Taking a ride on Busan, South Korea’s Sky Capsule

What was once an abandoned railway on the coast of Busan in South Korea is now a popular, memorable destination for tourists and locals alike. This destination is a park that consists of two railways, operating on what used to be the Donghae Nambu Railway Line.

Opened in October 2020, Haeundae Blueline Park is an attraction in Busan with two railways called Haedundae Beach Train and Sky Capsule. There is even a coastal walking trail that compliments the two railways called the Busan Green Railway. This wooden walkway also leads to observatories, beaches, and more. I did not walk it, but seemingly, it is a great addition to the park, as it is another way to enjoy the area.

For the Sky Capsule ride, you can take a one way trip or round trip from Mipo Station to Cheongsapo Station (or vice versa). At both stations, you can get a ticket at an in-person ticket office. Regardless of which station you catch the ride at, I found the whole setup to be easy to navigate. If you don’t get a round trip ticket, you can instead take the Haeundae Beach Train back to whichever station you started your journey at. That is actually what I did; I took the Sky Capsule from Mipo Station, and then took the Beach Train back to Mipo.

The Sky Capsule train cars are colored red, blue, yellow, and green, matching the colors of the Haeundae Beach Train. The Sky Capsule track track goes from Mipo Station to Songjeong Station, and the area between these two stations is the most scenic section of the coast. When you’re in the capsule, you can look down at the Green Railway, as the walking trail is situated right alongside the train tracks.

Also, the sky capsule travels at a slow and steady pace of 5km/h, so riders are certinaly given adequate time to take in all the spectacular views from above on the 2km track from Mipo to Cheongsapo. you get a view of downtown Busan, the beach, the woods, and the coast. You get to see a diverse set of scenery!

Plus, each capsule is private, so it’s more of a personal experience in that way. I liked how I was able to move around the capsule without having to worry about getting in strangers’ ways and obstructing their view.

Instead, I was with my partner and it felt like we were working together to give one another chances to sit on both sides of the capsule to see different views and take certain photographs. It was fun! Each capsule does fit four people though, so if you’re in a party of more than four people, you will have to split up (still, at least you’ll exclusively be with people you know)!

I went on a gloomy day, but the scenery was still very nice looking in its own way. With the weather conditions, it gave the ride a calming, mellow feel. For a little while, you can see downtown Busan as you’re next to the woods, and then the track eventually turns off in which you can no longer see the skyscrapers, fully immersing riders into the woods until reaching the end of the track.

As you approach Cheongsapo Station, this is the view. It’s a nice view to end the great ride! This is where you get off the capsule. From here, you can take the Haeundae Beach Train back to Mipo Station, which is what I did.

Also, at Cheongsapo Station, I went into this souvenir shop where I got a couple postcards and a poster. They also sell tea here, which I got too. You won’t miss it, as it is within the station itself. It is a nice store!

The Haeundae Beach Train operates at 15km/h and each of the seats face the ocean, so everyone can get an equally nice view. Even though it moved at a faster pace than the capsules and some of the views were obstructed due to the trees and the track being at a ground-level, I still felt that I was able to get enough of a glimpse of the ocean.

After finding out about the Sky Capsule ride, I was glad to be able to do it myself and see that it does in fact live up to the current, ongoing hype and learn more about the area as a whole. It made for a relaxing, yet fun outing! I am thankful for the unique experience and I would definitely recommend this new attraction to anyone visiting Busan.