No matter how much of a city person you are, sometimes, you just want to get away from big cities like Seoul that never seems to sleep. And a lot of times, it’s just that easy! You take the first train or bus and head to the nearest city out of here. But here’s the thing : for some people, it does take some more time to plan a trip. Even more so in a foreign country, sometimes getting any info on accessibility does equal to looking for a needle in a haystack… But don’t you dare worry, reader! Here’s for you a little itinerary on accessibility and a few activities around the Chuncheon area!

Kindly note that as far the Barrier-Free initiative has expended to all the major cities in South Korea (project launched in 2015 who refers to routes accessible to everyone, from people with disabilities to the elderly and pregnant women), you can find accessible ITX routes from Seoul to Chuncheon and the newer buses are all equipped with low-floor and a ramp. I also recommend you contact directly the tourism office center of the region you’d like to visit and ask for accessible transportation options.

If you’re a nature lover, Nami Island is a must stop. From the accessible ferry boat to wheelchairs available for free, the famous filming location of the iconic 2002 K-drama Winter Sonata (겨울연가) has everything you might need, and even more!

The entrance fee is around 19.000KRW including the round-trip ferry and you can book different activities at different prices (engraving of a personal stamp for 20.000KRW, 6.000KRW for pictures at a 4 Cut booth or even a hanbok renting for 35.000KRW for 3h). You’ll also find numerous restaurants (catering to all visitors needs with Hallal options, Chuncheon speciality Dakgalbi, pet-friendly restaurants and even more) and cafes on the island. If you’d rather have a picnic, you’ll certainly find a good spot among the 27 gardens and the free to use tables.

If you are a big fan of the K-drama Winter Sonata, you’ll love to take pictures of some of the little monuments built here and there. Depending on the season, you’ll find either flowers everywhere or fresh snow, both making your souvenir pictures lovely. All in all, being able to tour the island where most of the paths are flat is a big plus!

Whether you want to fill your time with activities or just rest and relax among the trees, your visit of the Nami Island could take between 2 to 4 hours (or more!).

(accessible and numerous toilets are on the site)

22km from Nami Island and only a 13mn subway ride from the Chuncheon station! Since 2019, the city of Chuncheon has made accessible a few of its touristic sites, and the cable car that leads to the Samaksan Mountain (South Korea’s longest cable car by the way!) has seen a few of those changes in 2025.

Step-free access to the cabins (caution: some electric wheelchairs are not permitted to board but some standard ones are available to rent if needed) and restrooms newly equipped, for 24.000KRW adult fare in the standard cabin (discounts in case of disability), you’ll be able to see the prettiest view of the lake Uiamho, the city and the mountain chain. After 15-20mn, you’ll arrive at the top station, where there is a café, an observatory and the entrance of the Uiamho Lake Skywalk. All glass (and no entrance fee!), but sadly not accessible for wheelchair users.

At the bottom station of the Cable Car, you will find lots of restaurants and cafés as well as souvenir shops. A little recommendation would be to go for the café in front of the Cable Car station, the Café Carvin (카페카빈) where you can try the original Chuncheon potato bread (감자빵 of 감자밭)! Very interesting combination from a French point-of-view (the texture is very mochi-like and for the taste… potato!!! But make it bread??).

The Barrier-free initiative in Chuncheon also includes the Animation Museum (춘천 애니메이션박물관) where content was made accessible and includes now digital sensory experience facilities and the Kim Yu-jeong Rail Bike (김유정레일바이크) that now allows wheelchair users to board without transferring. The rest of Chuncheon is as accessible as Seoul, and if have some time left, I highly recommend you head for the Dakgalbi Street (춘천 명동 닭갈비 골목) and try some !

Let’s do our best until every city in every country becomes accessible for everyone!

출처 : 이로운뉴스(https://www.erounews.kr)