Which Namsan Tower Seoul Ticket Fits Your Visit?

Namsan Cable Car Base Station Namsan Cable Car Base Station Namsan Cable Car Upper Station Namsan Cable Car Upper Station Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator Palgakjeong Palgakjeong Namsan Bongsudae Beacon Mound Namsan Bongsudae Beacon Mound Love Locks Love Locks

For most visitors the observatory ticket on its own is the right buy. It starts from $15.25 per adult, it admits you to the deck inside the tower, and it suits anyone already planning to reach the summit under their own steam, by trail, by bus or by the free inclined elevator. The full set of choices is laid out in the category breakdown and the quick comparison further down this page.

The bundle that adds the cable car suits visitors who want the ride up handled in one purchase, especially anyone staying near Myeongdong. Its one real catch is the collection step: the combo requires a physical ticket to be picked up at a partner shop in Myeongdong before you head to the cable car, and the listing requires collection by 18:00. Miss that deadline and the purchase does not help you.

Plenty of visitors should buy nothing at all. The summit plaza and the open terraces around the tower base are free, the views from them are the same mountain, and on a clear evening they are the reason many people came. What the deck adds is the indoor all-round view, shelter from the weather, and the digital telescopes, which matters if you want the enclosed observatory experience rather than just the panorama.

The short answer: most visitors buy the observatory ticket alone and decide separately how to climb. The picker below starts with all four live options on the one listing, then narrows them as questions are answered, and the comparison table under it sets that against the cable car's own published fares so the two decisions stay apart. If the deck itself does not matter to you, skip the ticket and ride up anyway; the summit plaza is still the mountain's.

What To Know Before You Book

An open paved plaza and terraces around the base of a tall tower, with visitors walking freely.
  • The ticket admits you to the observation deck inside the tower only. The cable car, the bus, the elevator and the trails are paid or free separately, and the summit plaza is always free.
  • The live options are the observatory ticket on its own, the version with a cocktail, the cable car bundle and the fast-track ticket. What separates them is transport and extras, not the deck itself.
  • The summit plaza, the terraces around the tower base and the walking trails on Namsan all cost nothing beyond the transport you choose. The Namsan Ormi inclined elevator is also free.
  • Four routes reach the top: the cable car, the Namsan Ormi inclined elevator, the circular bus and the trails. The elevator and the trails cost nothing; the cable car and the bus charge fares.
  • The observatory runs 10:00 to 22:30 on weekdays and 10:00 to 23:00 at weekends and on holidays, every day of the year. The last ticket is sold 30 minutes before closing, and bad weather can end service early.
  • The cable car bundle requires a physical ticket collected at a partner shop in Myeongdong before you go to the cable car, and the listing requires collection by 18:00.
  • At the gate itself, the operator's own prices are KRW 29,000 for adults and KRW 23,000 for children aged 3 to 12 and seniors aged 65 and over, with under-36-months free.

Four Ways Up To Namsan Tower Seoul, Compared

There are four ways up Namsan, and they suit different visitors. The cable car runs from near Myeongdong on a line about 600 m long, opened in 1962 as Korea's first passenger cable car. The Namsan Ormi inclined elevator is free, as are the walking trails. The circular bus 01A/01B charges KRW 1,500. None of these includes the observation deck ticket, which is bought separately in every case.

Namsan Cable Car

KRW 15,000 Adult round trip

10:00 to 23:00, Every day of the year, last ticket 30 minutes before close Namsan Cable Car, a company separate from the tower

The Namsan cable car, running since 1962, is the quickest way up the mountain. A separate company operates it, so its fare sits apart from any tower observatory ticket.

The cable car charges its own fare, separate from any observatory ticket, and the line can be suspended when weather on the hill turns bad, so check the operator's notice before you set out.

  • The line runs about 600 m and a cabin carries up to 48 people.
  • It opened on 12 May 1962 and the company presents it as Korea's first passenger cable car.
  • Myeongdong Station (Line 4) Exit 4, Banpo-ro toward Namsan Tunnel 3, to Namsan Cable Car Base Station: 590 m, about 12 minutes
  • Myeongdong Station (Line 4) Exit 3, the street on the right-hand side of the Pacific Hotel, to Namsan Cable Car Base Station
  • Hoehyeon Station (Line 4) Exit 1, the Hoehyeon underground shopping centre Exit 6, then Banpo-ro and the Namsan Ormi, to Namsan Cable Car Base Station: 790 m, about 15 minutes

Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator

The Namsan Ormi inclined elevator is free, and the Myeongdong shuttle bus costs nothing.

09:00 to 23:00, Daily Seoul Metropolitan Government, running it since 30 June 2009

Namsan Ormi is a free inclined elevator run by the city, carrying passengers from street level to the cable car station. It clears the steepest part of the approach and nothing more, since the tower sits beyond.

It closes on Monday mornings for maintenance and in bad weather, and it ends below the summit.

