Chungcheongnam-do

▲ experience prostration

※Rail Green,§ a train tour package program launched by the Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) in collaboration with the Rural Development Administration and several local governments, is gaining popularity.

The program started in July 2012 in eight local cities: Hongseong, Gimcheon, Sancheong, Suncheon, Yanggu, Cheolwon, Yongin and Chungju, and expanded to 13 cities in June 2013 by adding Gongju, Guam, Buan, Sunchang and Yeongwol to the list.

Among the ※Rail Green§ packages, those for Hongseong and Gongju are popular among tourists with high satisfaction. The ※Rail Green§ train to Gongju departs every Wednesday and Saturday from Busan, Jecheon, Iksan and Seoul Stations. Tourists transfer to a bus at Osong or Jochiwon Station, and move to Sangshin-ri, a small village in Gongju famous for pottery.

Sangshin-ri is located at the foot of Gyeryong Mountain. People can take a walking tour of the town and enjoy the scenery, or participate in pottery making.

The village also offers a cooking class to make Korean stew with dumplings stuffed with local black mushroom. After lunch, people take a tour of the Gongju National Museum and participate in the Korea archery experience program. Then, they move to the Gongju Cheese School in Shinpung-myeon where they can make and eat cheese firsthand. This package is priced at around 37,200~41,800 won depending on the point of departure.

For more information, please call at 044-867-3493.

The ※Rail Green§ package for Hongseong, titled ※When you want to log on to nature,§ is well-known for its popularity among tourists. It was selected as one of the excellent rural experience programs in 2012.

The ※Rail Green§ train to Hongseong runs every Wednesday and Saturday. Depending on seasons, the city offers interesting programs with various themes such as forests, birds, traditional mills and organic foods. Each program is run by an experienced guide to enhance people＊s satisfaction. Thanks to the variety and quality of the programs, this package boasts of the high rate of return visits.

Woo Hyang-suk, a tourist who took a trip to Hongseong through the ※Rail Green§ package in spring this year, said, ※I enjoyed tasty rural foods and various programs. When we were leaving, the village people were kind enough to give us some farm produce. I was so happy.§

The ※Rail Green§ train to Hongseong departs from Yongsan, Yeongdeungpo, Suwon, Pyeongtaek, Cheonan, Asan, Onyang Spa, Janghang, Daejeon and Iksan Stations. A group of over 19 people can coordinate the departure date with the Hongseong tourist center.
 
For more information, please call at 041-633-5650
To make a reservation, please access the Korea Railroad (or Korail)
website _http://www.korail.com