TL;DR — RACE WEEKEND GAME PLAN
- 1.Three race days, Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November 2026 at KINTEX 1 in Goyang — not central Seoul, and not COEX where the 2025 race ran.
- 2.KINTEX Station on GTX-A is 8 minutes walk from the venue and 14 to 17 minutes from Seoul Station.
- 3.Fly into Gimpo if your route allows: 25 minutes and ₩3,400 to the venue, against about 70 minutes from Incheon.
- 4.Buy a T-money card, never the Seoul Climate Card — it does not cover Goyang or GTX-A and you will be stopped at the gate.
- 5.Race morning: leave 75 minutes before your wave from Goyang, 2 hours 15 from central Seoul. Registration opens 08:00, first waves 09:00.
- 6.Buy race breakfast the night before. Nothing near the venue opens before 10:00 except the 24-hour convenience stores.
- 7.If HYROX opens a day-before check-in window as it did at Seoul 2025, use it — it removes the biggest morning risk.
- 8.Shakeout at Ilsan Lake Park: a flat 4.8 km paved loop, taxi or Line 3 to Juyeop.
- 9.Recovery is M Spa jjimjilbang, 14 minutes walk, 24 hours, around ₩12,000.
- 10.Do not rely on taxis at 20:00 when the last waves clear. Walk to the station — the last GTX-A to Seoul is 00:42.
QUICK TAKE — IS THIS A GOOD DESTINATION?
VERDICT: YES
HYROX Seoul runs Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November 2026 at KINTEX 1 in Goyang — three race days in a huge, high-ceilinged exhibition hall eight minutes walk from KINTEX Station on the GTX-A line. Cool, dry mid-November air at around 14C by day is close to ideal racing weather, transport is cheap and fast, and Seoul Station is 14 to 17 minutes away by train, so a real city trip bolts onto the weekend without wrecking race morning. Stress Factor 5/10, PB Likelihood 7/10.
⚠️ Caveat: The venue is not in Seoul. KINTEX sits in Goyang, about 27 km northwest of Myeongdong, and the 2025 race was at COEX in Gangnam — rebooking last year's hotel puts you an hour from the start line. Two more traps: the Seoul Climate Card does not work in Goyang and does not cover GTX-A, so buy a T-money card instead, and almost nothing near the venue opens before 10:00.
The venue being out of town trips up people who book on the word 'Seoul'. Once you understand the GTX-A link the logistics are simple, the trains run late, and the walk from the station is eight flat minutes.
Cool dry air, a flat exhibition-hall floor and a venue with room to breathe. Marked down only for long-haul travel fatigue and a field that will be bigger than the 5,973 athletes Seoul 2025 drew across two days.
FAST COURSE?
Depends. HYROX has not published the run configuration for KINTEX — the event page still lists Runs: TBC. Large wide-aisled halls usually mean a longer, more open loop with fewer tight turns, which favours runners.
CITY VIBE — WHAT ATHLETES NEED TO KNOW
KINTEX sits in a planned exhibition district in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang, not an old town centre. Distances between buildings are long and exposed, and almost nothing opens early: Hyundai Department Store KINTEX opens 10:30, Starfield Market Ilsan and Lotte Mart open 10:00. Convenience stores — GS25, CU, 7-Eleven — run 24 hours and carry the weekend. The city you actually spend time in is Seoul, 14 to 17 minutes away on GTX-A from KINTEX Station to Seoul Station, or Ilsan Lake Park one Line 3 stop away for a flat shakeout and a better choice of restaurants.
TYPICAL WEEKEND COSTS
Language: Korean, with limited English outside hotels and the bigger stores — install Naver Map and Kakao T before you land, because Google Maps is crippled in Korea. Currency: the Korean won. Cards are accepted almost universally, but carry cash to top up a T-money card at convenience stores, which still needs won. Tipping is not expected anywhere, including taxis and restaurants. Plugs are Type C and F at 220V.
BEST BASE NEIGHBOURHOODS
Daehwa and KINTEX (Ilsanseo-gu)
Best for: The shortest race morning and the cheapest beds. Quiet, functional, not much atmosphere.
Juyeop and Ilsan Lake Park (Ilsandong-gu)
Best for: Shakeout running and a better choice of restaurants, one Line 3 stop from Daehwa.