  • A glass-walled slanted outdoor elevator between Namsan Tunnel 3 and the cable car station.
  • Board at the commemorative monument by the Namsan Tunnel 3 entrance.
  • Myeongdong Station (Line 4) Exit 4, Banpo-ro toward Namsan Tunnel 3, to Namsan Cable Car Base Station: 590 m, about 12 minutes
  • Hoehyeon Station (Line 4) Exit 1, the Hoehyeon underground shopping centre Exit 6, then Banpo-ro and the Namsan Ormi, to Namsan Cable Car Base Station: 790 m, about 15 minutes
  • the Namsan Ormi inclined elevator, to Namsan Cable Car Base Station: about 2 minutes
  • The Namsan Tunnel 3 bus stop, on foot, or through the underpass from the Gangnam direction, to Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator: about 180 m from the City Hall direction, about 210 m from the Gangnam direction, via the underpass

Namsan Sunhwan Circular Bus 01A And 01B

KRW 1,500 Fare

06:30 to 23:00, Daily Seoul's Namsan Sunhwan shuttle service; YTN Seoul Tower calls it the Green Electric Bus 01

Cars cannot drive up Namsan, so the Namsan Sunhwan circular bus, at KRW 1,500 a ride, is the only wheeled way up besides the cable car. It sets passengers down at the tower itself.

It boards away from Myeongdong, and the operator's English page says payment is by transport card only.

  • Both routes board at Chungmuro Station (Lines 3 and 4) or Dongguk University Station (Line 3) and stop at N Seoul Tower.
  • 01A runs every 9 minutes and 01B every 14 minutes; 01B is the former route 8001.
  • 01B also serves the Namsan Cable Car and Namsan walking-trail entrance stop.

Walking Trails Up Namsan

The Namsan Ormi inclined elevator is free, and the Myeongdong shuttle bus costs nothing.

Namsan Park, Seoul Metropolitan Government

The park trails cost nothing and set out from several sides of the mountain. The climb times shown below come from the tower's own trail page.

It is a real climb, the trails publish no opening hours, and the times listed here are the only ones anyone publishes.

  • The park path up the north face starts beside the cable car station.
  • Seoul's official tourism site calls Namsan Park the largest civic park in Seoul, divided into four districts: Jangchung, Yejang, Hoehyeon and Hannam.
  • Namsan Public Library, entrance to the Southern Circuit in front of the library: 30 minutes
  • National Theater of Korea, from the theatre ticket booth via the Southern Circuit: 40 minutes
  • The steps beside the National Theater of Korea, Southern Circuit then right up the steps: 30 minutes
  • Sam-soon Steps, beside the Seoul Education Research and Information Institute, up to Palgakjeong: 40 minutes

Of the four ways up, two cost nothing at all, one asks only a bus fare, and the last is the cable car. Whichever you pick, the observation deck ticket is sold separately and applies on top.

Narrow The Namsan Tower Seoul Options To Your Visit

The picker below starts with every ticket option showing and narrows the field as you answer. It asks whether you want the cable car ride included, whether you want fast track, and how you plan to reach the summit. Leave every question unanswered and you will see the full set, which is the honest default: the choice only disappears when you tell it to.

Do you want the cable car bundled in, or will you get up Namsan another way?
Are you willing to collect a paper ticket in Myeongdong by 18:00 before heading up?
Is the fast-track ticket the one you are weighing up for your visit?
Do you want the option that comes with a glass of Garibaldi?
What can you spend per adult? These are starting prices and they move.

Every option is showing and nothing is chosen yet. Answer a question to narrow the list, or tap the same answer again to release it.

Deck Entry Only

  • Observation deck only

from $15.25

The plain observatory ticket gets you through the gate at Plaza 5F and nothing more. Getting up the mountain is still on you, whether on foot, by bus or by cable car.

Check availability →

Deck Plus Cable Car

  • Cable car included
  • Physical ticket collected in Myeongdong, by 18:00

$28.05

This option pairs the deck entry with the cable car. A physical ticket has to be collected at a partner shop in Myeongdong first, and collection closes at 18:00.

Check availability →

Fast-Track Deck Access

  • Fast track ticket

$40.85

The fast-track ticket sits at the top of the price range among the four. It makes no promise of a shorter wait or a separate lane, and one 2026 buyer reported no visible fast-track lane on site.

Check availability →

Deck Entry With Cocktail

  • One drink included

This option pairs the observatory with one glass of Garibaldi at the tower. It is listed without a price here, so treat the drink as the extra rather than the reason to book.

Check availability →

What Each Namsan Tower Seoul Ticket Includes

Floor-to-ceiling windows of an observation deck with a dense cityscape spread out below them.

Each row below shows one ticket option and what it actually contains: whether the cable car is included, whether anything beyond the deck comes with it, and what the published price is where one exists. Read down the column that matters most to you rather than across, since the differences sit in transport and extras rather than in the deck itself.

from $15.25 The advertised starting figure covers the observation deck ticket alone. Bolt on the cable car or fast track and the price climbs, and with promotions running on the listing, check the live booking page for what you will actually pay.

