A Guide to Cycling in Korea 🇰🇷 Buying Bike Passport at the Start of the Four Rivers Trail

[@oldaussieadventures3072]

Thanks for the advice. I just traveled from Australia and completed the 4 rivers ride during August and September. Loved Korea and the people

[@lostthenfound]

Wow congratulations on finishing the 4 Rivers Trail! 😁👏 It's an amazing country to travel to eh? If you haven't yet, then hope you can ride the East Coast Bike Trail and Seomjingang Bike Trail as well! Those are our two favourite bike trails in Korea, and they are so awesome in their own way! Hope all is well and happy cycling!

[@2Bikes4Adventure]

This is great info. When we did the 4 Rivers Trail a few years back, finding information online (in English) concerning the trail and where to get the passport wasn’t easy. The vending machine is a great improvement. Great channel! Greetings from Montreal.

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks so much 2Bikes4Adventure! 😁 The vending machine is pretty cool eh! Korea is really changing over time and getting easier for travelers. That's awesome that you did the Four Rivers though! It's so much fun! Greetings from Seoul and happy cycling! 😁🚴

[@vincerunnerretrobikevince4212]

Glad I discovered your video.

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot! 😊 Happy cycling!

[@bealetm]

It looks like you're travelling in April. I think it's important to recommend seasons to avoid.

[@lostthenfound]

@bealetm you're right! And great recommendation. I've since created a new cycling guide in Korea and went into a lot more detail! (This was our first KZbin video haha)

[@gumdo]

cheers ... thank you for the guide.

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks so much @gumdo!

[@cubgsan]

Good day to you! This is a senior rider on Honda from Japan. Enjoying camping and video uploading. Your cycling video is so great !! Awesome! Full supported ! Have a nice day my friend !!

[@lostthenfound]

Hi there Cub Gsan thank you so much! 😊 Safe riding out there for you, and enjoy the beautiful spring weather! 😁

[@DenisNechaev]

Thank you for the video! We took passports in Vladivostok. We have a Korea Tourism Center. It will be interesting to follow your channel! And while we are sitting in Russia, because of Covid, entry to Korea is problematic. In 2018, we drove Gunsan-Seoul, and along the Are to Seoul. The country is very cyclist friendly, we will definitely be back!

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot! We want to check out Vladivostok someday when Covid settles down a bit. I heard a lot of Koreans go there to travel. Also definitely come back to Korea someday! Its an awesome place for cyclists for sure 😄👍

[@DenisNechaev]

@@lostthenfound Yes, for Koreans, this is the closest European city. Rather, Covid would end!

[@yooooi90]

우리집도지나간다요!! 안양천나오니까 반갑🙌😍

[@lostthenfound]

안양천 넘나 예쁘다능.. 벚꽃러닝도 가능🌸

[@cyclinggospel5307]

No wonder your video is so good! You are a professional photographer! Great!, Yes, headwind is pain, but I will tell you here in Florida, There is no day without wind, so we choose direction of cycling against wind, then when we return we get to enjoy tail wind. Although it doesn't always work that way. Keep pedaling!

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks so much for the compliment! Haha I'm still learning how to film and make things look better though. That's a great idea for cycling to always bike with the wind! It can be such a pain for sure haha. Take care and thanks for watching!

[@paulyee193]

Glad I found your channel, great videos. Do you know if it is possible to bring bicycles on the trains, particularly a tandem bike?

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot Paul! 😁 Unforutunately you can't bring bicycles on any of the trains going across country between cities unless they are small folding bikes. However, on the Seoul subway (not 100% sure about other cities), you can bring bicycles on the subway system on weekends/holidays. A tandem bike might be a bit of a challenge because of its size, but technically I think it's allowed! If you are traveling from city to city, you can take a bus and put it under in the luggage storage, but if you're bringing a tandem bike it's probably good to pick a time when there will be very few people taking the bus (weekday early morning/late night) to make sure there is enough space for it.

[@Frankenpedaleur]

I recommend komoot as a bike planner.

[@lostthenfound]

Ah thanks a lot! I will check it out.

[@twelve.30]

8seconds in, with that Cody Francis music, you already had my like.

