Now In Korea
[Travelhoney] The 'Heart-Line' Rail Route: A Winter Journey of Love and Flavors
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Rail travel experts have designed a winter train route in Korea called the "Heart-Line," running from Seoul (Cheongnyangni) through Yeongju, Cheoram, Jeongdongjin, Gangneung and ending at Donghae. The route’s shape resembles a heart and suits couples and solo travelers alike, linking mountain valleys, coal-mining towns and the East Sea. Trains on the itinerary include KTX, Nuriro, Mugunghwa and the Baekdudaegan gorge train. Highlights: Yeongju — presented not as a scholarly "seonbi" (Confucian scholar) town but as a food city with local specialties like buseoktae (a regional soybean) cheonggukjang (fermented soybean paste stew) and charcoal-grilled Yeongju hanwoo (Korean beef); the scenic Baekdudaegan gorge where winter ridgelines and valleys unfold; Buncheon Station, promoted as a “Santa village” with red roofs; Yangwon — a tiny community once bypassed by trains that built its own minuscule station after pleading to the Blue House; Cheoram — a former coal-mining town preserved in the Cheoram Coal Village museum and remembered in film; and Jeongdongjin/Donghae — seaside tourist spots offering fresh grilled fish and evocative train moments, like couples writing handwritten letters on board. Practical 1–3 day itineraries are provided with train times, local tours, and optional homestays or treks (e.g., Yangwon–Seungbu 5.6 km). The story mixes history, local food culture, industrial heritage and slow-travel romance, making the Heart-Line a textured winter rail experience.
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