N Seoul Tower opening hours at a glance
The N Seoul Tower opening hours depend on the day of the week, and the tower is only one link in the chain that gets you up the mountain. The cable car, the free Oreumi lift and the circular buses have their own hours, and each can change with the weather. This page puts all of them in one place, with the time of the last admission and the busy periods.
Read the observatory times as the regular schedule. On 31 October 2026 the operator's English homepage carried the notice "OBSERVATORY TEMPORARILY CLOSED" without naming a period, so the regular hours are not a statement about today. Check the current operating status before you travel and again before you buy a ticket.
Observatory hours
From Monday to Friday the observatory is regularly open from 10:00 to 22:30. On Saturdays, Sundays and public days off the hours are 10:00 to 23:00. The last admission is 30 minutes before closing, which works out at 22:00 on weekdays and 22:30 at the weekend. The regular schedule has no weekly closing day.
The operator reserves the right to change the hours because of weather and other circumstances. If access to the park is restricted, the tower can close as well. If you plan an evening visit, read the page about the tower at night for the sunset timing and the dining options.
A tour that includes the observatory
This morning tour includes observatory admission, so the ticket and the pickup come in one booking. Check the observatory's current operating status before you go.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Early start: a morning tour with tower admission
Morning city tours and tower tickets for Namsan, with live prices and availability.
Is the observatory open today?
That depends on the operating status on the day, and the homepage notice is the thing to look at. When the English homepage was opened on 31 October 2026 it showed "OBSERVATORY TEMPORARILY CLOSED" and gave no start or end date. A page that lists regular hours is no answer for a particular day, and this one is no exception. Look at the operator's homepage and its notice list on the day you travel, and if you have booked a ticket through a seller, ask them about the status for your date.
A separate announcement concerns systems. On 15 October 2026 the operator announced a service restriction because of system maintenance from 23:00 on 16 October to 08:30 on 17 October 2026. The wording refers to systems, and it is mentioned here only so that you do not mix up the two notices.
Weather can also change the day. The cable car can stop early in bad weather, and the Oreumi lift pauses in strong wind and heavy rain. A missing notice is not a reason to assume that everything runs as normal, so keep a flexible plan for the hour you arrive. If you are still deciding what to buy, see the ticket page.
Cable car and Namsan Oreumi hours
The Namsan cable car runs daily from 10:00 to 23:00 in the regular schedule. The last sale is described in two ways. The Korea Tourism Organization lists 22:30 for a round trip and 22:45 for a one-way ticket, while the cable car operator's homepage says 30 minutes before closing. If you want a one-way ride, do not count on getting it after 22:30. Tickets are sold at the counter on the day of your visit, and departures leave about 8 minutes apart.
The Namsan Oreumi is a free inclined lift that connects the area around Namsan Tunnel No. 3 with the cable car station. The ride takes about 2 minutes. It runs from 09:00 to 23:00 and has maintenance on Mondays from 09:00 to 14:00. Prices, the start of the ride and what to expect at the station are on the cable car page.
Buses 01A and 01B
The circular buses 01A and 01B run from 06:30 to 23:00. The operator lists a frequency of one bus every 9 minutes for the 01A and every 14 minutes for the 01B. The fare is 1,500 KRW, paid with a transport card only. The 01B is the former 8001. Suitable subway stations to start from are Chungmuro on lines 3 and 4 and Dongguk University on line 3. The 01A also continues to Gyeongbokgung and Insadong, so check the destination on the sign before you board. The full route is covered under getting there.
Busy times
The cable car operator notes more visitors on weekdays around sunset and on weekend and public-day-off afternoons. The operator does not publish waiting times, and this page does not either. If you dislike crowds, the morning is the quieter part of the day to aim for, or choose a weekday. A morning half-day tour is another early way in: one of them lists a guide, a coach, hotel pickup and the observatory admission fee among its inclusions. Check the tour description for the option you choose, and look at the current operating status of the observatory before you book.
Frequently asked questions
What are the regular N Seoul Tower opening hours?
Monday to Friday 10:00 to 22:30, and Saturday, Sunday and public days off 10:00 to 23:00. The last admission is 30 minutes before closing. The regular schedule has no weekly closing day, but the operator may change hours because of weather and other circumstances.
Does the observatory close for the whole day sometimes?
The operator can change the schedule because of weather and other circumstances, and the tower can close when access to the park is restricted. On 31 October 2026 the English homepage showed "OBSERVATORY TEMPORARILY CLOSED" without naming a period, so check the operating status before you travel.
Until what time does the cable car run?
The regular schedule is 10:00 to 23:00. The last sale is stated differently by the tourism organisation and the operator, so do not plan on a one-way ride after 22:30.
Is there an early way up the mountain?
The buses 01A and 01B start at 06:30, and the Oreumi lift opens at 09:00 except on Mondays, when it is under maintenance until 14:00. The observatory itself opens at 10:00 in the regular schedule.