The option most travellers here choose

Deck Plus Cable Car

Cable car included Physical ticket collected in Myeongdong, by 18:00

  • The observatory runs 10:00 to 22:30 on weekdays and 10:00 to 23:00 at weekends and public holidays, every day of the year, with last admission 30 minutes before closing.
  • The observatory gate is at Plaza 5F, with a second ticket booth at Tower 1F. Everything outside that gate is open to anyone.

This option pairs the deck entry with the cable car. A physical ticket has to be collected at a partner shop in Myeongdong first, and collection closes at 18:00.

$28.05 Check availability →
Deck Entry Only

Deck Entry Only

Observation deck only

from $15.25

The plain observatory ticket gets you through the gate at Plaza 5F and nothing more. Getting up the mountain is still on you, whether on foot, by bus or by cable car.

Check availability →
Fast-Track Deck Access

Fast-Track Deck Access

Fast track ticket

$40.85

The fast-track ticket sits at the top of the price range among the four. It makes no promise of a shorter wait or a separate lane, and one 2026 buyer reported no visible fast-track lane on site.

Check availability →
Deck Entry With Cocktail

Deck Entry With Cocktail

One drink included

This option pairs the observatory with one glass of Garibaldi at the tower. It is listed without a price here, so treat the drink as the extra rather than the reason to book.

Check availability →
OptionCable carFast track ticketOne drinkTicket collected in MyeongdongPublished figure
Deck Entry Only from $15.25
Deck Plus Cable Car Collection closes at 18:00 $28.05
Fast-Track Deck Access $40.85
Deck Entry With Cocktail

Every option on this listing opens the same observatory gate, and they differ only in what they add on top of the view: one carries no published price, and one requires a physical ticket collected in Myeongdong before you ride the cable car up Namsan.

A note on the gaps in the table. Not every option carries a published price, and where a figure was never released, the row describes what the ticket includes instead of inventing a number. The observatory ticket's from-price is the one figure stated openly, and the live booking page holds the current numbers for everything else.

OptionPublished figureWhat it adds to the deck ticket
Deck Entry Onlyfrom $15.25Observation deck only
Deck Plus Cable Car$28.05Cable car included. Physical ticket collected in Myeongdong, by 18:00
Fast-Track Deck Access$40.85Fast track ticket
Deck Entry With CocktailOne drink included

These are the listing's own published starting figures per adult, and they move because the listing runs promotions. One option publishes no figure at all.

What Makes Namsan Tower Seoul Worth The Trip Up

A wide view from a hilltop across a city of rooftops to hazy mountains on the horizon.
4Ticket options still sold on this listing
4.6 across 34,365 reviewsTraveller rating on the booking listing
from $15.25Starting price per adult, deck ticket alone
4Ways up Namsan: cable car, inclined elevator, shuttle bus, or the walking trails
2Routes that cost nothing to ride or walk
236.7 mTower structure height, per the operator

Namsan rises straight out of central Seoul, and the observatory deck at its summit wraps the view indoors on every side. The tower structure stands 236.7 m, and on clear days the operator says the horizon reaches far beyond the city. Digital telescopes are confirmed operating on the deck. The summit itself costs nothing to reach: the Namsan Ormi inclined elevator and the cable car company's Myeongdong shuttle are both free, so the ticket buys the deck, not the mountain.

The honest counterweight: if you are content with the free terraces and the plaza, the deck adds enclosure and telescopes but not a different mountain. If visibility is poor, the paid view and the free view are equally grey, and no ticket fixes that. And if you are unwilling to queue for the cable car at a busy hour, the free elevator and the trails reach the same summit without the wait.

When To Go Up, And When To Skip It

A wooded hillside path lined with blossoming trees, with a tower visible above the canopy.

The observatory runs 10:00 to 22:30 on weekdays and 10:00 to 23:00 at weekends and on holidays, every day of the year, with the last ticket sold 30 minutes before closing, so the visit fits around almost any itinerary. Cable car service can stop or end early in bad weather, and the operator's own advice on crowding is qualitative rather than a number: evenings and weekends draw the most people. Beyond that, timing is a matter of light and season, and the sections below keep it that way.

January

Bare Branches, Cold Clear Air, And The Summit Open Every Day

January strips the park to bare branches, and the cable car still runs from 10:00 to 23:00 every day of the year. Bad weather can stop the line early, so it pays to check before setting out.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 17:00 from November to February. Namsan, free to walk to

February

The Last Cold Weeks Before Spring, And The Trails Still Free

February keeps the mountain quiet and cold, with the last cable car ticket sold 30 minutes before the 23:00 close. The free trails and the free Ormi elevator remain options, weather permitting.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 17:00 from November to February. Namsan, free to walk to

March

Early Spring On The Mountain, And The Trails Beginning To Thaw

March brings the first softening to the trails, which stay free and start from several sides of the mountain. The cable car and the circular bus both run daily, so every route up is open.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October. Namsan, free to walk to

April

Cherry Blossom Season In Seoul, With Dates For The Whole City

April is blossom time in Seoul, and the dates on this card belong to the city as a whole rather than to Namsan, which publishes no bloom date of its own. Every route up the mountain runs daily through the month.