Seoul Station and Namdaemun (Jung-gu)
Best for: GTX-A access plus a proper city stay. The strongest compromise if you travel with non-racing family.
Hongdae or Myeongdong
Best for: Post-race social only. Accept a 45 to 70 minute commute each way and do not stay here with a 09:00 wave.
VENUE & LOCATION ANALYSIS
KINTEX 1 (Korea International Exhibition Center)
217-60 Kintex-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10390
A two-building exhibition complex in Goyang. The race address maps to KINTEX 1, the northern building, with more than 53,000 m2 of exhibition space; the specific hall number has not been published. KINTEX 2 at 217-59 Kintex-ro is a different building and not the race address. The area around the venue is a planned exhibition district — long exposed walks between buildings and nothing open early.
NEAREST STATIONS
- KINTEX Station (GTX-A) — About 8 minutes walk. Seoul Station in 14-17 min. Platform is seven levels below ground — allow about 4.5 minutes gate-to-platform at each end. Last train to Seoul 00:42
- Daehwa Station (Line 3 terminus) — About 13 minutes walk. Airport buses 3300 and 150 stop here. Last train to Seoul 23:03 on weekend timetables
- Luggage lockers, KINTEX Station — 24-hour smart lockers at street level, useful if you check out of a Seoul hotel on race day
WALKABILITY
Flat, step-free and wide throughout, with lifts at KINTEX Station and extensive permanent toilets inside the halls. Marked down because the district is exposed, the walks are long, and nothing opens before 10:00.
Thin. A 7-Eleven sits in the Gloucester Hotel Kintex lobby and GS25 and CU branches are scattered through the surrounding blocks, all 24 hours. Beyond that: Hyundai Department Store KINTEX from 10:30, Starfield Market Ilsan and Lotte Mart from 10:00, and a Starbucks at the base of Sono Calm Goyang. Restaurants, cafes and convenience stores also operate inside the KINTEX buildings.
🏃 RACE MORNING PLAN
The venue opens for registration at 08:00 and the first possible wave each day starts at 09:00, with the last waves around 20:00. Work back from your start time, not from venue opening. Staying in Goyang within 15 minutes walk: leave 75 minutes before your wave. Staying in central Seoul on GTX-A: leave 2 hours 15 minutes — 16 minutes on the train, 8 minutes walk, plus a deep-station transfer at both ends and a real buffer. From KINTEX Station take Exit 1, walk past the Hyundai Motor Studio Goyang building, cross at the crossing and the complex is in front of you. 2026 check-in times are listed as TBC; at Seoul 2025 there was an afternoon and evening check-in the day before plus a race-morning desk from 07:30, so if that repeats, check in the night before.
TRANSPORT LINKS
BEST AIRPORT: GIMPO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (GMP)
About 25 minutes from the venue by rail for ₩3,400, or roughly 19 minutes by taxi for around ₩17,210 — Incheon is more than twice that on every measure. Gimpo handles short-haul services from Tokyo Haneda, Osaka, Taipei Songshan, Shanghai Hongqiao and Beijing.
Gimpo International Airport (GMP)
Rail via the Seohae line onto GTX-A, exit at KINTEX Station, about 25 minutes plus a 5-minute walk for ₩3,400. Bus 150 to Daehwa Station is ₩1,650 but takes about 54 minutes plus a 14-minute walk. Taxi is about 19 minutes for around ₩17,210.
Time to venue: ~30 min by rail, ~19 min by taxi
Incheon International Airport (ICN)
Airport bus 3300 to Daehwa Station is the lowest-stress option with luggage — about 57 minutes for ₩8,500, running every 15 to 20 minutes and stopping in the central lane at Daehwa in both directions. Rail via Gimpo onto GTX-A is about 70 minutes for ₩6,000. Taxi is about 45 minutes for around ₩44,000.
