, Bangkok (Thailand), Sheyang (China) are operated on regular basis. Routes to Seoul (!!! new !!!) and Moscow are operated on a charter basis. For Domestic Flights you have to contact the North Korean Travel Agency. Mostly the flights are on charter basis and you will have to pay for the whole flight if you like to go anywhere...
AIR - Pyongyang airport at Sunan, 22 km west of the city, is the only airport use for international passenger traffic (or at the moment at all). The airport has two runways and following flights (as per August 2000): Pyongyang-Beijing (2 flights per week), Pyongyang- Moscow-Berlin (1 flight per week), Pyongyang-Bangkok (1 flight per week), Pyongyang-Macau (1 flight per week), Pyongyang-Vladivostok (1 flight per week), Pyongyang-Shenyang (1 flight per week), but I am aware that Beijing is usually only alternative for tourism. There is no much hassle, but there is a shop for visitor. The transfer to Pyongyang will be by car or coach. TRAIN - The train takes about 25 hours from Beijing. The speed of the train is slow, so you can get a view of Korean countryside. Although, the line is electrified (as most of the rail network in North Korea), the train is a diesel one. There is a possibility...
You generally get your visa from Bejing - and you'd be well advised to have this aranged in advance with a reputable compnay (I have details if you need them. Showing up at the DPRK embassy and asking for a visa is unlikely to be very productive. You then take the train to Pyongyang on the overnight from Bejing. You can fly, but the train is an experience in itself and a fantastic way to enter the country - you'll also see things you never would otherwise. The train journey is about 24 hours long so take food (noodles are good) and water. It's probably the only time you might get to speak to North Koreans without a guide in attendance! The carraiges are completely sealed - even the windows - so claustrophobics might prefer to fly.By minibus driven by one of your three guides. There is no alternative available. You'll be taken on a short ride on the underground in Pyongyang - absolutely...
I traveled to North Korea by bus from Seoul via Panjunmon in 1996. At that time, it was possible for tourists to pay (or rather be bled dry!) for a tour that started in Seoul and, after reaching Panjunmon and getting off the bus, visas were checked, customs was very thorough, and then we boarded a North Korean bus on the other side...Not much to say. In 1996, tours were the only way to go and there was little, if any, free time. I traveled by tour bus everywhere except for a city tour where we used the subway (picture below).
Yanggakdo Hotel P'yongyang
7 Reviews and 72 Opinions My first night in the hotel, we met our guides Mr. Lee and Che in the hotel lounge. I asked them if...
Koryo Hotel P'yongyang
21 Opinions
Ryanggang Hotel P'yongyang
0 Opinions
Reviews and photos of North Korea attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for North Korea sightseeing.
Q: Hello, I'm planning to travel to DPRK next year. I'm not yet sure which tour; probably the 100th birthday tour. ... And I...
A: i have checked a lot travel notes about north korea lately. if u noticed at the advertisment which is at official...
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