Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Health
Like other major South Korean cities, Busan has clinics and pharmacies on nearly every
corner that can address minor health issues, and a few major hospitals with international
clinics or English-speaking staff to handle larger ones. These include Pusan National
University Hospital, Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital, and Maryknoll Medical Center.
Schools
Several international schools have been set up to cater to Busan's expanding foreign com-
munity, including the Busan International Foreign School, which has a new campus on
the city's outskirts, near Songjeong Beach, and offers both U.S. and British-based cur-
ricula; and the Busan Foreign School, which follows the U.S. curriculum and is located in
Haeundae. Both institutions offer classes from preschool through high school, with tuition
rates topping out at just over 20 million won. There are also independent schools for Japan-
ese and Chinese residents.
Shopping
Busan offers a healthy mix of old and new-style shopping opportunities, with the aging
port area dominated by markets but neighborhoods like Haeundae and Seomyeon home to
high-end department stores and big-box retail chains like Home Plus and E-mart. The Lotte
Department Store in Seomyeon and Haeundae's Centum City complex are the city's top
shopping destinations, and both have a sufficient range of foreign apparel and delicacies to
temporarily console the homesick expat.
Transport
The Busan subway consists of four very long lines that connect most major points in the
city and extend well into its outskirts. The trains are fast, user-friendly, and cheap—the
maximum fare is 1,400 won—but unfortunately shut down shortly before midnight, which
means night owls may find themselves resorting to taxis a lot. Thankfully these are also
quite inexpensive, with fares starting at 2,200 won and rarely exceeding 20,000 won even
for longer trips such as Busan Station to Haeundae. The city also has a bus fleet that plies
the main roads, with fares similar to the subway. However as English-language information
on bus routes is limited and buses are more subject to the whims of traffic, most residents
find themselves sticking to the train.