[@lostthenfound]

Haha thanks a lot! 😄

[@danryan8807]

Thanks vor your cycling Insides. We wanna make Seoul-Busan in April 2024 with our own bike. So we will fly from Germany to Korea. One question: Any recommendations where to store our “bike suitcases” during that time? Thanks

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot @danryan8807! If you are staying at a hotel in Seoul before your trip, you could send them a message asking if you can store your bags there while you do your bike trip and pick them up when you come back. I've met some people who have done this. Other than that, you could check out various luggage storage options in Seoul. Unfortunately I don't have much experience with them, but I think it's about 7,000 KRW (5 Euros) per day to do so.

[@danryan8807]

@@lostthenfoundThanks

[@whampoa8647]

Thank you for the video! Really love your content :) Do you know any bike shops in Seoul which offer long-term bike rental for a few days? Thanks for any suggestions :)

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot Whampoa! 😊 The only place in Seoul I know of that does long term bike rentals is Bike Nara: bikenara.modoo.at/ To be honest I've never used their service, but everyone always recommends them in Korea so they must be pretty good! Hope it goes well and happy cycling!! 😁🚴

[@51iohC]

are you still in dongtan? im in dontan until August. wanting to do the seoul busan bike route soon as well! thank you for your video!

[@lostthenfound]

Hi there @51iohC, sorry for the late reply! We live in Seoul these days. Did you end up biking Seoul to Busan?

[@51iohC]

@@lostthenfound noo, ended up having to come back to the US a bit faster than I wanted. but next year i am for sure!

[@lostthenfound]

@@51iohC that's awesome! You will have a great time!

[@cooldude7400]

Hi guys, you’re awesome, thanks to you i rent a bike in Bikenara. One question, what is the address of the Passport bending machine?

[@lostthenfound]

Hi there I'm happy you were able to rent a bike at Bike Nara! The passport vending machine is at Ara Tower in Incheon here: naver.me/FpMcyy0z It's the start of the Four Rivers Bike Trail from Incheon to Busan. Hope that helps and happy cycling! 😁

[@barrynowne6400]

Hi the maps you recommend are they English as well,looking at coming over next year from Australia,to do the four rivers,is languge a problem if one doesn't speak Korean ,Cheers Barry 😂

[@lostthenfound]

Hi there @barrynowne6400! Both Kakao Maps and Naver Maps are in English if you download them on your phone. Use Kakao Maps for bike navigation, and then Naver Maps for finding restaurants/businesses/hotels. You'll be totally fine in Korea without speaking Korean, but I'd download the app PapaGo to translate things on your phone from time to time just to make it easier. All the best with your trip! 😁

[@barrynowne6400]

@@lostthenfound thanks for your help

[@jenniferchang8503]

Our family of three are planning to cycle from Incheon to Busan in April and found your videos very helpful. I am wondering if the building where you buy the bike passport is open all night? We arrive at Incheon Airport around 5:30 pm and are wondering if we would be able to pick up the passport after we get out of the airport. We are planning to start the ride early the next morning. Also, does the vending machine accept US credit cards? We'd appreciate any insight you may have. Thank you!

[@lostthenfound]

Hello @jenniferchang8503 thanks a lot! I checked online and it appears the vending machine is gone now since the end of 2022, so you have to buy it from the office there during opening hours from 9:30am - 5:30pm. There are other certification centers along the way that sell the passport as well such as the Balgeun Gwangjang 밝은광장인증센터 (kko.to/WSZ0Ou94V0) which is just East of Seoul. So you could start out with the app and then buy one along the way if you want to start before 9:30am. play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jbt.android.bicyclehappysharing&hl=ko&gl=US Also international card will be fine if it's Visa/Mastercard. Hope you have a great trip!

[@lucymurphy9504]

Hey there! My partner and I are avidly watching your videos as we're planning to cycle the 4 rivers path in a few months. We've learned lots of tips from you! Thanks 😊. We'll be arriving in Incheon (obviously) and we'll be burdened with bike boxes which we'd like to store somewhere for the flight home. Have you any ideas?

