Walking the full Hwaseong Fortress wall in Suwon

Short answer: the full wall is 5,744 m and free to walk

Hwaseong is an open fortress: the wall path is free, open every day and can be visited at night. The circuit is 5,744 m, over flat land in the east and Paldalsan hill in the west. In other words, you can walk all the way round a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in December 1997) without a ticket.

Suwon Cultural Foundation suggests wall routes by section, from 1 to 3 hours. Check official info before you go for how long the full loop takes and which direction to walk. The half-day route, the evening walk and normals for all twelve months are in separate posts below, so this one focuses on the wall itself.

• Circuit: 5,744 m (flat in the east, Paldalsan hill in the west)
• Wall path: free, open every day, open at night
• Suggested routes by section: 1 to 3 hours (Suwon Cultural Foundation)
• UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 1997

• Suwon travel guide →
• Suwon Hwaseong Fortress in half a day →
• Suwon Hwaseong at night: an evening fortress walk →
• When should you walk Suwon's Hwaseong Fortress? →

Where to start: the gates and palace that buses reach

According to Suwon Cultural Foundation, city buses run from Suwon Station, Maegyo Station (Bundang Line) and Gwanggyo Station (Sinbundang Line) towards Hwaseong Haenggung, Paldalmun, Janganmun and Changnyongmun. For a full loop, simply start at whichever of these is easiest to reach.

From Suwon Station, take bus 11 or 13 from the stop at Exit 4, or 60 or 7-2 from across the road at Exit 7, to the Hwaseong Haenggung stop, then walk about 5 minutes. Bus 3000 from Gangnam Station and buses 400, 400-2, 400-4, 400-5 and 999-1 from the stop at Gwanggyo Station Exit 1 stop at Paldalmun. From Suwon Express Bus Terminal, bus 300-1 or seat bus 300 goes towards Changnyongmun.

Check stop numbers and routes on Suwon Cultural Foundation's 'How to get to main points' page, and check bus journey times and fares in official information.

• Hwaseong Haenggung side: from Suwon Station, buses 11 or 13 (Exit 4) or 60 or 7-2 (across from Exit 7) to the Hwaseong Haenggung stop (about 5 min walk)
• Paldalmun side: bus 3000 from Gangnam Station; buses 400, 400-2, 400-4, 400-5 or 999-1 from Gwanggyo Station Exit 1 to the Paldalmun stop
• Changnyongmun side: bus 300-1 or seat bus 300 from Suwon Express Bus Terminal
• Janganmun side: check routes on Suwon Cultural Foundation's 'How to get to main points' page

Gates, watchtower and pavilions on the wall

Hwaseong has four main gates: Paldalmun, Janganmun, Hwaseomun and Changnyongmun. Paldalmun and Hwaseomun are designated Treasures, and so is the Seobuk Gongsimdon watchtower. The list below is not a walking order; it simply gathers the names of places you meet on the wall.

On the wall you also meet Seojangdae and Yeonmudae (Dongjangdae), where King Jeongjo's guard unit, the Jangyongyeong, trained. Both have culture and tourism guide booths.

Banghwasuryujeong (the northeast corner pavilion) is a designated Treasure, and next to it the Suwoncheon stream still flows under Hwahongmun, the north water gate. The guide's Day 1 route walks Seojangdae → Hwaseomun → Janganmun → Banghwasuryujeong in that order. For the order of the other sections, check Suwon Cultural Foundation's suggested routes.

• Paldalmun: main gate, Treasure
• Janganmun: main gate
• Hwaseomun: main gate, Treasure
• Changnyongmun: main gate
• Seobuk Gongsimdon: watchtower, Treasure
• Seojangdae and Yeonmudae (Dongjangdae): culture and tourism guide booths
• Banghwasuryujeong (northeast corner pavilion): Treasure, next to Hwahongmun, the north water gate

The stamp tour and guide booths along the way

The Hwaseong Fortress wall has a stamp tour, and Suwon Hwaseong Museum is one of its stamp points. For the other stamp points and how to take part, check official info before you go.

Suwon Hwaseong Museum is included in the 3-site combined ticket with Hwaseong Haenggung and Suwon Museum (KRW 4,000 adults). Check the museum's opening hours and closing days in official information.