Time to venue: ~57-70 min by public transport, ~45 min by taxi
Getting to KINTEX 1
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TIPS
- Buy a T-money card at any convenience store on arrival and top it up with cash — it works on the subway, GTX-A, buses and taxis nationwide
- Do not buy the Seoul Climate Card. It is valid only inside Seoul city limits, Goyang is in Gyeonggi-do, and it does not cover GTX-A. You will be stopped at the gate
- GTX-A from Seoul Station to KINTEX Station is 14 to 17 minutes; the same trip took over 50 minutes on Line 3 before GTX-A opened
- KINTEX Station's platform is seven levels below ground — about 4.5 minutes gate-to-platform by escalator, at both ends
- Last GTX-A departure from KINTEX towards Seoul Station is 00:42; the last Line 3 train from Daehwa is 23:03 on weekend timetables
- 24-hour luggage lockers sit at street level near KINTEX Station, plus three locker zones inside Exhibition Hall 1
🚕 Taxi & rideshare
Use the Kakao T app rather than hailing on the street — it shows the fare up front and handles the destination in English. Expect a squeeze on taxis at the venue after each evening's last waves finish around 20:00, when everyone else leaves at once. Walking to the station is usually faster.
🚗 Driving
KINTEX has large car parks, but they are paid and reviewers consistently report they fill and get expensive during big shows. With rail this good, driving is the worst option here.
WHERE TO STAY
Gloucester Hotel Kintex
Near venuefrom ~₩90,000
Best for: The shortest possible race morning
As close as it gets. 422 rooms, a gym, free parking, a 24-hour convenience store in the lobby and buffet breakfast from 07:00. Honest tradeoff: it rebranded from Kintex by K-tree, so the Booking.com listing is rebuilt and thin on reviews under the new name. Guests repeatedly report climate control problems, including the open-plan building running cold in winter, which is worth knowing for a November race. Rooms and bathrooms are small and the gym is dated.
Hotel Rich
Budgetfrom ~₩85,000
Best for: Keeping costs down without adding a commute
Scores 7.5 across 153 Booking.com reviews. The Daehwa side of the venue has the cheap restaurants, 24-hour convenience stores and the bus stops for both airports. Honest tradeoff: it is a functional business hotel, not a nice one — rooms include a desktop PC and feel dated. There are cheaper motels within a few minutes of Daehwa, but they carry single-digit review counts, which is not a risk worth taking on race weekend.
Sono Calm Goyang
Mid-rangefrom ~₩165,000
Best for: The best facilities within walking distance, especially recovery
Scores 8.8 across 679 Booking.com reviews. Sauna, fitness centre, three dining options and a Starbucks downstairs, with Incheon airport buses stopping directly outside. Honest tradeoff: the gym only opens at 07:00, which is no use before a 09:00 wave. Guests report unreliable lifts, an outdoor pool that has been out of service, and restaurants that stop serving earlier than advertised. It presents as a five-star and delivers a good four.
from ~₩230,000
Best for: Racing in Goyang while actually staying in Seoul
Connected underground to Seoul Station, the GTX-A terminus, so the venue is 14 to 17 minutes away on the train. Scores 8.4 across roughly 3,900 verified reviews, with a fitness centre, laundry and a restaurant. Honest tradeoff: it is a strong four-star at a premium price, not a five-star, and it earns its slot on the rail connection rather than on luxury. The GTX-A platforms at Seoul Station are deep, so you are trading 4 minutes of race-morning walking for roughly 45 minutes door to door.
🏨 Looking to book? Compare prices on your preferred booking platform.
WHERE TO EAT
💡 Smart move: Nothing near the venue opens before 10:00 except the 24-hour convenience stores. Buy your race breakfast at GS25, CU or the 7-Eleven in the Gloucester Hotel Kintex lobby the night before. Hotel breakfast starts 07:00; the Starbucks under Sono Calm Goyang is the only other early option. If you finish a 20:00 wave, the department store food halls are closing — head for the Daehwa Station strip.
Daehwa Station restaurant strip
Athlete PickThe restaurant clusters sit behind Sono Calm Goyang and around Daehwa Station, both a short walk from the venue. Korean menus make carb loading easy without thinking about it: bibimbap, kalguksu noodle soup, japchae, or plain rice with a grilled protein. Ask for less gochujang if you are sensitive to chilli the night before racing. This is also the better late option after a 20:00 finish, when the department store is closing.
GS25, CU and 7-Eleven
Athlete PickThe practical answer for every morning wave. All run 24 hours and stock gimbap, triangle kimbap, bananas, rice cakes, boiled eggs, banana milk and isotonic drinks — a full pre-race breakfast for about ₩5,000 to ₩9,000. There is a 7-Eleven in the Gloucester Hotel Kintex lobby. Buy it the night before.
