Intercity (시외버스, 市外bus, sioebeoseu) and express buses (고속버스, 高速bus, gosokbeoseu) are combined on this website as they are similar and overlap at times, yet at other times are distinctive. Intercity and express buses have assigned seating, which you’ll also encounter with movie theaters and trains, with an exception for standing tickets on Korail trains but not on SRT trains. While trains have two classes within the same rolling stock, buses do not have different classes but do have several types of buses with separate prices, different quality of seating, and other differences in facilities. Both also offer rides to and from Incheon Airport, but presumably also different routes with different stops.

Compared to city buses, which stay within a city or maybe just pass into neighboring cities, intercity and express buses go much farther distances. City buses stop at bus stops, while intercity and express buses stop at terminals. Sometimes a bus terminal services only intercity or express buses and sometimes a bus terminal services both. As these are separate services, with different websites and separate apps, do not expect them to service the same cities or have similar departure times.

For example, in Seoul most intercity buses operate out of Nambu Terminal (남부터미널, 南部터미널驛, Nambu Teomineol sometimes called Seoul Southern Intercity Bus Terminal, website, Wikipedia, Nambu Bus Terminal Station) while express buses focus on Express Bus Terminal (서울고속터미널, 서울高速터미널, Seoul Gosong Teomineol, website, Express Bus Terminal Station) and Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (동서울터미널, 東서울터미널, Dong Seoul Teomineol, but as 동 means “east” it might be called something like East Seoul Bus Terminal, website, Wikipedia, Gangbyeon Station).

Both intercity and express buses have several different types as defined in the Passenger Vehicle Transport Business Act (여객자동차운수사업법, 旅客自動車運輸事業法, Yeogaeng Jadongcha Unsu Saeopbeop, official English translation of law). Intercity buses are subdivided into high-speed (sometimes written as “express”), direct, and general. Express buses are subdivided into high-speed, non-stop, and general. In real life, it is doubtful most people could tell these subdivisions apart and due to an overlap in terms, this is confusing for Koreans as well.

Intercity buses frequently stick to routes that are less than 100 km in distance and can have several stops before the final bus terminal. Express buses usually travel distances more than 100 km, stop only at the final destination, do not offer youth discounts, and also include a VAT. Intercity buses usually stick to national highways (국도, 國道, gukdo, Wikipedia) while express buses use highways (고속도로, 高速道路, gosong doro, Wikipedia) “more than 60% of the time.”

Both types of services operate under different regulations. Intercity buses operate under local government jurisdiction and the approval of routes is limited by the number of trips made on a certain route. Express buses are operated by bus companies affiliated with the National Bus Transport Association (전국버스운송조합) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport manages routes and licenses on the basis of the number of vehicles.

While it is possible to stand on city buses and standing tickets are sold for Korail trains, this is not an option for intercity and express buses. You are allowed to stand to grab something from the overhead storage or to talk with the driver if there is a problem. But for safety reasons, remain in your seat while the bus is in motion.