  • The Korea Meteorological Administration's long-term average for Seoul is flowering on 8 April and full bloom on 10 April, measured at the designated standard cherry tree at the Seoul Weather Observatory in Jongno-gu. Seoul-wide, not Namsan
  • In 2025 Seoul flowered on 4 April. Seoul-wide, not Namsan
  • Seoul city names a cherry blossom path running from Namsan Public Library up to N Seoul Tower. Namsan, qualitative, no date
  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October. Namsan, free to walk to

May

Green Hillside Paths And Long Evenings Before The Observatory

Namsan Park is free to enter, and the inclined elevator and the cable car both serve the hill. The elevator pauses on Monday mornings for maintenance.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October. Namsan, free to walk to

June

Early Summer Evenings And Every Route Up The Hill In Operation

Early summer rain can suspend the inclined elevator, which stops in strong wind or heavy weather. The park below the tower stays free to enter.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October. Namsan, free to walk to

July

Midsummer Evenings Above Myeongdong And The Observatory Deck Open Late

Summer storms are the main threat to the inclined elevator, which suspends in strong wind or heavy rain. The observatory deck sits inside the tower.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October. Namsan, free to walk to

August

Late Summer Evenings With The Glass Incline And The Open Deck

The free inclined elevator climbs from the Namsan Tunnel 3 monument to the cable car station, weather permitting. Late summer rain is what interrupts it.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October. Namsan, free to walk to

September

Early Autumn Evenings And The First Cooler Walks Up The Hill

The inclined elevator keeps its Monday morning maintenance pause, worth knowing if the climb depends on it. Walking up through the free park stays open as the other way.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October. Namsan, free to walk to

October

Autumn Colour On The Whole Climb And The Deck Above The City

The slopes turn colour in autumn, and the walk through the free park is part of the appeal. The elevator holds its Monday morning pause through the season.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 18:00 from March to October. Namsan, free to walk to

November

Late Autumn Light On The Slopes And The Long View From The Deck

Private cars cannot drive up Namsan, so visitors arrive on foot, by cable car, or on the circular buses. The observatory ticket covers the deck inside the tower.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 17:00 from November to February. Namsan, free to walk to

December

Winter Evenings Above The City Lights From The Enclosed Deck

The inclined elevator runs until 23:00, though strong wind can suspend it in any season. The observatory ticket is for the deck inside the tower.

  • The Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Museum at the foot of the mountain opens 10:00 to 17:00 from November to February. Namsan, free to walk to
  • The observatory runs 10:00 to 22:30 on weekdays and 10:00 to 23:00 at weekends and public holidays, every day of the year, with last admission 30 minutes before closing.
  • The operator states no seasonal variation in its opening hours and the tower has no closing day.
  • The cable car runs 10:00 to 23:00 every day of the year, last ticket 30 minutes before close, and can stop or end early in bad weather.
  • The free Namsan Ormi inclined elevator runs 09:00 to 23:00, suspended every Monday from 09:00 to 14:00 for maintenance and in strong wind or heavy rain.
  • The operator states that on a clear day the view reaches up to 50 km, naming Achasan and Ttukseom to the east, Yanghwa Bridge, Nanjido and Ilsan to the west, Gwanaksan and the Seoul Arts Center to the south, and Bukhansan and Cheonggyecheon to the north.
  • The cable car company's own advice is that mornings are quieter than afternoons and that boarding waits can get long at weekends. That is the only sourced statement on crowding, and it exists only in that qualitative form.
  • The cable car company names sunset to night view as its own recommended time to ride.
  • The operator states that hours can change with weather and operating schedules, and that the tower closes if Namsan Park management restricts vehicle access.

Seoul's cherry blossoms typically open in April, per the Korea Meteorological Administration's citywide figures; Namsan itself has no published bloom date.

One practical rule closes the timing question: the last ticket is sold 30 minutes before closing: 22:30 weekdays, 23:00 weekends and holidays, and bad weather can end service early, so plan the descent, not just the arrival.

What You Can Actually See From The Deck

A cable car cabin suspended on its line, climbing a forested slope toward a tower on the ridge.

Inside the deck, the draw is the enclosed all-round view over Seoul and the digital telescopes, which are confirmed operating and let you pick out districts across the city. The operator notes that clear days extend the visibility considerably, which is the only claim worth making about the view itself. Around the deck, the summit carries the plaza, the terraces and the love-lock fences, promoted by Seoul city itself, all outdoors and all free to stand at.

  • The observation deck adds an indoor, all-round panorama plus working digital telescopes, which the open terraces cannot offer when the weather turns or the wind picks up off the ridge.
  • The summit plaza, the terraces and the Palgakjeong area around the tower base are free to wander, and the love-lock fences sit outdoors among them, part of the same open ground.
  • The love locks sit outdoors at the tower, and Seoul's city government itself promotes them. Couples fix padlocks to the fences around the base and toss the keys. Nobody needs a ticket to see them.
  • Near the summit stands the Bongsudae, a reconstructed Joseon-era beacon mound, with the Seoul City Wall path running alongside. Both are free to walk and older than the tower by centuries.
  • Besides the deck, the summit has the Palgakjeong pavilion, the plaza and terraces, and the Seoul Tower Plaza shops and cafes. All of those can be enjoyed without an observatory ticket.

