Busan splits its long-distance coaches between Nopo in the east and Sasang in the west, and runs a direct limousine bus from Incheon Airport that crosses the country in about five and a half hours — ₩49,400 Deluxe, ₩64,200 Premium.
The Busan Central Bus Terminal at Nopo — the northern end of Metro Line 1 — handles most express and intercity departures east and north: Seoul Gangnam, Daegu, Gyeongju, Pohang. The West Busan terminal at Sasang covers Jeolla and the southwest and sits on Metro Line 2 with a direct Busan–Gimhae light-rail link to the airport.
The Incheon Airport limousine runs terminal to terminal in five to five and a half hours, serving Nopo, Sasang and the Haeundae intercity stop, at ₩49,400 in Deluxe and ₩64,200 in Premium — the only one-seat ride between Korea's main gateway and its second city.
For Gyeongju, Ulsan, Geoje and most of the south coast the coach is simply faster than rail — direct where the train needs a change. To Seoul, the express bus takes four and a half to five hours to Gangnam, from ₩26,700 Standard to ₩51,600 Premium, against roughly ₩59,800 for a standard KTX seat — and late-night departures fill the gap after the last train.
Practical notes: both terminals have luggage storage and English ticketing kiosks; holiday weekends (Seollal, Chuseok) sell out days ahead, and the Haeundae stop on the airport coach saves a full metro crossing if your hotel is on the beach strip.
Our read: use the terminals the way locals do — Nopo for Seoul and the east, Sasang for the southwest and the airport light rail. Take the airport limousine only with heavy luggage or a late arrival; otherwise the KTX from Seoul Station wins on every count. And for a Gyeongju day trip, the coach from Nopo beats any rail option.
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