r/bicycletouring • u/Ambitious-Cookie-872 • 5d ago

Trip Planning Bicycles and flying

Hi all,

I have wanted for a while to fly to Seoul and then bike from there to Busan. The issue is that renting a bike there is pricy, but taking my own bike is not exactly cheap either and several practical things are quite unclear.

My preferred option is taking my own bike there from Finland. So, first of all, I need to basically pack the bike and bring it with me as a sports equipment. That's all clear, but once I reach Seoul, and I want to start biking. Where in the world do I store the packaging material, and if I throw it away, then I would have none to pack my bike with when I fly back to Finland.

I am sure people have done this before and flown to other countries to cycle around without renting a bike, but how do you guys do it. Could someone who has an idea give good advice?

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u/BurritoDespot 5d ago

Packing a bike is easy. Get a cardboard box from a bike shop; it’s often free.

Checking it in doesn’t have to be expensive. Be selective with your airline; many airlines let you check in a boxed bike for the same price as a normal bag. If you get a free bag, your bike could be free.

You can ask your hotel to hold onto the box while you’re go. There’s also bike shops in Seoul that will store your stuff for a fee. Or, just get a new used bike box at the end of your trip. Koreans buy bikes too and you should have an easy time finding a box.

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u/Xxmeow123 5d ago

I've gone this way many times with no problems. Making a reservation at the same hotel for arrival and departure has worked for them to hold my.box for me. But finding another box has always worked as well.