[@lostthenfound]

Hi Lucy! Thanks for the nice message! 😊 I'm glad that the videos helped a bit! When it comes to bike boxes, that's a really good question! I don't think there are any good ways to store a bike box in the airport unless you wanted to pay for a storage locker, but that would be really expensive, especially if it's just a bike box you are storing. The best option is probably to recycle the box and then pick up a new one at a bike store when you guys are on your way home. Also, just in case you aren't aware, you can only bring your assembled bike onto the subways on Saturdays/Sundays on the first/last subway car, so if you need to take the subway to your accomodation on a weekday, I'd recommend keeping your bike in the box while riding the subway, and then assembling your bike when you get there. Hope that helps a bit! Have an amazing trip to Korea and have fun on the Four Rivers Trail! 😁

[@lucymurphy9504]

@@lostthenfound Thanks so much for replying! Very good idea. Enjoy your travels

[@henryangus6934]

Enjoyed your videos of cycling in Korea. Initially not quite know why I feel a certain familiarity in your videos, then I finally caught on the Canadian flair, especially as fellow British Columbian! I’m planning a bike tour of the 4 Rivers path in the fall, but a little concerned with not speaking or reading Korean. What’s the best way of navigating the 633 km path when not able to read road signs? Since Google Map is not available in Korea, is there a cell phone/gps based map service friendly to English speaking cyclists, hopefully with turn by turn directions? If it requires wifi in Korea, how do you buy the service? Is there any App that translates English to Korean and vide versa? Big thanks for your help!

[@lostthenfound]

Hey Henry thanks so much! 🙌 As far as language ability, luckily the entire path is covered with blue signs that look like this so you don't need to constantly be using your GPS on the 4 Rivers Trail: blog.kakaocdn.net/dn/ndbGf/btq6fP0sB05/DlXOvi2wHfUAKNOhQ2BiV1/img.jpg You can download Kakao Maps and Naver Maps in Korea and use them 100% in English luckily! Also, getting a tourist pocket wifi or sim card from a place like Trazy would be recommended just to make sure you can always find convenience stores, hotels, restaurants, etc while on the road: www.trazy.com/things-to-do/seoul/transport-and-wi-fi/wi-fi-and-sim-cards PapaGo is the best app for English to Korean translation, but it's pretty easy to go to hotels and restaurants and only use English if you just speak simple sentences and clearly. Koreans are super accommodating to foreigners and you'll be surprised how far some people will go out of their way to help you! Hope you have an amazing trip! I'm jealous you get to do it for your first time!

[@henryangus6934]

Big thanks for the speedy advice! Much appreciated. May be you can get into the Korean cycling tour business. Is the industry very competitive already?

[@K-newborn]

best town trail to stealth camp between cities? route with most parks?

[@lostthenfound]

The Seomjingang bike path running between Gangjin and Gwangyang is perfect for stealth camping. There are so many pagodas and areas to camp, and it's the most beautiful bike trail in all of Korea in my opinion (especially Spring/Fall).

[@noahbolasoc6589]

Can you please share the link on where to order the bike passport? Thank you!

[@lostthenfound]

@noahbolasoc6589 if you live in Korea with an ID/phone number then you can order one online here: www.riverguide.go.kr/kor/introduceBuyCycleCertificationNote.do?menuIdx=255 Otherwise you have to visit one of the certification centers that sells them at this website: www.bike.go.kr/eng/content.do?key=2009110791716 with the little passport icon next to them. All the best!

[@nikibineri3675]

Hello guys. I have a question, are the street signs the same in Korea as in other countries. I live in Europe

[@lostthenfound]

Hi Niki! The street signs are very similar to the ones in North America (which should be similar to Europe). There are a few different ones like when you are allowed to turn left on a green light (you normally can't turn left unless there is an advance arrow). Overall they are really obvious though, so you don't need any Korean skill for the road signs luckily!

[@nikibineri3675]

@@lostthenfound thank you so much for the answer. I will be doing the 4 rives in a month. I am very excited and frightened at the same time. I have recently learned how to bike 😀

[@steverson03]

Hey can you send me the location of this tower so I know where this vending machine is

[@lostthenfound]

Hello Steve! Here is the link on Google Maps goo.gl/maps/xrBB5cHi3qodMZdV9 All the best! 😁🚴‍♂️

[@nawinmutti4091]

Great channel

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@alyfazio23]

Whats the name of the tower to buy the passport?

[@lostthenfound]

It's called the Ara Tower. Here is a Google Maps link: goo.gl/maps/KyophNnGndDmz9PYA

[@gablim99]

I really enjoy your videos! Great job!! They are very informative and with a good mix of adventure and emotions. Just one question if I am interested in cycling the 4rivers in Korea, is it tough to find accommodation near the bike path? Can I use Google or booking to get a room each day? Or camping is still preferred? Thanks

[@lostthenfound]

Hey Gabriel thanks so much for the nice words! 😊 It's very easy to find accomodation close to the 4 Rivers Bike Trail each time you go through a city. You can use Booking if you want, but if you can't find any then I would recommend looking for motels/hotels on Naver Maps (available in English) and visiting them in person to book a room. Most of the cities on the 4 Rivers Trail aren't big tourist cities so most of them should have rooms available every day!

