Balwangsan Cable Car (2026): Prices, Hours & Fall Foliage

I came to Pyeongchang (평창) for an autumn trip,

one day brought torrential rain, and

the next, perfectly clear skies!~~

Since it was the day after the rain,

the sky and air seemed even clearer,

so a day like this called for a visit to Balwangsan (발왕산)!

It was an excellent choice.

The visibility was fantastic, offering truly magnificent

views of the mountain scenery.

Balwangsan Tourist Cable Car

Balwangsan stands at an elevation of 1,458m (4,783 ft),

a high mountain, but by using the cable car,

you can reach near the summit without a strenuous hike.

Especially in autumn, the vibrant fall foliage

unfolding beneath the cable car is stunning,

making it a highly popular autumn travel destination in Pyeongchang.

Even though it was a Monday, the parking lot was almost

completely full, which surprised me!

Plus, there were so many tour buses~

I had expected a peaceful scene,

but I actually had to wait in line for the cable car!

📍Balwangsan Cable Car Fares

Adults: ₩27,000 (~$20)

📍Operating Hours

Uphill: 9:00 AM ~ 6:00 PM

Downhill: Last ride at 5:00 PM

📍Closed: Second and fourth Mondays of the month

I thought the price was a bit steep at first,

but once I went up, I realized there's so much more to see than before,

including a Skywalk and the Cheonnyeonjumoksutgil (천년주목숲길) (Thousand-Year Yew Forest Trail).

You can purchase discounted tickets on Myrealtrip.

You can buy them for ₩21,000 (~$16),​

so be sure to purchase in advance!

🔻🔻🔻

Balwangsan Cable Car Ride Review

The Balwangsan Cable Car covers 3.7km (2.3 miles) one-way,

and 7.4km (4.6 miles) round-trip, making it one of the longest

tourist cable cars in Korea.

The one-way ride takes approximately 18 minutes.

It moves slowly, so there's no shaking,

but looking down below still gives you a thrilling feeling!

It was mid-October, so the autumn leaves up to the mountainside

were beautifully vibrant.

The scenery unfolding beneath my feet felt like it was

whispering 'autumn'.

As the altitude gradually increased,

the lush forests and mountain ridges became clearly visible.

While not intensely yellow or red,

the scenery was still absolutely breathtaking.

Seeing that the autumn leaves had already fallen to lower altitudes,

it seemed autumn was already fading in the Gangwon-do (강원도) area.

Balwangsan Summit

There are many photo zones.

There's even a "Stairway to Heaven," and just climbing a little bit

was enough to make my legs tremble, haha!

You can see the famous Skywalk.

I knew I couldn't go up anyway, so I just looked at it from below.

Turns out, it was closed due to strong winds!

When it's open, you can enter without any separate fee.

.From the summit of Balwangsan (발왕산), a recommended course along with the Skywalk is the Millennium Yew Forest Trail (천년주목숲길).

This forest trail is where you can encounter ancient yew trees that have guarded Balwangsan for centuries.

What's more, it's a walking path made of wooden decks, making it incredibly comfortable to stroll along.

You can even reach the summit, Pyeonghwabong (평화봉), on Balwangsan.

As you walk along the forest path, you'll be captivated by the uniquely shaped yew trees and ancient old trees.

There are two paths back to the cable car boarding area:

one that takes just 5 minutes,

and another that takes about an hour~~

I chose the 5-minute route, but if you have plenty of time,

taking the hour-long walk would be wonderful.

The distant scenery was so beautiful that it felt a bit of a waste to only admire it briefly.

Balwangsan Cable Car Autumn Foliage Season

Due to its high altitude, Balwangsan is one of the places in Pyeongchang (평창) where autumn foliage begins relatively early.

Typically, trees near the summit start changing colors from late September, and by October,

the autumn leaves descend down the mountain, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

Right now, the foliage at the summit has already peaked, and the colors are making their way down from the mid-slopes.

Soon, only the autumn colors on the flatter plains will remain.

Wrapping Up

The summit of Balwangsan has a lower temperature.

It can also get quite windy.

Make sure to bring an outer layer and a scarf!

The deck path actually has less wind, but it was quite chilly near the photo zone.

A round-trip cable car ride takes about 40 minutes, and if you plan to explore the Skywalk and the Millennium Yew Forest Trail,

it's best to allow a generous 2 to 3 hours for your entire trip.

The price isn't exactly cheap, so make sure to get a discount from MyRealTrip before you buy. You can save a whopping ₩6,000 (~$5)!

When four of us went, the cable car fare alone was around ₩80,000 (~$60) ㄷㄷ

If we hadn't bought it through MyRealTrip, it would have easily exceeded ₩100,000 (~$76).

🔻🔻🔻

There's so much to see once you go up, so you won't have any major regrets~^^

Because near the summit of this 1,458m high mountain, you're treated to truly magnificent views.

If you're planning an autumn trip to Pyeongchang, let's take the Balwangsan Cable Car!

#Pyeongchang (평창) Travel #PlacesToGoIn Pyeongchang #Balwangsan (발왕산) Cable Car #Balwangsan Tourist Cable Car #Balwangsan Skywalk #Balwangsan Millennium Yew Forest Trail #Pyeongchang Autumn Travel #PlacesToGoIn Gangwon-do (강원도) #Balwangsan Autumn Leaves #Yongpyong Resort (용평리조트)

---

Just a heads-up, this is a draft review, compiled without the benefit of actual photos or first-hand experiences from a visit. If you've had the chance to visit yourself, we'd love for you to share your insights: the date of your visit, how the autumn leaves were looking, the weather, any waiting times you experienced, and more! Incorporating your insights would help us transform this from a simple travel info post into something far more authentic and engaging, just like a real Naver blog review from someone who's actually been there!

[1]: https://www.beachepalace.co.kr/kor/convenience/leports/gondola.do?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Mona Yongpyong (모나용평): Balwangsan Tourist Cable Car"

[2]: https://thetravelnews.co.kr/2026/08/pyeongchang-balwangsan-jumok-trail-cablecar-accessible/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Balwangsan Millennium Yew Forest Trail Barrier-Free Course, Cable Car Fares, and Summer Operating Hours"