Nordkorea

Översikt

Capital: Pyongyang (pop. 3.158 million)
Population: 26,571,036 (2025 est.)
Religions: No religion 73%, Chondoism 13%, Shamanism 12%, Buddhism 1.5%
Languages: Korean (Munhwaŏ)
Time Zone: UTC+9
Driving side: Right
Calling code: +850
Electrical plug(s): Type A, Type C and Type F

Pengar

The local currency in North Korea is North Korean won (KPW). As of 6 October 2026 100 KPW is equal to 0.11 USD. In addition to the local currency, CNY, EUR and USD may be accepted for payment in some places.

Currency exchange services in North Korea are not as straightforward as in other countries due to its unique economic and political situation. Running a private currency exchange is illegal in North Korea.

Travellers should be prepared to use cash to make payments. The economy generally operates on a cash-only basis. Credit cards are rarely accepted. ATMs are not widely available.

The local currency is the North Korean Won (KPW). Foreigners are not allowed to use the Won. Foreigners are required to use foreign currency (EUR, USD, CNY).

El

The power supply in North Korea is not reliable. Electricity operates on 220V at 50Hz or on 110V at 60Hz using plug type(s) A, C and F. Electricity is not supplied to residential areas all day and all night in North Korea. Instead, rolling blackouts are common everywhere.

Pass

Most travellers will need a passport to enter North Korea. The passport must be valid for the duration of the stay.

Visum

All other travellers will need to obtain a visa from the nearest embassy or consulate or apply online (e-visa) prior to travel.

Entry visa requirements vary based on nationality, purpose of travel and other factors. Individual travellers are responsible for ensuring that they comply with all visa requirements, which should be confirmed with authorities at their destination prior to travel.

Visas

Entry Visa: Foreign nationals may only enter North Korea for purposes approved by the government and thus require a visa to be permitted entry. Generally, travellers are only allowed entry as tourists under a government-approved travel agency. The maximum duration of stay for foreign travellers is determined on a case-by-case basis.

However, visa issuance are suspended for most nationals due to the COVID-19-related border closure.

Lokal resor

Overview

Independent travel to North Korea is impossible, and travel within the country is severely restricted and subject to round-the-clock surveillance. Travel by foreign nationals is only permitted in groups organised by officials or by approved travel agencies; travellers are not allowed to drive or use public transport except as part of a tour. Foreign nationals will be accompanied by two official guides at all times and are often required to present their identity documents at police checkpoints when entering and leaving towns. Even North Koreans are not permitted to travel around the country without permission.

Travel Safety

Air Travel

Most travellers enter North Korea on direct flights from Beijing to Pyongyang Sunan International Airport (FNJ/ZKPY), located 24km (15 miles) north of the city centre. Flights to Pyongyang are operated by Air Koryo, the national airline, which also flies to Shanghai and Shenyang in China, and Vladivostok, Russia. The airline uses ageing Russian aircraft that are poorly maintained by international standards. Travellers are advised to use alternative means of transportation if possible. Charter flights, approved by the government, may also land at the airport. Your guides will meet you at the airport and handle your transit to your hotel.

Nordwind Airlines, a Russian airline, resumed flights between Moscow in Russia and Pyongyang Sunan Airport, marking the first direct commercial flight between the two cities in decades. Russian officials stated that the route will be serviced once a month.

Air China resumed flights between China's Beijing and Pyongyang Sunan Airport.

All carriers certified by the regulatory oversight authorities of North Korea, namely Air Koryo, are subject to operational restrictions within the European Union due to a lack of conformity with the necessary technical elements and requirements prescribed by the applicable international safety standards.

Airspace

Most commercial passenger flights to the country remain suspended. Russian airlines may enter North Korean airspace.

