Cheongpungho Scenic Monorail

A small six-seat car rattles along a rail through the forest, climbing steadily, and bit by bit Cheongpungho Lake appears between the trees. The Cheongpungho Scenic Monorail runs about 2.9 km from Dogok-ri in Cheongpung-myeon, Jecheon, to the summit of Bibongsan Mountain (531 m). It turns an hour's uphill hike into a seated ride, and from the top the lake surrounds you on all sides, as if you were standing on an island.

Twenty-five minutes through the forest

The monorail was built by Jecheon City and opened on 6 August 2012. The track is 2,940 m long and climbs 371 m from bottom to top. The cars move slowly, at around 1 m per second, and take about 25 minutes to reach the summit, departing at four-minute intervals, so several cars are strung out along the mountainside at any one time. Wherever the trees thin out, views of the lake and the surrounding ridges open up.

The view from Bibongsan

Cheongpungho is the local name for the Jecheon arm of the reservoir created when the Chungju Dam blocked the Namhangang River. Bibongsan rises abruptly from the water, so from the summit you see lake and layer upon layer of mountains in every direction. An observation deck at the top lets you follow the winding arms of the lake from one viewpoint. A medicinal herb forest trail near the summit takes about 35 minutes there and back.

Monorail or cable car

The same summit is also served by the Cheongpung Lake Cable Car, which climbs 2.3 km from Multae-ri in about nine minutes in ten-seat cabins, while the monorail creeps up through the woods from Dogok-ri on the other side. Both are run by the same operator. If you just want the view, take the cable car; if you want to enjoy the climb as well, the monorail is the better choice. The two lower stations are some distance apart, so decide where you will start before you set off.

Tripto tips

• Fares: adults KRW 12,000; over-65s, children (from 36 months to the end of primary school) and those eligible for Jecheon's ordinance discount KRW 9,000; visitors with disabilities, national merit holders and Jecheon residents KRW 6,000. Groups of 20 or more pay KRW 10,000 per adult. Discounts are only given at the ticket office.
• Booking: tickets can be booked on the official website; booking opens one month ahead at 10:00. Seats are allocated by departure time, and you must collect your ticket at the office at least 30 minutes before your slot.
• Opening hours: these change monthly. In October 2026 tickets are sold 09:30–16:30 and the summit service ends at 18:00. There are regular monthly closing days, so check the timetable on the official website. Services stop in strong winds, heavy rain or lightning.
• Restrictions: pregnant women, infants under 36 months and pets are not allowed on board.
• Time needed: allow 1.5–2.5 hours for the round trip and time at the top.
• Best time: fresh spring greenery and the autumn colours from late October to early November are the highlights. Pick a clear day for the longest views.
• Getting there: the address is 879-17 Cheongpungmyeongwol-ro, Cheongpung-myeon, Jecheon. By car, leave the Jungang Expressway at Namjecheon IC and follow signs for Cheongpung. Buses 950, 961, 971 and 982 run from Jecheon Station and Jecheon Bus Terminal to the Cheongpung township office in about 1 hour 20 minutes, but you will still need to get from there to the monorail station, so budget for a taxi. The nearby Cheongpung Cultural Heritage Complex combines well with the monorail for a day out.