Starbucks at Sono Calm Goyang
Athlete PickBeyond hotel breakfasts, this is close to the whole picture before 10:00 near the venue. Gloucester Hotel Kintex serves breakfast from 07:00 seven days. Everything else — Hyundai Department Store at 10:30, Starfield and Lotte Mart at 10:00 — is too late for a morning wave.
Starfield Market Ilsan & Traders
Athlete PickAbout 13 minutes walk, open 10:00 to 22:00, with a food court and cinema attached. Lotte Mart Ilsan is about 15 minutes, 10:00 to 23:00. Korea has no general Sunday closure, but large marts close two designated days a month and the day varies by district — check on the day. Convenience stores are unaffected.
THINGS TO DO
Hyundai Motor Studio Goyang
Pre-RaceAbout 6 minutes walk from KINTEX 1 and open 09:00 to 20:00, closed Mondays. An hour indoors, sitting down, no walking — and it is the landmark on the KINTEX Station Exit 1 route, so you learn race morning's walk at the same time.
Ilsan Lake Park
Pre-RaceA flat walk with benches and cafes around a 4.8 km paved loop, catching the tail of autumn colour in mid-November. Line 3 to Juyeop, Jeongbalsan or Madu, or a short taxi.
Seoul on the GTX-A
Post-RaceSixteen minutes from Seoul Station puts you in Myeongdong for street food, Hongdae for a late night or Gyeongbokgung Palace for a slow morning after. Korean barbecue then a jjimjilbang the next day is the local recovery-and-celebration combination.
Starfield Market Ilsan and One Mount
Any TimeFor spectators between waves: Starfield and Traders are about 13 minutes walk with a food court and cinema, and One Mount and Aqua Planet Ilsan are both roughly a kilometre away and will absorb three hours with families. Check current hours before committing.
RACE STRATEGY
VENUE
Mark this clearly: the layout is unconfirmed. HYROX has not published the run configuration for KINTEX, the event page still shows Runs: TBC, and lap counts, check-in windows and start times are typically released about three days out. Do not build a pacing plan on last year's Seoul course — that race was at COEX, a different venue in a different city.
COURSE FLOW
KINTEX 1 halls are large, high-ceilinged and wide-aisled, with more than 53,000 m2 of exhibition space across the building. That generally means a longer, more open run loop with fewer tight turns than a cramped hall, which favours runners who lose time on cornering.
RUN SURFACE
Exhibition hall flooring — hard and flat with no elevation, either bare hall floor or temporary covering. Nothing about this venue suggests hills or ramps.
HEAT
This is the variable to plan for. Outside it will be around 14C by day and near 4C overnight. Inside a heated exhibition hall running three consecutive days of racing, the hall will be far warmer and more humid than the street. Dress for the hall, not for the walk over.
ELEVATION
None. Flat exhibition floor throughout, and the walk in from KINTEX Station is flat too — the only vertical on the day is seven levels of escalator between the GTX-A platform and street level.
⚠️ WHERE PEOPLE BLOW UP
Two things specific to this race. Evening waves: last starts run to roughly 20:00, so you have a full day to manage, and athletes routinely under-eat or over-caffeinate waiting around — plan three proper meals and a last-food cutoff 2.5 to 3 hours before your wave. Travel legs: commuting from central Seoul means 45 minutes of transit and two deep-station escalator trips before you even warm up. Seoul 2025 drew 5,973 athletes across two days and 2026 runs three days with a broader division list, so expect busier sled push and wall ball stations in the Open waves.
COURSE HISTORY
KINTEX 1
Hall number within the building not yet published
TBC
Run configuration — listed as TBC on the event page
3 days
Fri 13 to Sun 15 November 2026
Depends. Cool dry air and a big flat hall point to a fast day, but the run configuration is listed as TBC and the field will be larger than 2025's.
Registration opens at 08:00, the first possible wave each day is 09:00 and last waves run to roughly 20:00. Athlete check-in times and location for 2026 are TBC; at Seoul 2025 there was a day-before afternoon and evening window plus a race-morning desk from 07:30. Bring photo ID.
Source: HYROX Seoul event page, KINTEX directions, Klook event listing and HYRESULT 2025 field size, verified 28 August 2026. Runs listed as TBC for this edition.
