North Korea: Getting there & around

The flight from Beijing to Pyongyang takes two hours, and the North Korean airline Air Koryo and China Southern make about three trips each weekly. You should book as far in advance as possible, Sunan International Airport is 30km (19mi) west of Pyongyang, and the journey by car takes about 20 minutes. The alternative means of getting into North Korea is via train from Beijing.

There are no regularly scheduled domestic flights and the ones that are scheduled are not available to foreigners. Few public buses run in the country or between major cities. North Koreans are not permitted to travel around their own country without permission, and most of the time you'll travel by bus or car with your driver and guide. There are virtually no bicycles in the country, in stark contrast to China, and you would not be allowed to ride one anyway.