Seoul Express Bus Terminal Christmas Market is the perfect destination if you’re looking for beautiful Christmas tree ornaments, fairy lights, and a festive atmosphere. As the holiday season approaches, there’s nothing quite like strolling through the bustling flower market at the terminal, with its vibrant Christmas displays. For those who want to find the perfect ornaments and decorations for their tree or home, this market is a treasure trove of Christmas spirit, offering everything from classic red and green themes to modern and unique designs. Whether you’re decorating for your family or planning a corporate event, this market has something for everyone, bringing the holiday magic to life in Seoul.
Every year, the Christmas season is when I envy friends who live in townhouses the most. While I take out my small fake tree and decorate it modestly, my friends with yards plant real fir trees and head to the Express Bus Terminal to pick out ornaments and lights that perfectly match their big, real trees. I can’t help but feel a little jealous!
Since Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, I often visit the flower market at Seoul’s Express Bus Terminal to buy fresh flowers. But the Christmas season makes it extra special, as the entire market gets busy and filled with excitement. The vendors are running around in a frenzy, but the faces of the customers are bright, filled with anticipation. Some are store owners, here to decorate their businesses; others are event planners, checking off long lists. Families come to prepare for the holidays, choosing ornaments carefully for each loved one.
Overview, Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Christmas Market
This is what you can expect at the Seoul Express Bus Terminal Christmas Market.
Located at Exit 1 of the Express Bus Terminal Station on Lines 3, 7, and 9, the flower and decoration market is easy to find. From the subway, head toward the Honam or Gyeongbu Line directions. You’ll see steps, and from there, take the escalator or elevator to the third floor. Once you reach the top, the scent of flowers will greet you, and the flower market will unfold before you.
Personally, I find it easiest to drive since I usually leave with arms full of goodies. Parking is available in front of the building or on the rooftop. It’s 1,000 KRW for 10 minutes. While I’ve never managed to leave without paying, you can get a parking voucher for 2 hours at just 2,000 KRW if you spend over 50,000 KRW at a single shop.
Seoul Express Bus Terminal Flower Market Hours
Monday – Saturday: 11:30 PM – 12:00 PM
Artificial Flower & Christmas Market Hours
Monday – Saturday: 12:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
If you’re after fresh flowers, the nighttime market is your best bet. I used to visit on Thursday nights when the flowers were at their freshest, but it’s hard to say if that’s still the case. As for the Christmas market, it’s open during the day. If you’re planning to shop for both fresh and artificial flowers, I recommend visiting in the morning.
Experience at Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Christmas Market
Now, let me share my recent experience of visiting the Seoul Express Bus Terminal Christmas Market to help a friend pick out new string lights. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted with pure holiday magic! The classic combination of red and green dominated the displays, and this year, trees in the 150-180 cm range seem to be the most popular.
Glass ornaments were especially popular, creating a lovely sound when they clinked together. As more households start decorating for Christmas and collecting ornaments, it’s clear that the market is diversifying with a wider range of prices. Back when I lived in New York, I loved collecting ornaments, but after most of them shattered during the move, I stopped.
We spotted some beautifully detailed ornaments, and my friend, who loves mint green, was delighted to see a lot of mint and sage-colored decorations this year.
A tree decorated with white, mint, sage green, and just a hint of red and gold caught my eye. It was stunning! Metallic ornaments that jingle as they move are also popular this year, with fun, kitschy designs that are hard to resist.
When decorating a Christmas tree, it’s best to pick two main colors first and then choose ornaments and lights to match. Otherwise, the tree can end up looking a bit chaotic.
One of my favorite things to see was the snow globe-style decorations that play Christmas music and have little figurines moving inside. Many are battery-powered or USB-compatible, making them the perfect Christmas gift.
If decorating a full tree feels like too much, there are plenty of smaller Christmas decorations available to bring the holiday spirit into your home without much effort. But beware—this place is full of temptations, and it’s easy to spend money if you’re not careful!
After browsing the festive knick-knacks, we got to the main reason for our visit—buying string lights. Though the staff warned us that centipede-style lights might not be safe for outdoor use, we ended up purchasing three 300-bulb string lights and one 1,000-bulb light, commonly used in department stores and hotels. It was an expensive purchase at almost 100,000 KRW, but it was worth it to see the lights in person and make sure the color was just right.
Final Thoughts
The Christmas market at the Seoul Express Bus Terminal is well-prepared for any taste, including those who love pink and champagne gold themes. For those with daughters or kids who love decorating, this market could be dangerous for your wallet!
Overall, the Seoul Express Bus Terminal Christmas Market is an enchanting place full of temptations. It’s perfect for a fun date, or if you’re planning to decorate your home with a beautiful Christmas tree this winter, I recommend visiting in person rather than shopping online. Even if you’re not decorating, the festive atmosphere alone is enough to lift your spirits and fill you with the holiday cheer. Highly recommended!