RECOVERY SPOTS
ICE BATHS / COLD PLUNGE
M SPA (JJIMJILBANG)
The closest and most useful for a same-day post-race soak. Hot pools, cold plunges and multiple sauna rooms for a flat entry fee of around ₩12,000, open 24 hours, with an attached fitness centre.
📍 ~14 minutes walk from KINTEX 1
Best use: Contrast work the evening after you race, at any hour.
SPA ISLAND (JJIMJILBANG)
About 2.3 km east, open 24 hours, around ₩12,000. Quieter on weekday mornings if M Spa is busy with race-weekend traffic.
📍 ~2.3 km east, short taxi
Best use: The quieter alternative, best mid-morning the day after.
SAUNAS & SPAS
SONO CALM GOYANG SAUNA
The hotel has its own sauna and fitness centre if you would rather not navigate a public bathhouse.
Best use: The lowest-effort recovery plan if you are staying there.
JJIMJILBANG ETIQUETTE
Bathing areas are gender-separated and fully nude, you shower thoroughly before entering any pool, and shared shorts and tee are issued for the mixed common areas. This catches visitors out.
Best use: Read before you go, not at the counter.
PHYSIOS NEAR VENUE
No confirmed clinic near the venue
Nothing English-speaking within walking distance of KINTEX could be verified. Plan recovery around the jjimjilbangs instead.
M Spa, ~14 min walk
24 hours, around ₩12,000. The realistic post-race recovery option on any of the three race days.
Hotel concierge
The reliable route to a massage booking. Ask the night you arrive, not after you finish.
WEATHER STRATEGY
MID-NOVEMBER CONDITIONS
Mid-November in the Seoul area averages around 14C in the day and 4C overnight, with roughly a 26% daily chance of precipitation and mostly clear skies. Late November drops further. Snow is rare and usually negligible. Cool, dry and close to ideal for racing — the heat problem is the hall, not the street.
- Race in shorts and a singlet or short-sleeve tee — the hall will be considerably warmer than outside
- A warm layer and a light waterproof shell for the fully exposed walk from the station
- Take the warm layer into the venue: you will want it after you finish and again at 20:00
- Beanie and light gloves for a cold morning
- Long tights or joggers for before and after
💧 Hydration
Cool dry air masks fluid loss. Sweat rates stay high in a heated hall while thirst cues drop, so drink to a plan, not to thirst. Convenience stores stock isotonic drinks on every corner.
🏟️ Indoor vs Outdoor
Indoors: heated exhibition hall running three consecutive race days, warmer and more humid than the street. Outdoors: around 4C first thing on an exposed eight-minute walk from the station.
SHAKEOUT RUN ROUTES
ILSAN LAKE PARK LOOP, FLAT 4.8 KM
The loop around the lake runs about 4.8 km on flat, well-maintained paved path with essentially no elevation. Public toilets are distributed around the park, the path is lit after dark, and it is popular enough with local running groups that you will not be alone. Getting there is the catch: roughly 36 minutes walk from KINTEX 1, so take a taxi or use Juyeop, Jeongbalsan or Madu on Line 3. If you are staying near Daehwa and want the full 8 km, run out to the lake, do the loop and take the train back.
🏃 Parkrun
There is no parkrun event in Goyang.
🏟️ Track Access
No confirmed public track access in Goyang. Not worth chasing for a race-weekend shakeout.
Flat paved path, lit after dark, toilets throughout. The only hazard is the 36-minute walk to get there — take the train or a taxi and save your legs.
GYMS NEAR VENUE
FUNCTIONAL / STRENGTH
CROSSFIT KILOGRAM TRIBE
Deogyang-gu, roughly 25 to 30 minutes by taxi. Well equipped, posts workouts in advance, and reviewers specifically note English-speaking staff. Closed Sundays.
CROSSFIT LIMELIGHT
Also Deogyang-gu, 25 to 30 minutes by taxi. Drop-in open gym around ₩19,000, contact via KakaoTalk. Closed Sundays.
COMMERCIAL GYMS
No box within walking distance
This is a weak spot for the venue. No functional-fitness gym near KINTEX could be confirmed — plan around it rather than expecting to find one.
M Spa fitness centre
Attached to the jjimjilbang about 14 minutes walk away, open 24 hours. Basic, but it is the closest option that actually exists.
HOTEL GYMS WORTH USING
Sono Calm Goyang
Fitness centre and sauna, but the gym only opens at 07:00 — no use before a 09:00 wave.
