Pyongyang Metro

The Pyongyang Metro is the underground railway system of the North Korean capital and one of the most distinctive transport networks in the world. Opened in stages from 1973, it consists of two lines — the Chollima Line and the Hyoksin Line — meeting at a single interchange and running roughly north–south and east–west beneath the city. For most foreign visitors it is not a means of getting around so much as a sightseeing attraction in its own right, included as a set-piece on virtually every Pyongyang tour.

Two features make the metro remarkable. First, its depth: the tunnels run more than 100 metres below the surface in places, making it one of the deepest metro systems anywhere, and the stations double as civil-defence shelters. Long, steep escalators dimly lit by paper lanterns carry passengers down into the earth. Second, the stations themselves are designed as showcases of socialist art: marble columns, chandeliers, bronze reliefs, and vast mosaic murals depicting revolutionary and pastoral scenes. Each station has a thematic name — Glory, Triumph, Reunification, Comrade, Paradise — rather than a geographic one.

For travellers, the appeal lies in the contrast between the gleaming, monumental stations and the everyday North Koreans who use them. Trains, many of them refurbished older European stock, run with light interiors and portraits of the leaders at the front of each carriage. Conditions underground are stable year-round, so the metro can be visited comfortably in any season.

By Plane

The nearest airport is Pyongyang Sunan International Airport (FNJ), about 24 km north of the city centre. Transfers are arranged exclusively by the tour operator using a chartered vehicle with guides, with a drive of roughly 30–40 minutes. There is no airport bus or taxi service available to tourists.

By Train

Pyongyang Station, the city's main railway terminus, handles domestic services and the international train to and from Beijing. It is served by the metro, but tourists do not connect independently — all rail travel is arranged through the tour operator.

By Car / Road

Visitors are brought to a designated metro station by chartered bus or car as part of a guided tour, and rejoin the vehicle at the station where they exit. Independent driving and taxi hire are not available to visitors.

The metro experience for tourists is itself a guided activity: groups are taken down into one or more stations, ride a short stretch of the line, and surface at a designated station where the tour vehicle is waiting. The full Chollima Line tourist route between Puhung and Yonggwang stations is the most commonly offered, sometimes extended to additional stations. Riding is done with guides; visitors should stay together and follow instructions on photography. Fares are nominal and handled by the guides. There are no scams to be concerned about, but the escalators are long and steep, and the platforms can be crowded at peak times.

• Puhung Station ("Prosperity") — The most-visited station, with grand chandeliers, marble pillars, and a sweeping mosaic mural of a celebratory scene. Free as part of a guided tour; Chollima Line.

• Yonggwang Station ("Glory") — Renowned for its lantern-shaped chandeliers and murals depicting scenes of the capital. Chollima Line.

• The deep escalators — The long, dimly lit escalator descents into the tunnels, an experience in themselves.

• Station mosaic murals — Throughout the network, the large-scale revolutionary and pastoral mosaics that give each station its theme.

• Metro carriages — The trains, many former European stock, with leader portraits and light wooden-style interiors.

• Ride the showcase stretch — Taking the train along the tourist route, typically Puhung to Yonggwang, the standard metro experience.

• Photograph the stations — Capturing the chandeliers, columns, and murals, observing the guides' guidance on what may be photographed.

• Watch daily commuter life — Observing North Koreans going about their journeys, one of the more candid glimpses of city life on a tour.

• Combine with central sightseeing — The metro visit slots easily between surface stops such as the Arch of Triumph and Kim Il-sung Square.

There are no restaurants within the metro; meals are taken at designated tourist restaurants and hotels arranged by the operator. Options in central Pyongyang include:

• Budget / casual — Hotel canteens and state restaurants serving set Korean meals with rice and side dishes.
• Mid-range — Okryu-gwan, the famous riverside restaurant known for Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles).
• Upscale — Restaurants in the Koryo Hotel offering multi-course Korean banquets and the table-cooked hot pot sinsollo.

Vegetarian and special diets are difficult to accommodate and should be flagged to the tour operator in advance.

There are no bars or cafés within the metro. In central Pyongyang, the locally brewed Taedonggang beer is the most popular drink, served at hotels and restaurants; soju and other Korean spirits are also available. Tap water is not safe to drink — use bottled water, which tour operators supply.

There is no accommodation at the metro; visitors stay at central Pyongyang hotels assigned by the tour operator.

• Budget: Lower-tier state hotels are used on some budget tours.
• Mid-range: Yanggakdo International Hotel, a tower on an island in the Taedong River, is the most commonly used tourist hotel.
• Upscale / heritage: Koryo Hotel, the twin-tower landmark in the city centre, is the established premier choice.

There are no shops within the metro stations aimed at tourists. Souvenirs are bought elsewhere in Pyongyang, at central department stores and the Foreign Languages Bookshop, which sell stamps, posters, books, and prints — including transport-themed items — at fixed hard-currency prices; bargaining is not practised.

• Arch of Triumph (about 2 km) — The monumental gateway near Moranbong, often combined with the metro visit.
• Kim Il-sung Square (about 2 km) — The vast central plaza by the Taedong River.
• Mansudae Grand Monument (about 2 km) — The leaders' bronze statues in the city centre.
• Juche Tower (about 3 km) — The riverside tower with a city-view observation platform.
• Moranbong Park (about 3 km) — A hilltop park with pavilions and city views.