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Transportation & Infrastructure Guide in North Korea

Public transit, airports, and getting around

North Korea's transportation landscape is dominated by an aging rail network handling 90% of freight and 60% of passengers, supplemented by limited roads and electrified public transit in Pyongyang. Key strengths include reliable metro, trolleybuses, and trams in the capital serving hundreds of thousands daily, while challenges stem from poor maintenance, energy shortages, single-track rails, unpaved roads, and economic isolation. Bicycles are the backbone outside cities, with rare private cars and growing informal taxis. Visitors face guided tours with restricted access to this unique, state-controlled mobility system.
Public Transport
Moderate
Road Infrastructure
Below Average
Public Transport
5.2/10

Pyongyang boasts efficient trolleybuses, trams, and a metro with 300-700k daily riders, running every 3-5 min from 5:30am-11:30pm. State railways cover 6,000+ km but suffer delays from worn infrastructure. Outside capital, transport collapses to bikes and informal services; limited integration.

Road Infrastructure
2.8/10

31,200 km network mostly unpaved, potholed, and poorly maintained; only 7.5% paved. Three major expressways (Pyongyang-Wonsan 200km, Youth Hero 43km, Pyongyang-Kaesong). Roads for short hauls (<30km), illegal for bikes in Pyongyang but common elsewhere. No advanced traffic systems.

Internet Speed
1.2/10

Severely restricted intranet (Kwangmyong) with no global internet for most citizens; elite access to 3G/4G limited to Pyongyang. Average speeds under 5 Mbps where available, focused on state surveillance over civilian use.

Avg: 4.2+ Mbps • Negligible; state-controlled in urban govt facilities only

Airport Connectivity
3.2/10

94 airports total, 17 major; limited international flights from Pyongyang Sunan to Beijing, Vladivostok, and select Asian destinations. No major global hubs; domestic flights sparse due to fuel shortages. Basic infrastructure with poor connectivity.

Hubs: Pyongyang Sunan (FNJ)

Transportation Costs

Metro Pass
N/A (subsidized tokens)
Bus Trip
N/A (minimal fees)
Taxi
N/A (informal, ~5¢/km bike carriers)
High-speed Train
Not available

Mobile Network

5G Coverage: None deployed as of 2026; state-controlled
4G Coverage: Limited to Pyongyang elites; 3G in select cities

Koryolink and Byol monopolies provide poor, restricted service; frequent outages, surveillance-heavy. Rural areas have no coverage; reliability low due to energy shortages.

Driving License

IDP requiredConversion needed

Foreign licenses invalid without IDP; tourists drive only on guided tours. Long-term residents need local conversion. Private cars rare, mostly military/govt; right-hand driving.

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