PYONGYANG TRAVEL INFO

.

To and from Pyongyang

Plane Pyongyang has plane connections with Bangkok, Beijing, Berlin, Chaborovsk en Moscow. Mostly used is the flight from/to Beijing, which goes twice a week.

Sunan International Airport. The airport of Pyongyang is located 24 km from the city, about 20 minutes by car.

Train Pyongyang has train connections with China, Mongolia and Russia (connecting to the Transmanchuria and the Transmongolia Express). Mostly used is the train connection with Beijing.
In April 2004 there was a train accident near the border, disrupting traffice, see Sinuiji.

There are as well Chinese as Korean trains. The Korean trains look like the Chines a lot. Ther is a softsleeper class and a second class. The compartments have four beds. Hot water is available. Coming from Beijing, in the Chinese bordertown Dandong the train will be split and two or three carriages will continue into Korea. The border is the Amnok River. If you pass the bridge you will enter Korea at the city of Sanuiju.

Border formalities Suitcases have to be opened and inspected and you will have to give a customs declaration and an entry/exit card. For foreign toursits the inspection is not that stict. It is the not the same for Korean travellers coming from China.

When travelling in Korea from the train you will see many fields with rice ar maiz. Sometimes there are political slogans. The villages look neat and tidy. On the stations you will notice the Kim portraits.

Orientation and information

Pyongyang is one of the few cities in North Korea where foreigners sometimes are able to walk around by themselves, although the local guides will not like you doing this. The big junctions have underground passageways. You will have to use them like everybody else; otherwise the very strict policewoman who controls her junction will at least reprimand you.

Post office The main post office is in the center, just southwest of Taedong Bridge. The International Post Office is in Haebangsan Street. The International Communications Center is in Pothonggang District, opposite the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium.

Changing money You can change money in the big hotels. The Trade Bank is in Sungni Street, near the Kim Il Sung Square.

Health care

Red Cross General Hospital of Korea. Tel: 28291. East-Pyongyang.

Pyongyang First Aid Hospital. Tel: 22758.

Pyongyang Foreigners’ Hospital. Tel: 22160.

Kim Man Yu Hospital. Tel: 28136. East-Pyongyang.

Pyongyang Maternity Hospital. East-Pyongyang. Showcase, opened in 1980, 1500 beds.

Mannyon Traditional General Pharmacy. No.1 Ongnyu-dong, Taedonggang.

Mannyon Pharmacy. No.3 Ongnyu-dong, Taedonggang.

Mannyon Health General Company. No.3 Ongnyu-dong, Taedonggang. Tel: 23048, 31225, 22891..

Local transportation

Taxi Taxi’s are supposed to be available at the big hotels or through the taxi center (tel: 33428, 45615 of 42007). However it might be difficult getting a taxi without involving your local guide.

Metro The Pyongyang metro is an easy way of transportation within the city. Pyongyang has two underground lines with a total length of 24 km. There are 17 stations, some of them deep under the surface. A visit can certainly be recommended. The stations have been, like the Russian example it seems, exuberantly decorated with reliefs and revolutionary paintings.

Bus City buses almost always are very crowded and many people can be seen queuing for the next bus. .

Restaurants

Foreigners usually only eat in hotels or special designated restaurants. There are many local restaurants at the road north of the center along the west bank of the river. They serve things like ‘Korean Cold Noodles'; red colored noodles, made of buckwheat, served with ricecakes, cucumber and salad. Changgwang Street near the Koryo Hotel is the place for local specialties.

Chongchun Restaurant. Kwangbok Street. Near the Tangsang Flyover.

Chongnyu Restaurant. Tongsong-dong, Central District. Tel: 48257. At the bank of the Pothong River. Four stories building in the shape of a ship. Many Korean specialties, like sinsollo.

Hyangmanru Restaurant. Kwangbok Street, Chilgol-dong, Mangyongdae Street. Specialized in Chinese dishes.

National Restaurant. In a basement. Inside the decoration is nice. Korean barbecue combined with many cold dishes. Sometimes performance of lady singers.

Ongnyu Restaurant. Tel: 31273. Big building in neo-korean style at the foot of Moran Hill and the bank of Taedong River. Korean specialties, among which Pyongyang cold noodles.

Ryugyong Restaurant. An Sang Taek Street, Morangbang District. Beef specialties.