Namsan Tower Seoul On A Budget: What Is Free

The comparison below keeps two decisions apart: how you get up the mountain, and whether you go inside the tower. Each has its own published figure, the cable car's official fares on one side and the observatory ticket's live price on the other, and they are never added together here. A visit can cost nothing at all. Walk up, stand on the summit plaza, see the love locks and the city from the terraces, and the whole trip is free.

Choose one answer per row and the matching price appears, exactly as each publisher states it: the two figures are never combined into a total and never converted between currencies.

Getting Up The Mountain

How do you plan to get up Namsan: cable car, city bus, or on foot?
  • On foot, up the park trailsFree Entrance to Namsan Park is free. No charge: this way up the mountain
  • The Namsan Ormi inclined elevatorFree The city runs the inclined elevator free of charge. It ends at the cable car station, not at the tower. No charge: this way up the mountain
  • Namsan Sunhwan circular bus 01A or 01BKRW 1,500 The published fare for the circular buses that stop at N Seoul Tower.
  • Namsan Cable Car, adult round tripKRW 15,000 The cable car company's own published adult round-trip fare. A one-way adult fare, and child fares, are published separately.

Getting In At The Top

Will you enter the observatory, or stay outside on the free deck?
  • Stay outside the observatory gateFree The ticket gates the observation deck only. The summit plaza and terraces, Palgakjeong, the love locks, the beacon mound, the City Wall path and the Seoul Tower Plaza shops are all open without one. No charge: this way up the mountain
  • Adult ticket bought at the gateKRW 29,000 The operator's own published adult admission, age 13 and over. Sold only at the on-site ticket desk
  • Child ticket bought at the gate, age 3 to 12KRW 23,000 The operator's own published child admission. Child tickets are bought on site. Sold only at the on-site ticket desk
  • Senior ticket bought at the gate, 65 and overKRW 23,000 The operator's own published senior admission, the same figure as the child ticket. Sold only at the on-site ticket desk
  • Booked online before you gofrom $15.25 The listing's own published starting figure for the observatory ticket on its own. It is a from-price on a listing that runs promotions, so it moves. From $15.25 per adult, the lowest starting price on the live booking page.

Combinations That Cost Nothing

  • On foot, up the park trails + Stay outside the observatory gateFree
  • The Namsan Ormi inclined elevator + Stay outside the observatory gateFree

A visit to Namsan can cost nothing if you take the free trails or the free Ormi elevator up and stay outside the observatory gate.

The won figures are the tower operator's own gate prices, and the dollar figure is the online listing's starting price. This page never sets one against the other.

The online listing sells a single ticket type, and child tickets are bought in person on site.

This comparison leaves out parking, food, and anything bought at the top, none of which carries a verified price here.

  • [PLACEHOLDER: one line naming a cost this comparison deliberately leaves out, max 110 chars, plain sentence. Item 1 of 3. No platform name, no internal reference code, no cancellation wording.]
  • [PLACEHOLDER: one line naming a second cost this comparison leaves out, max 110 chars. Food and shopping at the summit, saying plainly that no menu or minimum-spend figure is published. No platform name, no internal reference code.]
  • [PLACEHOLDER: one line naming a third thing this comparison leaves out, max 130 chars. The other ticket options, which are compared in the ticket picker rather than here. Never name the booking platform.]

Nothing is picked yet, so every route up the mountain and every ticket type is listed below, and two of the ways up the hill itself cost nothing at all.

Check availability →

Each figure shown is the operator's own published price, in its own currency, exactly as that operator states it. Where a figure is in won and another is in dollars, they are never combined here, because adding or converting them would be our arithmetic rather than a price anyone publishes.

Every Route Up The Mountain

The tower stands on Namsan, the mountain that rises above the centre of Seoul just south of Myeongdong, so the way you arrive depends heavily on where you start. The routes up begin from different stations and neighbourhoods around the mountain's base, and the map below shows each one. Where an official source ties a station exit to a specific route, that pairing is kept as published; the same station serves different exits for different routes.

N Seoul Tower and the 14 mapped points on the ways up to it A true-scale plot of 15 real coordinates read from OpenStreetMap. N Seoul Tower is the large point and is where all four routes finish. Each numbered point is one mapped place, numbered to match the cards below, and each card names the route or routes it serves. Distances on the cards are straight-line figures between the mapped coordinates: they are not road distances and not walking times. Namsan Cable Car Base Station, mapped point 11 Namsan Cable Car Upper Station, mapped point 22 Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator, mapped point 33 Myeongdong Station Exit 3, mapped point 44 Myeongdong Station Exit 4, mapped point 55 Hoehyeon Station, mapped point 66 Chungmuro Station, mapped point 77 Dongguk University Station, mapped point 88 Palgakjeong, mapped point 99 Namsan Bongsudae Beacon Mound, mapped point 1010 Love Locks, mapped point 1111 Namsan Public Library, mapped point 1212 National Theater of Korea, mapped point 1313 Namsan Trail Entrance At The Cable Car, mapped point 1414 N Seoul Tower N Seoul Tower 500 m

The map plots the real points on the four ways up Namsan; tapping a route or numbered point narrows the list. The mountain, the summit plaza and the landmarks around the tower base cost nothing, and only the deck ticket is paid.

