Ski resorts, compared

● Transportation You can make seat reservations for the shuttle bus on their website and you don’t have to sign up. A one-way ticket is 8,000 won (10,000 won when purchased on site) and round trip is 16,000 won. If you are taking public transportation, you can take an Express Bus to Jangpyeong from Seoul Express Bus Terminal and take a free shuttle bus (runs six times a day from 9am to 8pm) from Jangpyeong Terminal to the resort.

● Rentals If you are renting equipment for multiple time slots (i.e., afternoon–night, night–midnight, etc.), ski and snowboard gear is 30,000 per person. If you are renting it for a single time slot (morning, afternoon, etc.), it’s 24,000 won per person. 

 

● Lesson fees They give you a free beginner’s course if you rent their equipment. They also offer three different course levels: regular (3:1), individual (1:1) and family (4:1). The individual course for a day is 290,000 won (morning + afternoon) and it’s 210,000 won for half a day (options include: morning 10am–12pm, afternoon 2pm–4pm, night course 7pm–9pm).

 

● Recommended slopes The longest course in Phoenix Park is the Panorama Slope (2.4km in length) that even beginners can enjoy. The gentle, 10-degree slope starts at Mont Blanc (1,050m above sea level) and takes ten minutes to ski. Through Jan 17, you can ski this slope where the ski cross and snowboard cross events will take place at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

● Lift tickets There are 11 types of lift tickets. The afternoon–night pass (12:30–10.30pm) is 89,000 per person and a single ride is 13,000 won per person.

 

● Food & dining This region is famous for buckwheat noodles, which you can get at the Shilla Byeolgwan Restaurant (11:30am–9pm) located on the first floor of the Center Plaza. Buckwheat noodle soup is 8,000 won and spicy buckwheat noodles are 8,500 won.

● Transportation They don’t operate any shuttle buses of their own, but you can make seat reservation through different travel agencies. For one person it’s 17,000 won one way and 30,000 won round trip (ski.purplebus.co.kr/h1). You can also take an Express Bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal or you can take a train from Cheongnyangni in case it snows a lot.

● Rentals Ski equipment rental during the day (8:30am–4pm) is 28,000 won and snowboard equipment rental is 34,000 won per person.

 

● Lesson fees For skiing, there are both half and whole day courses for individuals (3:1, 1:1), couples (2 persons) and families (4 people) and each of them has two types. The 1:1 day course is 320,000 won and for half a day it’s 220,000 won. They offer a 20% discount at night.

 

● Recommended slopes The Zeus 2 and Zeus 3 slopes start at Mountain Top, pass Valley Hub and finish in front of the Valley Condominium. These slopes are good for beginners as they the courses are relatively gentle and straight. The Athena 1, 2 and 3 slopes (4.7km in total length) are gentle and wide, making it perfect for elementary and intermediate skiers.

 

● Lift tickets There are seven different types of lift tickets. The afternoon–night ticket (12pm–10pm) is 86,000 won per person.

 

● Food & dining On the second floor of the Mountain Ski House next to the Mountain Condominium, there is a cafeteria (7am–8pm) that sells Korean, Chinese and Western dishes. Cheese pork cutlet (13,000 won) is one of the popular selections. Rib eye (38,000 won) from Top of the Top Restaurant (meals 11:30am–3pm) is recommended as well.

● Transportation You can reserve a seat on their shuttle bus at: ski.purplebus.co.kr/yp (you don’t have to sign up). Per person, a one-way trip costs 16,000 won and a round trip is 30,000 won. If you wish to use public transportation, take a bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal or Nambu Bus Terminal to Hoenggye and take another bus from Hoenggye Bus Terminal to Yongpyong Resort.

 

● Rentals From 12:30pm–10pm (afternoon–night pass), ski and snowboard gear rentals are 45,000 won each and clothes cost 25,000 won per person.

 

● Lesson fees They offer lessons for different groups (7:1, 3:1) in different languages (English, Italian, Spanish and Russian). A half-a-day (2hrs) 7:1 lesson for beginners is 80,000 won per person.

 

● Recommended slopes There are 28 different slopes, including the Gold Valley Slope (1,655m in length) that starts at the peak, which is 1,127m above sea level. For beginners, there’s the Yellow Slope (508m in length), which is gentler and wider, and the Pink Slope (625m in length).

 

● Lift tickets They have eight types of lift tickets. Per person, the price ranges from 37,000 won to 89,000 won. The afternoon–night pass (12:30pm–10pm) is 89,000 won.

 

● Food & dining On the second floor of Dragon Peak, where some of Winter Sonata was filmed, is Dragon Castle (10am–4pm), whose specialty is a seafood rice dish for 27,000 won (including the salad bar).