Gloucester Hotel Kintex
Has a fitness room, described by guests as dated with limited equipment.
Four Points by Sheraton Josun, Seoul Station
Fitness centre on site, basic but adequate for a shakeout.
Both verified boxes close on Sunday, so if you want a pre-race session do it Thursday or Friday. Message ahead via KakaoTalk.
ESSENTIALS — RACE WEEKEND OPS
SUPERMARKETS
Starfield Market Ilsan & Traders
Ilsanseo-gu, ~13 min walk
10:00 to 22:00. Food court and cinema attached.
Lotte Mart Ilsan
Ilsanseo-gu, ~15 min walk
10:00 to 23:00. Large marts close two designated days a month, varying by district — check on the day.
GS25 / CU / 7-Eleven
Throughout the venue district
24 hours, and the only thing open before 10:00. Gimbap, boiled eggs, bananas, isotonic drinks.
PHARMACIES
24-hour pharmacy, Kintex
~8 minutes walk from KINTEX 1
Listed as open 24 hours. Korean pharmacies are marked 약국.
Pharmacy at Hyundai Department Store
~7 minutes walk
Second option, tied to store hours of 10:30 to 20:00.
Convenience stores
Everywhere, 24 hours
Stock a small government-approved set of basic medicines including painkillers outside pharmacy hours.
SPORTS SHOPS
Hyundai Department Store KINTEX
~7 minutes walk, sportswear across several floors, 10:30 to 20:00.
Decathlon, Starfield Goyang
Roughly 13 km east — a taxi trip, not a walk.
Supplements
No dedicated supplement retailer near the venue was confirmed. Bring what you need; convenience stores carry isotonic drinks but not race nutrition.
🆘 "OH NO" KIT CHECKLIST
VENUE DAY TIMELINE
SPECTATOR GUIDE
BEST VIEWING ZONES
- Spectator tickets are sold separately, and an athlete wristband only admits you on your own race day — supporters across multiple days need a ticket for each additional day
- The layout is unpublished for this venue, so treat viewing zones as principles rather than a plan
- In large exhibition halls the reliable spots are the sled lanes, where athletes are slowest and easiest to spot, and the finish arch
- The roxzone entry and the wall ball area usually give the best sustained view
- Getting them there is the same route as you: GTX-A to KINTEX Station, Exit 1, eight minutes on foot
FAMILY LOGISTICS
- Toilets: KINTEX has extensive permanent facilities across the halls
- Food: restaurants, cafes and convenience stores operate inside the KINTEX buildings
- Seating: exhibition halls are standing-heavy — bring something to sit on if you are there for a full day
- Noise: loud, with continuous music and announcements. Bring ear defenders for young children
- Prams: step-free throughout, with lifts at KINTEX Station and wide flat concourses
- Lockers: three zones inside Exhibition Hall 1 plus 24-hour lockers at KINTEX Station — none on the GTX-A platform level
📍 MEET-UP PLAN
Do not agree to meet 'at the finish'. Pick the KINTEX Station Exit 1 crossing by Hyundai Motor Studio, or your hotel lobby if you are within walking distance. Mobile signal inside packed exhibition halls is unreliable and the buildings are big enough that a vague plan costs you an hour.