The ticket buys the observation deck inside the tower, not the mountain. Two of these four routes cost nothing at all, and the summit plaza, Palgakjeong, the beacon mound, the love locks and the City Wall path at the top of every one of them are free.

Every mapped point is showing. Pick a route, or tap a numbered point, to narrow the list.

1 Namsan Cable Car Base Station

  • cable car station
  • Something here requires payment
  • Namsan Cable Car
  • Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator
  • Walking Trails Up Namsan
  • 700 m from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The lower cable car station on the hill above Myeongdong, run by a company separate from the tower.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/770883304.

2 Namsan Cable Car Upper Station

  • cable car station
  • Something here requires payment
  • Namsan Cable Car
  • 150 m from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The cable car drops passengers close to the foot of the tower, leaving a short open-air stroll to the entrance itself.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/770883301.

3 Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator

  • free elevator
  • Free to reach and free to visit
  • Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator
  • 900 m from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The Namsan Ormi is a free glass inclined elevator run by Seoul city, lifting passengers from the Namsan Tunnel 3 monument up to the cable car station, so riders can skip the steepest part of the climb without paying anything.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/13133163112.

4 Myeongdong Station Exit 3

  • subway exit
  • Namsan Cable Car
  • 1.1 km from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The exit the operators name for the walk up to the cable car, and the number holds for that route alone.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/3403067530.

5 Myeongdong Station Exit 4

  • subway exit
  • Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator
  • 1.1 km from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The exit for the free inclined elevator, while a different exit serves the walking route to the cable car.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/3403067533.

6 Hoehyeon Station

  • subway station
  • Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator
  • 1.2 km from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The second underground approach starts here, running beneath the shopping arcade before it reaches the free elevator.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/6036160342.

7 Chungmuro Station

  • subway station
  • Namsan Sunhwan Circular Bus 01A And 01B
  • 1.2 km from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The Namsan circular buses board here and carry passengers right up to the tower itself.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/5933896995.

8 Dongguk University Station

  • subway station
  • Namsan Sunhwan Circular Bus 01A And 01B
  • 1.8 km from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The circular shuttle buses also board here, on the mountain's opposite side, giving the same stop at the tower as the Chungmuro departure.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/6033544419.

9 Palgakjeong

  • free summit landmark
  • Free to reach and free to visit
  • Namsan Cable Car
  • Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator
  • Namsan Sunhwan Circular Bus 01A And 01B
  • Walking Trails Up Namsan
  • 70 m from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

Palgakjeong, the octagonal pavilion on the summit plaza, sits on free ground outside the ticket gate, with open space around it that anyone can walk through.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap way/304260842.

10 Namsan Bongsudae Beacon Mound

  • free summit landmark
  • Free to reach and free to visit
  • Namsan Cable Car
  • Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator
  • Namsan Sunhwan Circular Bus 01A And 01B
  • Walking Trails Up Namsan
  • 110 m from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The Namsan beacon mound, a restored Joseon signal station designated Seoul Monument No. 14, stands below the tower and is free to walk up to.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap way/378371654.

11 Love Locks

  • free summit landmark
  • Free to reach and free to visit
  • Namsan Cable Car
  • Namsan Ormi Inclined Elevator
  • Namsan Sunhwan Circular Bus 01A And 01B
  • Walking Trails Up Namsan
  • 20 m from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The love locks sit outdoors at the tower, and visiting them costs nothing, since they are on the free ground around the base rather than behind the observatory ticket gate.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/13843522001.

12 Namsan Public Library

  • trailhead
  • Walking Trails Up Namsan
  • 620 m from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

A marked trail to the summit begins on the Southern Circuit in front of Namsan Public Library, and Seoul city describes the blossom path above it as a spring walk.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/414685270.

13 National Theater of Korea

  • trailhead
  • Walking Trails Up Namsan
  • 1.1 km from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

Two separate trails start on this side of the mountain near the National Theater of Korea, one from the ticket booth and one up the steps beside it.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap way/486317493.

14 Namsan Trail Entrance At The Cable Car

  • trailhead
  • Walking Trails Up Namsan
  • 570 m from N Seoul Tower in a straight line

The park path up Namsan's north face begins beside the cable car station, so the free walk up and the paid ride up share the same starting point.

Straight-line distance computed at build time from the two mapped OpenStreetMap coordinates. It is not a road distance, not a walking distance and not a walking time. OpenStreetMap node/357820994.

What Visitors Say

Visitors standing on an open summit terrace, looking out over a sprawling city in daylight.

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“I had a really nice time visiting N Seoul Tower. Picking up the ticket was easy, and the cable car ride was fun. The view from the top was beautiful, especially seeing the city from above. Overall, it was a simple and enjoyable experience.”