Borders and Entry

Entry ban:

• Most foreign nationals are not allowed entry. Diplomats, government officials, and certain skilled workers may be permitted entry. Tourists can normally only travel to North Korea as part of an organised tour. Independent travellers usually need a sponsor and permission from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. However, most organised tours are still suspended. Chinese or Russian nationals entering the country with visas for investors, technicians and traders are allowed entry.
• Officials suspended international travel to Rason, Rason Special Economic Zone, for foreign nationals. Previously, Rason was temporarily reopened for around three weeks from late January for most foreign tourists.
• Russian nationals are allowed to enter the country by air, land or sea as tourists.

Border closures:

• Sea borders are closed
• The land border with South Korea is closed. North Korean officials are in the process of cutting off access to roads and railways leading to South Korea. Such roads and railways exist between North Hwanghae and Kangwon provinces in North Korea and Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces in South Korea.

Border measures:

• Passenger trains connecting China’s Beijing and Pyongyang resumed operation.
• A bridge to China in Saebyul County of North Hamgpyong province remains open for emergencies.

Identification

Most travellers will need a passport to enter North Korea. The passport must be valid for the duration of the stay.
Travellers with passports where gender is indicated as "neutral" may be denied entry. Contact the nearest embassy, high commission or consulate to confirm if entry is allowed with passports where gender is indicated as "neutral". The country's laws on LGBTQ people are conservative, and overall social acceptance is low. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer travellers in North Korea might face legal and social difficulties.

Exit

While there are no known special exit requirements, reliable information from North Korea is limited. Travellers may require government permission to exit the country as its borders remain closed to most countries.

Road Travel

Traffic moves on the right side of the road. Inter-city and inter-provincial travel is difficult and requires permits. North Korea does not recognise the International Driving Permit, making it strictly prohibited for travellers to self-drive.

Very few roads in North Korea are paved and the road network is poorly maintained. Driving becomes especially dangerous during winter, late autumn and early spring due to slippery roads. North Korea imposes several traffic regulations, including on the sanitary conditions of vehicles and driving. Traffic officers determine if traffic violations have occurred and can impose fines or issue tickets. There are four major multilane highways: an expressway connecting Pyongyang and Kosong via Wonsan on the east coast, an expressway connecting Pyongyang and its port Nampo, a highway linking Pyongyang and Kaesong on the border with South Korea and a link connecting the capital to Anju.

Rail Travel

Most key cities are connected by rail. However, the rolling stock is old and the rail system is in poor condition. Fatal accidents have occurred in recent years. Visitors are not allowed to travel independently by rail, regardless of the route, unless part of their pre-arranged trip.

There are four international trains a week between Beijing, China and Pyongyang, and a daily service to Dandong, China. These trains have four beds in each compartment and 12 compartments in each carriage. Each carriage has two Western-style toilets and a kettle for boiling water. There is also a weekly train service to Moscow via China that takes six and a half days. Safety on these routes is adequate.

Public Transport

Buses: Few long-distance public buses run in the country, and it is likely you will only be allowed to travel by organised coach or car with your driver and guides. Within urban areas, buses are crowded and their use involves long periods of queuing. Pyongyang has a metro with two lines and regular bus services. Foreign nationals resident in Pyongyang are usually able to travel freely within the city, but permission is usually required for travel beyond a 30km (19 miles) radius. Safety standards are poor, and it is thought accidents on public buses are regular. However, official figures have not been released.

Taxis: Within Pyongyang, a limited number of taxis are available from hotels or outside department stores. However, they are often reluctant to take travellers unless they are escorted by their guide. Visitors are not able to hail taxis in North Korea.

Vehicle Hire: Travellers are not allowed to drive. International Driving Permits are not valid in North Korea and foreign nationals resident in the country must be in possession of a local licence obtained by passing a local driving test.

Movement Control Orders

Special permission is required to travel more than 30km (18 miles) from Pyongyang. It is generally very difficult to reach other areas, as local authorities strictly supervise travel itineraries, and travel agencies are allowed to reach only a few cities and places in the country.

Authorities also impose domestic travel restrictions on North Korean nationals. North Koreans must obtain a permit to be allowed inter-provincial travel.