The old Donghae rail line along Busan's northeast coast has been turned into the Blueline Park — a walking path, a beach train, and the famous sky capsules running above the water. Walking it from Mipo to Cheongsapo and back is the best half-day on the Busan coast. Budget 30,000 KRW if you ride the capsule one way.
Start at Mipo
Begin at the Mipo end of Haeundae Beach — the small harbor where the fishing boats still come in. The Blueline Park station is right there. Decide now: walk both ways (free), or book the sky capsule for the outbound leg. The capsule — a small four-person pod on an elevated track — runs 35,000 KRW per pod one-way to Cheongsapo and sells out days ahead on weekends; book online. The beach train below it is the cheaper fallback at 7,000–12,000 KRW.
The Walk
The path follows the old railbed — flat, paved, and pinned between the cliffs and the sea. From Mipo it is about 2 km to Cheongsapo, the small fishing village at the midpoint, where the twin lighthouses (one red, one white) mark the harbor mouth. The Daritdol skywalk here — a glass-floored walkway out over the water — is free and worth the short detour.
Continue another 2.5 km to Songjeong if your legs are willing; the path gets quieter and the views open up. Songjeong Beach at the end is the locals' beach — surf schools, clam grills, none of Haeundae's hotel towers.
The Return
Ride the beach train back from Cheongsapo or Songjeong if you walked out, or walk back as the light drops — the path faces west-ish and late afternoon is the best light on the water. Either way, end at Dalmaji Hill above Mipo: the cafe street on the ridge has been Busan's date spot for decades, and the view down over Haeundae's curve at dusk explains why.
Timing
Two to three hours walking, half a day with stops. Go on a clear day — the whole point is the water.