Jolie, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

“Amazing views!! Easy to redeem they have the machine to scan your QR code and exchange for the physical ticket next to the entrance! 10/10”

Aimee, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“The process was very quick and efficient in picking up the tickets. Although I went during a less busy time, it still saved lots of time wondering where to go and lining up. Highly recommend!”

Lara, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

“The view from up the tower was wonderful, but the 1 hour plus wait time for cable car on weekend sours the experience. Recommend to go on weekdays if possible!”

Sagar, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“This package is so complete! We decided to do it on our first day at Seoul and you don’t have to walk “that much” to get to the tower and can enjoy great views from the cable car, which by the way includes the round trip. It was a great experience!”

Elizabeth, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory Ticket

“Extremely easy to pickup, we bought them about an hour before using them, and it was cheaper online. the view from the tower is great, especially at night, and isn't overly crowded on a weeknight when we went”

Reece, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“Expect long queue during weekends. But overall it is organised and comfortable. Collection of tickets are easy. Highly recommend to book tickets in advance.”

Wai, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“instructions were easy to understand. view from the cable cart was good and it was convenient for me since i wanted to just enjoy the view. sunset’s nice even from the entrance area of the tower itself(where the locks are also noted)”

Angelica, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“The observatory offers panoramic views of Seoul and is worth visiting for first-time visitors. However, considering the ticket price, I personally would not visit the observatory again. Apart from enjoying the city views and taking photos, there is not much else to do at the top.”

Soon, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

“Great activity while in Seoul. If you want to do a bit of hiking or uphill walking, take the bus and get off at the National Theater of Korea. Walking up is an equally great experience.”

Laguerta, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“My experience was good. It was easy to find the address where I had to pick up the tickets, and I didn't have to worry about that. I went shopping and came back when the sun went down to better enjoy the view of the city.”

Mariola, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: SOLA SPA)

“it was easy to find the Sola Spa and get the ticket. the walk from Sola to Namsan Cable was very tiring but there is an alternative way using the lift, i wish it was recommended to us”

John, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory Ticket

“It is a good one time experience. It is just 2 floors but very nice view of the city. The lock bridge is right at the end of the tower and they have a lot of food options in the tower.”

Vivian, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: SOLA SPA)

“i visited the place it is very nice but it was so crowded choose your time correctly another thing don’t come with a baby stroller it’s very challenging”

Abdulaziz, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“Convenient and easy to book. We went at night, view was great but pictures won't come out as good due to the reflection on the windows. Overall, we had a great time. There's a cafe you can chill at as well.”

Chan, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + Namsan Cable Car (Ticket pick-up: Myongdong Rednow)

“very easy to get the ticket. The studio opens at 10 AM. They also speak English and told me To buy children ticket at the tower/Cable car”

Christine, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

Observatory + N Seoul Popsicle

“A must visit if you are travelling to South Korea for the 1st time. While sunsets are beautiful, it can get crowded.”

Tanya, operator-listing review of N Seoul Tower Observatory Ticket

We did not collect or edit these reviews, but we did choose which of the tour listing's 34365 reviews to show, and the set we show deliberately includes critical reviews alongside positive ones: 17 of the 34365 are displayed, and 3 of those are critical.

Where To Stay Near Namsan Tower Seoul

A city street at dusk with shops and signs, and a lit tower on the dark ridge above the rooftops.

The three hotels below are ordered by how easily a guest can reach the Namsan Cable Car base station on foot, which is the practical measure for a tower visit. The walking distances shown were measured on real walking routes, not straight lines, so they reflect the actual paths a guest would take. No star rating is given for any of them, because none could be verified from the booking source.

upscale, closest of every property measured

L'Escape, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Myeongdong

Between Namdaemun Market and Hoehyeon Station, on the Namsan side of Jung-gu

Hoehyeon Station (Line 4), 405 m by the OSRM foot route

This is the closest of the three picks to the cable car base station, which turns a tower evening into a short walk out of the lobby rather than a taxi ride. Myeongdong's eating streets sit between the hotel and the hill, so dinner and the ascent line up on one route.

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mid-range, in the middle of Myeongdong

Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Seoul Myeongdong

Myeongdong shopping streets, two blocks north of Toegye-ro

Hoehyeon Station (Line 4), 1,234 m by the OSRM foot route; Myeongdong Station sits closer but has no single OSM node to measure to honestly

The route from here runs straight up through Myeongdong toward the hill, rather than around it, so the shopping street doubles as the approach to the cable car. That suits anyone who wants the tower visit and the neighbourhood on the same evening without backtracking.

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value, the cheapest of the three

Savoy Hotel

South edge of Myeongdong, one street back from Toegye-ro

Hoehyeon Station (Line 4), 1,048 m by the OSRM foot route; Myeongdong Station sits closer but has no single OSM node to measure to honestly

The budget pick of the three, and still close enough that the walk to the cable car base station is a matter of minutes up through Myeongdong. The trade is simple: smaller property, fewer frills, and the same hill on your doorstep as the hotels costing far more.