[@gablim99]

@@lostthenfound thanks for the helpful reply. I guess it's best to just roughly plan each day and try to get a place to stay base on where I end up for the day!! Looking forward to riding in Korea again.

[@pfever]

Nice~ I wondered about those bike paths. Do you think that riding alone is dangerous? I have no experience neither biking partner lol

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks a lot! 🙌 Riding alone is not dangerous at all in Korea in our experience. Korea is a really safe and civilized country so there are always places to go for help if you need, and there are enough people on the bike paths that you will never get stranded. People are really generous and willing to give you water or food if needed, and in most cases they will give you even more! I'd recommend trying to bike near the city first just until you get the hang of things and then you can set out on your adventure!

[@henryangus6934]

Really enjoyed your videos and narratives. Initially felt a familiar flair but couldn’t tell what it was, until later when I found out that you’re from Canada, and fellow British Columbian at that! I’m planning a bike tour to do the 4 Rivers trail next fall, but concerned with my inability to read or speak Korean. Not having full Google Map, is there any phone App that are English friendly that provides turn by turn instructions and amenities? If they require wifi, how would you purchase it? Are there phone Apps that translate English to Korean and vide versa? Big thanks in advance for your help 🙏

[@koreanmtnbiker2931]

Hi Henry I live in Seattle. I plan to Bike trip Korea next year 2023 Fall too. I have put it off past 2yrs because of covid. Btw, good q.

[@mariesolperez-ramos5695]

is there a bike tour group I can join when I go there in October? can we rent a bike and join a group?

[@lostthenfound]

Hi there Marie great question. I'd recommend joining the Korea cycling community on Facebook and try to coordinate a group ride with others here facebook.com/groups/koreacyclingcommunity/ For bike rentals, I'd recommend Bike Nara in Seoul. I've never used it, but it's the most commonly recommended by others bikenara.co.kr/m/index.html?

[@nomadbong4312]

Make a video on your bike model and accessories.

[@lostthenfound]

It's on the way! The video about all of our gear will be uploaded soon!

[@vincerunnerretrobikevince4212]

hello! Can the bike passport be purchased in Jeju Island?

[@lostthenfound]

@vincerunnerretrobikevince4212 Hi there it can't be purchased in Jeju unfortunately. Here is a list of the places you can purchase it: www.bike.go.kr/eng/content.do?key=2009110791716

[@kaynesheenan]

beautiful video! so pleased for you guys. Can you please tell me how to get the passport online? I probably will start somewhere closest to Suwon where I live.

[@lostthenfound]

Thank you so much! 🙌 You can buy the passport here but it's all in Korean: smartstore.naver.com/alibodassa/products/4704144425 I couldn't find any English websites online that sell the passport unfortunately but here is the official website if you need some more information: www.bike.go.kr/eng/content.do?key=2009110791806#none

[@kaynesheenan]

@@lostthenfound thanks!

[@lostthenfound]

@@kaynesheenan You're welcome! 👍

[@noahismail3884]

u guy deserve more subscriber.

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks so much! We don't want to force people to subscribe too much but hopefully some day we can gain some! 😃

[@noahismail3884]

@@lostthenfound i ll share some of ur content ..

[@lostthenfound]

@@noahismail3884 that's really kind of you! Thank you!! 😊

[@gomitch2]

What is your estimated cost or budget needed per day to do this? Total cost ÷ #days = average per day.

[@lostthenfound]

We camped every 2 out of 3 days and stayed in a hotel every 3rd day or so, so I would break it down like this: Food: 25,000 KRW Per Day Lodging: 40,000 KRW / 3 = 13,333 Per Day Average: About 38,333 KRW ($28.47 USD) Per Day Each It would definitely be possible to go cheaper than this if you plan to cook all your meals. We usually made our own breakfast and then ate lunch and dinner at restaurants, as we really enjoy eating out (especially while cycle touring!)