Shopping

Market There is supposed to be a farmers' market in Pyongyang, but recently guides do not want to take you there.

Foreign Exchange Shops In these special shops the better (and scarce) Korean products and imported goods are sold. Things like liquor, cigarettes, bread, noodles, oil, camera's, cloths etceteras. Apparently these articles are not or difficult to get in normal shops. People who can come and buy things here are the ones with the good connections, probably most of them having relatives working abroad and sending them currency.

Department stores North of the city center along the river there are several department stores. Even if you do not want to buy anything a visit might be interesting as these stores more or less reflect daily life. Plastic boots I bright colors seem to be fashionable these days.

Pyongyang Department Store No.1. Near Kim Il Sung Square. Nine floors, open until 22.00h.

Pyongyang Department Store No.2. Oesong-dong, Central District. Near the Haebangsan Hotel.

West Pyongyang Department Store. Kaeson-dong, Moranbong District. Near the Arc of Triumph.

Children’s Department Store. Sungni Street, Kyongsang-dong, Central District. Near the Moranbong Youth Park.

Ragwon Department Store. Not far from the Changgwangsan Hotel.

Taesong Department Store. Sanwon Street. Near the Kim Man Yu Hospital, in the eastern part of the city.

Arts & Crafts

Arts en Crafts Center. The Mansudae Art Studio is a big complex encompassing many workshops. Her a lot of the big sculptures and paintings that you see in the streets are made. You can be shown around in the exhibition rooms where you can see propaganda paintings with off course Kim Il Sung or his son Kim Young Il. Nowadays some artists also are mixing popular western techniques and images with traditional Korean styles. Judge for yourself if you like it. There also is a shop, where they sell paintings, handicrafts and some nice pottery.

Changgwang Store. Changgwang Street, Central District. Near the Koryo Hotel.

Industrial Arts Workshop. Changgwang Street. Near the Koryo Hotel.

Pyongyang Embroidery Institute. Pothonggang District. Tel: 53546.

Stamps

From a philalistic point of view North Korea has a lot to offer. There are beautiful stamps, many of them in social-realistic style.

Changgwang Stamp and Stereo Shop. Tonghung-dong, Central District.

Pyongyang Stamp Shop. Otan-dong, Central District.

International Communication Center. No.2 Pothonggang-dong, Pothonggang District.

Books

Foreign Language Bookshop. Books about Korea, among which of course the Selected Works, CDs and stamps.

Entertainment

Theatres

April 25 house of Culture Corner Kumsong and Podunamu Streets, 4 km north of city center. Opened in 1975. Used for conferences, music, drama, and opera.

East Pyongyang Grand Theatre. Munsugangan Street. Near Rungna Bridge. Opened in 1989, 3,500 seats. In the main hall there is an enormous glass mosaic which represents the Kumgang Mountains.

February 8 House of Culture. Corner Podunamu, Kaesonmun and Pipa Streets. Opened in 1975, two theatres (6,000 and 1,100 seats). In this theatre sometimes there is a show of the Song of Happiness, involving 5,000 performers.

Mansudae Art Theatre. Mansu Hill (see above).

Moranbong Theater Moran Hill, opposite the Chollima Statue. Opened in 1946, 800 seats.

Ponghwa Art Theatre 6 km north of city center. Two theatres, 2,000 and 800 seats.

Pyongyang Grand Theatre. Corner Yonggwang and Sungni Streets. In 1960 opened theatre with 2200 seats. Operas and other performances.

Youth Central Hall Opened in 1989. Auditorium with 1000 seats, two theatres (2,000 and 600 seats).

Circus

People's Army Circus. Corner Yongung and Moranbong Streets. Big circus theatre opened in 1964.

Pyongyang Circus. Kwangbok Street. Opened in 1989, 3,500 seats. In Kwangbok Street in a modern part of Pyongyang, 8 km west of the city center. It is an enormous building. In front of the building is a square where you might see lots of children doing gymnastic exercises. The show contains a lot of acrobatics, performed in a dramatic, and sometimes politically inspired, style. There are also a few animal acts. Visitors are lots of Korean children and also some foreigners, mainly Chinese tourist groups.

Cinema

Pyongyang International Cinema Hall On Yanggak Island. Opened in 1989. In total 3,150 seats who seem to be only occasionally, during festivals, occupied.

Bowling

Golden Lane Bowling. Big building, few bowlers. Shoe-size up to 44.