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DMZ tour from Seoul
- Start
- Imjingak, Paju (Imjingang Station, Gyeongui-Jungang Line)
- Route
- 3rd Tunnel, Dora Observatory, Unification Village, about 3 hours
- Bring
- Your original passport (no photos, no expired passports)
- Closed
- Mondays, weekday public holidays, Seollal and Chuseok day
- Price
- Adults ₩9,200 on foot, ₩12,200 with the tunnel monorail (DIY)
- November
- Dora Observatory closed Nov 23–30, 2026 (road works)
Paju's DMZ tour leaves from Imjingak for a 3-hour loop to the 3rd Tunnel, Dora Observatory and Unification Village. Bring your original passport, skip Mondays, and note what's closed in November 2026.
Dora Observatory, 2024 · Photo: Dwxn (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
How it works
- STARTEverything leaves from Imjingak
Paju City runs the DMZ Peace Tour from the ticket office at Imjingak. Shuttle buses take you into the Civilian Control Zone and back: the individual course (A) goes Imjingak, 3rd Tunnel, Dora Observatory, Unification Village, Imjingak, in about 3 hours.
경기도 파주시 문산읍 임진각로 148-57Google Maps - ID CHECKPassports are checked before you buy
Staff check every visitor's ID before selling tickets, and they sell only to people physically at Imjingak: your whole group has to be there.
- CAN STOPIt can close with no notice
All tours can stop for security threats, bad weather or safety issues, and reservations can be cancelled. Have a backup plan for the day.
Pick your tour
- GROUP BUSA day tour from Seoul
The easiest option: a guide, transport and the entry paperwork in one. For example, one Trazy tour picks up at Dongdaemun, Myeongdong and Hongik Univ. Station from 6:50 to 7:30 AM, leaves Imjingak at 1:30 PM and drops off in Seoul around 3 PM. You enter passport details when you book.
- DIYTrain + Paju's own shuttle
Take the Gyeongui-Jungang Line to Imjingang Station, then walk about 20 minutes to Imjingak (or take village bus 058A/058B). Buy the shuttle course at the ticket office. Paju doesn't provide a guide.
- PEACE TRAINSeoul Station to Dorasan
Korail's DMZ Peace Train (평화이음 열차) restarted on April 24, 2026, on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month: 8:45 AM from Seoul Station, back at 4:35 PM, linked to a DMZ tour package. You book through Korail or Korail Tourism Development. Check current dates before you plan around it.
Affiliate link: if you book, Seoulful earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
DIY tickets, prices and times
- 9:00–2:30Ticket office hours
On-site tickets and reservation pickup run from 9 AM to 2:30 PM. Tickets often sell out and the office closes early.
- ₩9,200Walking course (adult)
Facility fee ₩5,000 + shuttle bus ₩4,200. You walk down the tunnel's steep access slope.
- ₩12,200Monorail course (adult)
Adds the ₩3,000 tunnel monorail. Monorail shuttles leave at 9:20, 10:30, 11:30, 1:00 and 2:00. If the monorail breaks down, it switches to walking.
- NO DISCOUNTForeigners pay the full rate
Under Paju's ordinance, foreign visitors don't get the fee reductions some Koreans get.
- ONLINEBooking ahead
dmz.paju.go.kr takes online bookings for part of each shuttle's seats (Korean only for now). The rest are sold on the day.
Bring and know
- PASSPORTThe original
Foreign visitors need a passport, an alien registration card or a US military ID. Photos, screenshots and copies aren't accepted, and neither is an expired passport. No ID, no entry.
- TUNNELNarrow and steep
Paju may restrict the tunnel for people who are elderly, have blood pressure or breathing problems, have been drinking, or use a wheelchair. Wear shoes you can walk a slope in (our tip).
- PHOTOSFollow staff instructions
Paju's rules ban photos and video, drones included, along the tour route. Only shoot where staff say it's OK.
- DON'T BRINGBanned items
No alcohol, weapons or fishing gear, and never step off the marked roads: unmarked areas may still have mines.
Check this first
- JSANo public JSA (Panmunjom) tours
General tours to the Joint Security Area have been halted since 2023, after a US soldier crossed into North Korea during a tour. Since May 2025 only special VIP tours run (Kyunghyang Shinmun, Oct 22, 2026). If a tour lists the JSA, ask how before you pay.
- NOV 23–30Dora Observatory closed
Paju is repairing the observatory access road from Monday Nov 23 to Monday Nov 30, 2026. The 3rd Tunnel stays open, tickets are on-site only, and the works may be extended.
Say it in Korean (show this screen)
- Where is the DMZ tour ticket office?
DMZ gwan-gwang mae-pyo-so eo-di-ye-yo?
DMZ 관광 매표소 어디예요? - Two adults for the monorail course, please.
Mo-no-re-il ko-seu eo-reun du myeong ju-se-yo.
모노레일 코스 어른 두 명 주세요. - What time is the next shuttle?
Da-eum syeo-teul myeot si-ye-yo?
다음 셔틀 몇 시예요?
Local tips
- Go early: tickets sell out, especially on weekends (our tip, based on Paju's sell-out notice).
- Visiting Nov 23–30? Expect a tunnel-only tour while Dora Observatory is closed.
- Schedules change; check dmz.paju.go.kr notices the day before.
FAQ
Do I need a passport for a DMZ tour?
Yes. Foreign visitors must show an original, valid passport (or an alien registration card); photos, copies and expired passports aren't accepted.
Can tourists visit the JSA (Panmunjom) in 2026?
Not on public tours: general JSA tours haven't resumed since 2023, and only special VIP tours run.
Is the DMZ tour open on Mondays?
No. Paju's DMZ Peace Tour is closed every Monday, on weekday public holidays, and on Seollal and Chuseok day.
How much is the DMZ tour without a tour company?
Paju's own shuttle course costs adults ₩9,200 on foot or ₩12,200 with the tunnel monorail, bought at the Imjingak ticket office.
Sources: Paju City DMZ Peace Tour: visitor guide and ID rules · Paju City DMZ Peace Tour: fees · Paju City DMZ Peace Tour: course timetable · Paju City DMZ Peace Tour: Dora Observatory road closure (Oct 23, 2026) · Paju tourism portal: DMZ Peace Tour · Kyunghyang Shinmun: Panmunjom tours (Oct 22, 2026) · Korea Herald: Panmunjom special tours (May 15, 2025) · Asia Economy: DMZ Peace Train resumes (Apr 10, 2026) · Money Today: DMZ Peace Train (Apr 10, 2026) · Trazy: Paju DMZ 1 Day Tour from Seoul