BUDGET CALCULATOR
| Line item | Budget | Mid | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation per night | ₩85,000 | ₩165,000 | ₩230,000 |
| Airport transfer each way | ₩1,650 bus | ₩3,400 rail from GMP | ₩44,000 taxi from ICN |
| Local transport per day | ₩3,000 | ₩6,000 | ₩25,000 with taxis |
| Food per day | ₩20,000 | ₩45,000 | ₩90,000 |
| Recovery | ₩12,000 jjimjilbang | ₩24,000 | ₩60,000 |
| Race extras | ₩0 | ₩60,000 | ₩180,000 |
ESTIMATED TOTALS (excl. flights)
PACKING CHECKLIST
RACE KIT
- Race shoes, broken in
- Socks, plus a spare dry pair
- Shorts or tights
- Singlet or short-sleeve tee
- Grip gloves if you use them
- Watch, charged
- Photo ID for athlete check-in
WARM UP
- Warm layer for the exposed walk from the station
- Light waterproof shell
- Long tights or joggers for before and after
- Resistance band
- Skipping rope or light mobility tool
- Beanie and light gloves for a cold morning
RECOVERY
- Compression garments
- Massage ball or mini roller
- Quick-dry towel
- Flip-flops for the jjimjilbang
- Change of clothes for after the race
- Plastic bag for wet kit
NUTRITION
- Electrolyte tablets
- Gels or chews
- Familiar pre-race breakfast in case the shops disappoint
- Protein powder or recovery shake
- Reusable bottle
TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
- Passport, valid six months
- e-Arrival Card submitted within three days of arrival
- K-ETA if your nationality is not exempt
- Travel insurance covering competitive events
- eSIM or local SIM
- Type C or F plug adapter, 220V
- Cash in won for T-money top-ups
- Kakao T and Naver Map installed before you land
SAMPLE RACE WEEKEND ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL & RECON
- Land at Gimpo if you can, buy a T-money card at a convenience store and top it up with cash
- Seohae line onto GTX-A, exit KINTEX Station, and check into a Goyang hotel within walking distance
- Walk the Exit 1 route past Hyundai Motor Studio Goyang so you know race morning in daylight
- Buy race breakfast at GS25 or CU now — nothing opens before 10:00 on the day
- Carb dinner around Daehwa Station or behind Sono Calm Goyang, then early to bed
DAY 2: RACE DAY
- Wake 06:45 for a 10:00 wave, fluids immediately, breakfast by 07:00 and 2.5 to 3 hours clear of your start
- Leave the hotel 08:30 with photo ID, at the venue 08:45 for bag drop and lockers
- Warm up from 09:25 with the layer on until the last five minutes — the hall is warm, the walk over is not
- Race 10:00. Finish, warm layer straight back on, eat within 45 minutes
- Proper meal at 13:00, then M Spa jjimjilbang at 15:00 for hot pools and a cold plunge
DAY 3: RECOVERY & EXPLORE
- Flat morning walk around the Ilsan Lake Park loop, or an hour indoors at Hyundai Motor Studio Goyang
- GTX-A into Seoul: Myeongdong for street food, Gyeongbokgung Palace for a slow morning
- Korean barbecue somewhere in the city — the local celebration meal
- Hongdae for a late night if you are staying on, or back on GTX-A before the 00:42 last train
- Lockers at KINTEX Station are 24 hours if you check out before your flight
LOCAL RULES & EMERGENCY INFO
The venue is not in Seoul
KINTEX is in Goyang, about 27 km northwest of Myeongdong. The 2025 race was at COEX in Gangnam — do not rebook last year's hotel out of habit.
T-money, not the Climate Card
The Seoul Climate Card is valid only inside Seoul city limits and does not cover GTX-A. Buy a T-money card at a convenience store and top it up with cash.
Tipping
Not expected anywhere, including taxis and restaurants. Tipping a driver is unusual.
Cash vs card
Cards are accepted almost universally, but carry won for T-money top-ups at convenience stores. Newer subway kiosks accept foreign cards.
Closures
No general Sunday closure. Large marts close two designated days a month, varying by district. Convenience stores run 24 hours.
Entry requirements
The K-ETA temporary exemption for eligible nationalities runs to 31 December 2026, so most visitors do not need one. Exempt travellers must submit the digital e-Arrival Card within three days before arrival. Check your own nationality on the official K-ETA site.
Apps before you land
Naver Map and Kakao T. Google Maps is crippled in Korea, and Kakao T shows taxi fares up front and handles the destination in English.
Plug type
Type C and F at 220V. Bring an adapter.
One date to check
Korea's Suneung university entrance exam falls on the third Thursday of November, pointing to 19 November 2026. Flights are grounded during the English listening section and traffic is managed nationally — after this race weekend, but it would affect a later departure.
EMERGENCY INFO
119
Ambulance, fire and rescue
112
Police
1330
Korea Travel Hotline
Hospital: Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, 170 Juhwa-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, about 700 m from KINTEX 1 and roughly an 11-minute walk, with an emergency department. Main line +82 31-910-7114. Calling 119 is free, the ambulance is free, and English support is available via a three-way interpreter connection.
Pharmacy: A 24-hour pharmacy sits about 8 minutes walk from KINTEX 1, with a second near the Hyundai Department Store. Korean pharmacies are marked 약국. Outside pharmacy hours, convenience stores stock a small government-approved set of basic medicines including painkillers.