Wikivoyage:Past events/Pyeongchang 2018


 * The Pyeongchang article provides a more comprehensive guide to those visiting the city, and the Gangwon article provides a comprehensive guide to the wider region. It is recommended that Pyeongchang 2018 article be read together with the articles of the host cities.

The city of Pyeongchang in South Korea was the host city of the XII Paralympic Winter Games held 9–18 Mar 2018.

The 2018 Winter Paralympics were expected to have 670 athletes from 80 countries. Competitions were held in six Winter Paralympic sports, with 80 medal events in total. Snowboarding will be expanded into a separate discipline for 2018, with 10 medal events.

Pyeongchang hosted the XXIII Winter Olympic Games from 9-25 Feb 2018.

Most of the Paralympic events were held in the venues used for the Olympic Games.

Tickets
People wishing to buy tickets in North America can visit CoSport's website to purchase tickets for events. Other ticket resellers outside of the US (Kingdom Sports Group, Cartan, etc.) are also selling tickets. Check these companies' websites to receive updates and make purchases.

Prices for Paralympic sporting event tickets range from ₩16,000 to 50,000. Opening and closing ceremony tickets range from ₩10,000 to ₩140,000.

Tickets are available at dedicated Winter Paralympic Games counters operating at Seoul's two main airports - Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport - and 19 high-speed railway stations.

They are also available at Seoul City Hall, Gangwon Provincial Office, Gangneung City Hall and at a selection of other Government organisation locations.

As of January 19, tickets to the Paralympic Games were 70% sold. (155,000 tickets out of a total of 223,353 allocated).

Accommodation
Rooms were scarce and expensive during the Olympic period, but availability is likely to be better during the Paralympics Games. The official POG website has some useful links.

Communication
There are several SIM card offers for tourists. You can rent a SIM card at airport or order a prepaid SIM card. Offers for prepaid SIM cards with international delivery: Korea SIM card, Egsimcard, Simcard-Korea

Also, because of national security reasons, Google Maps is not really functional in South Korea. Be sure to use Kakao Map (click menu at the top-left, Settings [설정], App Settings [앱설정], Languages [언어]). English mode is available, but it can be cryptic to a foreigner to find the way.

By air
Incheon International Airport in Seoul is the main international gateway for the country, and most visitors to the Paralympics will enter here.

The closest international airport is nearby in Yangyang.

By train
A new high-speed rail line from Seoul and Incheon International Airport opened in December 2017. Korail runs hourly express KTX trains. Journey time is slightly under 1½ hours. During the Olympic period, there was a direct KTX train from the ICN airport, so check the timetable for more info. There is a foreigner-only train pass 'Pyeongchang Korail Pass', which allows the passengers to ride any train operated by Korail, including the KTX.

By car
Car use near the venues will be restricted. If you are planing to use a car, then detailed research is advisable.

By bus
A. PyeongChang Mountain Cluster
 * PyeongChang Olympic Stadium
 * Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre
 * Alpensia Biathlon Centre
 * Alpensia Cross-Country Skiing Centre
 * Olympic Sliding Centre
 * Yongpyong Alpine Centre
 * Jeongseon Alpine Centre
 * Phoenix Snow Park (P, C

Public transportation: Transfer to the transfer parking lot (Jinbu, Yonggye, Bokwang, Jeongseon) via Jinbu Station (KTX), Changpyeong, Jinbu.

Transfer: Transfer parking (Jinbu, Yonggye, Bokwang, Jeon Line) After parking, shuttle bus to the venue or stadium.

B. Gangneung Coastal Cluster
 * Gangneung Hockey Centre
 * Gangneung Oval
 * Gangneung Ice Arena
 * Gangneung Curling Centre
 * Kwandong Hockey Centre

Public transportation: Transfer to the transfer parking lot (Gangneung Station, Seosan, Hongje, Seongsan, North Gangneung) via Kangnung Station (KTX), Gangneung Express)) Intercity Bus Terminal Transfer to the parking lot (Gangneung Station, Seosan, Hongje, Seongsan, North Gangneung).

Get around
''All the various ways of getting around Pyeongchang are described in the Pyeongchang article. This section describes specific transportation issues relating to the Paralympics.''

See and do
The Paralympic events take place from 9-18 Mar at the various venues.

Venues for the games are in two locations; the Pyeongchang mountain cluster and the Gangneung coastal cluster. All of the venues are within 30 minutes drive of each other.

Venues in Pyeongchang Mountain cluster:







Venues in Gangneung Coastal cluster:







Stand-alone venues:

Events

 * Alpine skiing (30 medal events): Para Alpine events at the Winter Paralympics include downhill, slalom, giant slalom, and super-G (the same events that are on the Olympic program). There are visually impaired, sitting, and standing classification events in each for men and women.
 * Para Biathlon (18): a combination of skiing and shooting
 * Cross-country skiing (20): 800 m sprints or up to 20 km, depending on the athletes’ class and gender.
 * Ice sledge hockey (1): six-man teams propelling themselves on sleds using spikes and two hockey sticks. Games are three 15-minute periods and are played on Olympic-sized rinks
 * Snowboarding (10): in snowboard. cross, often abbreviated SBX, athletes get three runs down a course and their best run determines their placement in the head-to-head brackets. In banked slalom, athletes get three runs, and the fastest run determines the results.
 * Wheelchair curling (1): co-ed teams playing six ends, and overtime if the teams are tied. Athletes throw the stone, or use a stick, to get it as close as possible to the center of the target. There is no sweeping.

Venues
Mountain Cluster:
 * Alpensia: The Alpensia Resort in Daegwallyeong-myeon will be the focus of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics.
 * Alpensia Resort – Biathlon, cross country skiing
 * Main Olympic Village – Athletes Village
 * Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium – Awards and Opening and Closing Ceremonies
 * Stand Alone Venue:
 * Jeongseon Alpine Centre – alpine skiing and snowboarding

Coastal Cluster:
 * Gangneung Curling Centre – Wheelchair Curling
 * Gangneung Hockey Centre – Para Ice Hockey

Calendar
In the following calendar for the 2018 Winter Paralympics, each blue box represents an event competition. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport are held. The number in each yellow box represents the number of finals that are contested on that day.

Buy
The only credit card that can be used inside the Olympic Park and at other venues is Visa. Cash can also be used.

Stay safe
South Korea generally has a good deal of security. Gambling is prohibited in Korea. Pyeongchang has a population of 43,500 so this city is categorized as a small city in Korea. The crime rate in Pyeongchang is 91.0 per 10,000 people which is the average rate of Korea, so it is not a city to pay extra attention. Moreover, Gangwon-do Province Police has a high arresting rate of crime.

However, visitors need a basic sense of safety. Especially, during a big event such as Winter Paralympic games, it is important for travellers to beware about pickpockets, beggars or violence. For visitors' safe travel, there are some emergency contacts. In Korea, civil servants can speak English basically, so visitors can solve many civil complaints without any problems if they report it in English.





Go next

 * Seoul
 * Past_events/Sochi 2014 – Prior Winter Olympics
 * Past_events/Rio 2016 – Prior Summer Olympics
 * Tokyo 2020 – Future Summer Olympics
 * Beijing 2022 – Future Winter Olympics