If you need directions on the way, look for a culture and tourism guide booth. They are at Hwaseong Haenggung (inside Sinpungnu), Paldalmun, Seojangdae, Janganmun, Yeonmudae and more, open 10:00–17:00. The main tourist information centre near Suwon Station Exit 4 opens 09:00–18:00 with English, Chinese and Japanese interpreting.

• One of the stamp-tour points: Suwon Hwaseong Museum
• 3-site combined ticket (Hwaseong Haenggung, Suwon Hwaseong Museum, Suwon Museum): KRW 4,000 adults
• Culture and tourism guide booths: Hwaseong Haenggung (inside Sinpungnu), Paldalmun, Seojangdae, Janganmun, Yeonmudae and more, 10:00–17:00
• Main tourist information centre (near Suwon Station Exit 4): 09:00–18:00, English, Chinese and Japanese interpreting

If the full walk is too much: the Hwaseong Trolley and XR Bus 1795

The Hwaseong Trolley (Hwaseong Eocha) is a sightseeing train modelled on a Joseon royal palanquin and Emperor Sunjong's car. It leaves Yeonmudae, passes the walls and military structures, and returns to Yeonmudae. If walking the whole wall is too much, you can split the circuit between walking and the trolley.

It runs 09:40–17:00 and costs KRW 6,000 for adults. With only 36 seats, booking ahead is a good idea: online booking opens up to the end of the next month, and on-site sales are for remaining seats only. For fares other than the adult fare, check official info before you go.

There is also the free XR Bus 1795, which loops around Hwaseong from the Yeonmudae car park, Wednesday–Sunday at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00 (closed Monday and Tuesday). Booking is by app only, so check how to book in official information.

• Hwaseong Trolley: from and back to Yeonmudae, 09:40–17:00, KRW 6,000 adults, 36 seats
• Trolley booking: online up to the end of the next month; on-site for remaining seats only
• XR Bus 1795: free, from the Yeonmudae car park, Wednesday–Sunday 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 (closed Monday and Tuesday)

What to wear by season: Suwon's climate normals

Temperatures and rainfall are Korea Meteorological Administration normals for 1991–2020 at Suwon station. The Paldalsan hill section on the west side of the wall can differ from the station figures. Normals are multi-year averages, so check the forecast just before you go.

In spring (March–May) the average high rises from about 11°C to about 24°C, and the average low goes from about 1°C to about 12°C, so a light jacket for mornings and evenings helps. In summer (June–August) average highs are about 28–30°C, and of these months August is the hottest of the year. July has the most rainfall of the year at about 385 mm, so bring an umbrella or rain jacket.

In autumn (September–November) the average high falls from about 26°C to about 13°C, and November's average low is about 2°C. In winter (December–February) average lows are below freezing at about -4°C, about -7°C and about -5°C, with January the coldest. Bring a warm coat, gloves and a hat.

• Spring, March–May: highs about 11–24°C / lows about 1–12°C
• Summer, June–August: highs about 28–30°C / lows about 18–23°C / July rainfall about 385 mm
• Autumn, September–November: highs about 13–26°C / lows about 2–17°C
• Winter, December–February: highs about 3–6°C / lows about -7 to -4°C

Checklist before you go

The wall path is free, but Hwaseong Haenggung needs its own ticket: it opens 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00) and costs KRW 2,000 for adults. For a route combining the palace with part of the wall, see the half-day post; if you plan to walk after dark, see the evening walk post.

If you are arriving at Incheon Airport, check transport on the airport's official site (airport.kr), and check entry rules in official information.

• Wall path: free, open every day, open at night
• Full-loop time and direction: check Suwon Cultural Foundation's suggested routes
• Stamp tour: check official information for points other than Suwon Hwaseong Museum
• Hwaseong Trolley: 36 seats, book online up to the end of the next month
• XR Bus 1795: closed Monday and Tuesday, booking by app only
• Bus journey times and fares: check official information

• Full Suwon travel guide →
• Suwon Hwaseong Fortress in half a day →
• Suwon Hwaseong at night: an evening fortress walk →
• When should you walk Suwon's Hwaseong Fortress? →

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