[@austinpangcog8240]

Great video! So I have a question about riding in Korea. Are there any bike shops that can speak English? What are some tips/recommendations for a moderate to advance biking routes? Do you know of any groups or know someone that do hard group rides? Im an experience cyclist and I’m thinking of taking a trip to Korea in possibly 3yrs but the research I’ve done isn’t what I’m looking for. Any help would be appreciated, keep up the great videos 🤙🏻🤙🏻

[@lostthenfound]

Thanks so much Austin! 🙌 As far as bike shops that speak English, I've heard really good things about Bike Nara g.page/bikenara?share but I've never been there so I can't say much about it. However, in Korea there are Trek and Giant shops everywhere and they will definitely accommodate you as best as they can in English (especially in Seoul, it's pretty easy to use English anywhere here). There aren't really many "hardcore" cyclist shops here that aren't brand based, so if you're looking for a specific brand it's best to check their website and see if they have any retailers in Korea too. For moderate to advanced biking routes, I'd recommend the 4 Rivers Trail (633km) or East Coast Bike Trail (720km). They are really well made with amenities everywhere so you don't need much to enjoy them. You'll run into hotels, convenience stores, guest houses, and saunas you can sleep at along the way. I'd recommend avoiding highway cycling that's not specific for cycling here unless you have a convoy car to protect you from traffic, or it could be dangerous with the really narrow shoulders and aggressive drivers. As far as groups go, I'd recommend the Korean Cycling Community on Facebook to find people that cycle at a similar pace/style. I see people on there all the time looking for other people to cycle with, and it seems there are people of all abilities on there posting so there should be some people of similar ability if you ask!

[@austinpangcog8240]

@@lostthenfound awesome! Thanks so much this helped a lot! 👍🏻. Happy riding 🤙🏻🤙🏻

[@lostthenfound]

@@austinpangcog8240 happy riding! 🤙🤙 Hope to see you on the trails in Korea some day!

[@VernandoTarigan]

I have a bicycle but i want to throw it , but how ?

[@lostthenfound]

You have to do 대형폐기물 신청 (registration of disposal of large objects) for the district you live in. Just type in "(Your location) 대형폐기물" onto Google and the website will appear.

[@eorsk]

Roughly How long is the trip from Seoul to Busan?

[@lostthenfound]

It's 633km so we did it in 9 days with 1 rest day our first time and then 7 days the second time. A lot of people do it in 4 or 5 days though.

[@dace4922]

Is helmet compulsory??

[@lostthenfound]

By law you are required to wear a helmet, but when they passed the law the police said they aren't going to enforce it. So basically they aren't compulsory, but if you have an accident then you might not be covered as much if you aren't wearing a helmet.

[@K-newborn]

is sleeping outside illegal?

[@lostthenfound]

This is a tough question to answer as I don't know the accurate answer to it. However, as long as you are respectful, clean, and stay out of people's way, I've had amazing experiences sleeping outside in Korea on beaches, parks in the city, and on the side of the bike path.

[@K-newborn]

@@lostthenfound yooo thanks for the info

[@riadhGP]

from pomsori

[@waddo]

No google maps?

[@lostthenfound]

Google Maps support in Korea is really lacking (and many other out of country companies like Amazon). You can find restaurants and subway stations but it doesn't give you directions for driving, walking, or biking. Have to use everything made by Korean companies in Korea!

[@thepogue]

where can i get the passport online?

[@lostthenfound]

The only place I can find to get it online is: www.riverguide.go.kr/kor/introduceBuyCycleCertificationNote.do?menuIdx=255 but you need a Korean ID to register.

[@terenceangelo8714]

What are the specs of you and your wife's bikes?

[@lostthenfound]

Our bikes are the Trek FX3 Disc bikes. You can check out the specs here: www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/hybrid-bikes/fitness-bikes/fx/fx-3-disc/p/28474/

[@dagonbenifer2656]

I want to bike around but bus drivers in Korea, specifically my town, scare the shit out of me. They drive like maniacs.

[@lostthenfound]

Haha feel you on this one Dagon! It can be hard to find good places to cycle in some parts of Korea. Where are you located? If there are no bike paths nearby then sometimes the farm roads between farms aren't too bad for cycling either!

[@eliastv5498]

I have some sad news for you. The Korean biking infrastructure is way better than Japan's.

[@lostthenfound]

Ah I had no idea! But I imagine it's still a fun country to bike through?

[@nanokou1487]

From pomsori