Day 7 - Thu, Seoul-Yeongju, Cool morning (15 May)
Today, we had a morning train to rush for. Train departs at Seoul station at 745am had to walk to Jong-gak subway station, take a couple of stops to reach Seoul subway station, and then walk to the Seuol train station to catch the O-train. We were running late. We had to jog from the subway station to the train. Glad we made it on time! What a pity! I didnt have anytime for any train station pictures, shortly after boarding the train, it moved off the station.
Finally on board the O-train. It looks just as what I expected, from the blogs I read previously.
Today, we take O-train from Seoul to Jecheon, and from Jecheon, we will change to a Munggahwa train to Yeongju, and stay at Yeongju for the night.
O train Cabins
O train Small kids play area
Some sights from the O train
Some of the stations we pass by
We did not book our accomodation at Yeongju, as it was hard to book for a place with so much language barrier, and a lack of information online for me to evaluate for a better hotel. Turned out that when I reached Yeongju, there was no tourist counter nor anyone who was able to communicate in English for me to evaluate my options either.
Conclusion, we had to walk around the town and walk in to the accomodations and check them out directly.
Conceirge guy at hotel did not know English either. Went in, somehow through sign language, he gave us 2 sets of keys to check out 2 rooms types. Then we picked one and paid for it. Accomodation settled.
Went for lunch hunting then. Walked past a couple of restaurants, finally decided on a fish place. Upon taking off our shoes, walking past all the occupied tables, spying on what they eat, then realising it is a fish sashimi bibimbap place.
The place has an open kitchen concept. When i failed to order food in English with the waiter, i walked to the counter facing the kitchen and attempted speaking in English to most of the staff there. None understood me. Even google translate failed. I wonder why. So we just used sign language to order whatever the neigbouring table was eating, which was fish sashimi bibimbap.
Food was great, they gave me fish sashimi bibimbap, rice and seeing that we had a kid, they gave us a steam egg and miso soup pointing to indicate it was meant for the kid, which I thought despite the language barrier frustration, it was a nice gesture.
Next we explored Yeongju on foot, and had coffee and dessert. Then we rested in the hotel.
We decided on Korean BBQ for dinner. As they only had a pure Korean menu with no pictures, so ordering turned out to be a process of walking out of the store, and pointing to the images and photos of different meat types and cuts shown on the store front. I believe I have ordered beef and pork. Along with this it also comes with the usual Korean elaborate array of side dishes. Again, they also did a steam egg, and served us, gesturing that it was meant for our kid. They lady also showed us how to BBQ, helping us every now and then between the times she was serving other guests. She will help us cut the meat, adjusting the fire and exhaust. They seem nice. Food was yummy! And we did not realise that this BBQ was really good and cheap comparing with Seoul standard.
Day 8 - Fri, Yeongju-Cheoram-Seoul (16 May)
Today we take the V-train from Yeongju at 850am to Cheoram, O-train from Cheoram to Jecheon, and then Mugunghwa train from Jecheon back to Seoul (Cheongnyangni)
V-train @ 30km/h
Exerior and interior showing the celing when in tunnel, and the seats.
Buncheon station along V-Train tracks
Chujeon station - 855m above sea level
Station stops along V-train tracks
Cheoram station, a coal mining town
We did not choose an O-train back to Seoul because the only O-train reaching Seoul was the 10pm train. We reckon it will be too late and too tiring to reach Seoul at such a late hour, as such we decided to change trains at Jecheon, and take a direct Mugunghwa train instead, reaching Seoul ard 6plus to 7pm.
Mugunghwa train
Finally reaching Seoul at Cheongnyangni station.
Train types in Korea
1) KTX’ Express Trains – Price is high ↔ travel time is FAST ↔ moderately comfortable
2.) *Saemaeul Train (새마을) – Price is moderate ↔ travel time is MODERATE to LONG ↔ very comfortable
3.) *Mugunghwa Trains (무궁화) – Price is low ↔ travel time is LONG ↔ moderately comfortable
*Non-express trains, aka slowpoke trains.
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