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Traveling on North Korea’s long-distance buses

Kim Yumi
Traffic in Pyongyang. Image / iStock/znm

I’m often asked whether there are city buses and intercity buses in North Korea. Yes, there are. But they’re not the kind of buses you might imagine. 

When people think of North Korea, they often picture people riding on top of train cars. That used to happen, but not anymore. 

Especially for long-distance travel, that’s not possible. You have to sit in a seat for such long journeys.

North Korea has roads, of course. There is the Pyongyang–Nampo Expressway, the Pyongyang–Hyangsan Expressway, and the Pyongyang–Wonsan Expressway. However, there’s no express bus system such as the one we have in South Korea. 

Here, we go to the express bus terminal and see buses lined up that will take us to Daejeon, Daegu, Busan – anywhere in the country. 

But in North Korea, there are no express buses of this type. They’re mostly regular buses. South Korea’s roads are well-developed, so you can easily go over 100 km/h on highways. But in North Korea, many roads are unpaved, and even the paved ones are limited, making it hard to travel quickly.

There are two main types of long-distance bus in the North. There are government-operated buses and privately registered and operated buses.

To be honest, the government buses rarely run properly. They need fuel, maintenance, all of which cost money, and the government doesn’t provide much support. 

Privately operated buses are different. Since they’re personal assets bought with private funds, the owners take good care of them, keep them fueled, and run them cleanly. These days, privately operated buses are more popular and better maintained.

I used to travel frequently for business between cities like Haeju, Pyongyang, Pyongsong, Sunchon, and Sariwon. You might wonder, “How did you get to such faraway places?” Well, there are buses, of course, but also long-distance taxis.

Yes, I’ve taken long-distance taxis too. Some people ask, “How can you afford to take a taxi for long distances in a country like that?”

Let me explain. Beside regular sedan taxis, there are some that are like mini-buses and that can seat 8 to 12 people. They carry more passengers and so are cheaper. 

Now, you might ask, “Why take a 12-seater taxi instead of a bus?” There’s a reason. These taxis help fill the transportation gap. Let me explain.

In North Korea, buses would leave at scheduled times, just like anywhere else. But in South Korea, if you miss a bus, another one usually departs shortly after. In North Korea, if you miss your bus, there’s no other option. You have to wait until the next day for the same scheduled time. That’s where the 12-seater taxis come in. They leave about 1 to 1.5 hours later than the buses, so people who missed the bus can still travel.

Even though taxis are more expensive than buses, staying overnight in another city means paying for lodging and meals, which ends up costing more. So even if the taxi fare is higher, it’s still more economical to take one.

For businesspeople, time is money. They’d rather pay a bit more to arrive quickly and start selling their goods. For example, if you’re traveling from Haeju to Pyongsong, you might leave in the afternoon or evening. You might wonder, “Why not leave early in the morning for such a long trip?” There’s a reason.

In South Korea, you can reserve seats via mobile apps or at ticket counters, and buses leave on time once seats are filled. But in North Korea, it was very inconvenient because such a system doesn’t exist. Long-distance buses wait at the bus station, and travelers go there in person to find the bus heading to their destination. The bus only departs when it’s full. If it’s not full, it just waits.

Conductors stand outside calling out, “Where are you going? Take our bus!” trying to gather passengers. It’s a competitive scramble to fill seats.

The distance on the map might be around 270–300 km, but it would take 15 hours, factoring in waiting time and in-between breaks and delays. Here’s a schedule that I took.

  • Departed Haeju at 6 PM
  • Arrived in Pyongsong at 5 AM the next day
  • Washed, ate breakfast, waited for the bus to Sunchon
  • Took the 9 AM bus, arrived in Sunchon around 10 AM

The real issue isn’t the distance. It’s the delays. In South Korea, 300 km takes about 3 hours on the expressway. But in North Korea, you get stopped. The most exhausting part of long-distance travel in North Korea are the security checkpoints.

Every province and county has them. They check your ID, inspect your luggage, and verify your travel permit. If soldiers suspect anything, they can stop you from continuing. 

Conductors try to persuade them or vouch for passengers. If that doesn’t work, the passenger is removed and the bus continues.

So before traveling long distances, you must get a travel permit from your local office. Without it, your trip is screwed.

Now, let’s look inside the bus.

It’s survival mode. Most buses used by North Koreans don’t have air conditioning or heating. 

In summer, you wipe sweat with a handkerchief. In winter, thermal underwear, padded jackets, and blankets are essential.

South Korea has highway rest stops, right? North Korea has them too. In theory, anyway. But they’re poorly maintained and rarely used.

Back then, I just thought, “This is normal.” But after coming to South Korea and riding an express bus, I was shocked. Every seat has a power outlet, Wi-Fi, heating and cooling. It felt like transportation that treats people with dignity.

North Koreans wonder, “Will we ever be able to travel freely, without inspections, and comfortably?”

Just three years ago, I lived in that world. Now I’m here, sharing this story with you. I’m truly grateful.

Kim Yumi
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