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Namsan Tower Seoul: Common Questions

What does the observatory ticket include?

The observatory ticket admits the holder to the observation deck inside N Seoul Tower and nothing else. The park, the summit plaza, the terraces and the love locks around the base are free and need no ticket of any kind. Getting up the mountain is a separate matter with its own fares: the cable car, the circular bus, or nothing at all if you walk. The ticket does skip the ticket counter at the tower, though not the cable car line.

Is it free to go up Namsan?

Yes, for the mountain itself. The park, the walking trails, the summit plaza, the terraces, Palgakjeong, the love locks, the beacon mound, the City Wall path, the plaza shops and the Namsan Ormi inclined elevator all cost nothing. What is paid: the observatory ticket inside the tower, the cable car, and the 01A/01B circular bus fare of KRW 1,500. Walk up instead, and the only cost left is the deck, which is optional.

What are the ways to reach the summit?

Four main routes lead up. The cable car runs from near Myeongdong and is the paid ride most visitors picture. The Namsan Ormi inclined elevator climbs the slope for free. The Namsan circular bus, routes 01A and 01B, loops the mountain for a fare of KRW 1,500. And the walking trails, free and open to all, thread up through the park from several directions. The section below compares them in detail, including where each one starts and what it costs.

Is the cable car part of the observatory ticket?

Not on the base option. The starting price buys the observatory ticket on its own, and riding the cable car costs extra. One option bundles the two together, and that bundled version works differently: you must collect a physical ticket at a partner shop in Myeongdong before heading to the cable car, and the listing requires collection by 18:00. Whether the bundled cable car ride covers one direction or both is not settled, so plan for either.

What does a ticket cost at the tower itself?

The operator's own published gate prices, in won, are: adults KRW 29,000, children aged 3 to 12 KRW 23,000, and visitors aged 65 and over KRW 23,000. Children under 36 months enter free. These are the gate's figures for tickets bought on site at the tower, stated as the operator publishes them. The online listing sells its own ticket at its own price, and the two are listed separately here without comparison.

What are the observatory opening hours?

The observatory runs every day of the year, and the operator publishes its hours together with a last-admission rule, so late arrivals should check the closing time against the last entry rather than the closing time alone. The tower's lighting in the evening is part of its character, but no official source publishes a switch-on time for the lights, so none is given here. The operator's own page carries the current hours.

When is a paper ticket required?

Only for the option that bundles the cable car. That version needs a physical ticket collected at a partner shop in Myeongdong, and the listing requires collection before 18:00. The observatory ticket on its own does not work this way. Reviewers describe the walk from the shop to the cable car station as uphill and tiring, so allow energy for the climb, especially in warm weather or after a long day on your feet.

Does fast track buy a shorter wait?

Treat it with caution. It is the most expensive option on the listing, and the honest answer is that the premium is unproven. A buyer of the fast track option reported seeing no separate lane at all, so it cannot be counted on for priority entry or a shorter wait. Also worth knowing: no ticket skips the cable car queue. The observatory ticket skips the ticket counter, and that is the only skipping it does.

Can you enjoy Namsan without a ticket?

Substantially, yes. The summit plaza, the terraces around the tower base and the Palgakjeong pavilion area all sit near the top of Namsan and cost nothing, and the view from them is genuinely wide. What the observation deck adds is height and an indoor, all-round panorama, which matters most in cold or wet weather. Visitors who enjoy open-air outlooks often find the free areas enough, while the deck suits anyone wanting the full skyline from behind glass.

When should you go up the tower?

Evenings tend to be the busier time at N Seoul Tower, since the city lights over Seoul draw the biggest share of visitors after dark. Daytime visits are usually calmer and give clearer views across the city, though haze can soften the horizon on some days. Weekends and Korean holidays see heavier crowding at both the observatory and the cable car, whatever the hour. Arriving earlier in the day is the simplest way to avoid the thickest crowds.

Every Namsan Tower Seoul Guide And Answer

The forested slopes of a city park rising behind rows of urban buildings.

Everything below is grouped by the questions people actually ask before they go: what the ticket covers, how the mountain climb works, what waits at the top, and the small print around collecting a physical ticket in Myeongdong. Each answer stands alone, so you can read the one that matches your plan and skip the rest.

Getting Up The Mountain

Tickets And What They Cover

Seoul From The Summit

Ready To Go Up Namsan Tower Seoul?

One listing covers everything on this page, and it runs four live options: the observatory ticket on its own, the same ticket bundled with the cable car, a fast-track version, and a cocktail pairing for the deck. The choice comes down to two questions. Do you want the ride up bundled, and are you willing to pay extra for speed? Everything else about the visit is the same.

The listing carries a 4.6 rating across 34,365 reviews, and the observatory ticket starts at $15.25 per adult. That starting price buys the deck on its own; adding the cable car or fast track costs more, and promotions move the figure, so the live booking page is the one that counts. The only timing constraint to check before you commit is the last-admission time stated on the listing.

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from $15.25 · ★ 4.6 (34,365) · promotions move this price, see the live page Check availability →