Fukuoka Visa Run
I paid W190,000 through a company called Hanguk Gosok Heyun (tel: 051-465-6111).
This includes:
Busan/Fukuoka return on the ‘Beetle’ ferry “smooth 3 hour crossing, 1 night’s hotel stay; small room but clean with TV etc., and a good breakfast“ an excellent variety of choices of food; fill your pockets for lunch! Also, it gave me plenty of time to get everything done.
If you need a hotel in Busan it’s best to stay near the KTX station as there is a good selection of cheapish hotels around that area and it’s close to where you want to go.
Busan to Fukuoka
The Beetle ferry goes at 8:45 a.m. The international port is a W2,000, 5 minute taxi ride from the KTX station. It’s on the edge of Jung-Ang. Just tell the driver ‘international ferry’.
Once at the port entrance, follow the walkway, then go into the main white building on your right as you head towards the pier. It’s the one where everyone is headed! Upstairs is the Beetle office where you can pick up tickets or sort out papers. You have to pay tax; I think it was only a few thousand, but I can’t remember exactly. They tell you when it’s time to board. Then there’s immigration etc. and you walk on.
The boat is quick and smooth. There’s a small bar / coffee bar / duty free area but other than that, you’re restricted to your seat. There are no decks to wander!
Ferry port to Tenjin Subway
Once in Fukuoka, follow the crowd through immigration and customs. Walk out the final door into a foyer, there’s a wealth of maps and info in English in front of you. Go out the main door into a small car park. To the left you’l see a white bus shelter near the main road where you can get a No.11 or No.19 bus to Tenjin subway station. They come fairly regularly; every few minutes it seems.
Getting on the bus, take a ticket and it will have a zone number. At the front of the bus there is a screen with zone numbers and prices. Match your number with the same zone on the board and as your journey progresses, so the price underneath it increases. That’s the amount to pay when you get off. To Tenjin is about Y180. When you get on just say “Tenjin” to the driver and he’ll call you when you’re there.
At Tenjin, put the correct money in the plastic box/slot next to the driver. There’s also a machine that will change Y1000 notes if you don’t have the right change.
Tenjin to Tojinmachi
The subway station is right next to the bus stop. Go down the stairs. There will be a row of ticket machines and a big lit-up map above them on the wall.
From the Tenjin you-are-here sign you will see Tojinmachi (Toe-Jin Match-ee) which is where you want to go to. It costs Y200 (I think!). There’s an English language option on the ticket machine but all you have to do is put your money in and press the button that lights up saying Y200. You can ignore the ‘change to other line’ buttons.
The machine will give you change. If you make a mistake, you can even put the ticket back in the hole it came out of and your money will be refunded!
(For other destinations, the number in the circles on the map above is the fare from the you-are-here to your destination. Press the appropriate button.)
Follow down the steps. The direction of the trains is written on the wall on the other side of where they stop. You’re on the orange line at Tenjin and there’s not a great deal of choice – two directions. You want to follow the arrow that goes towards Akasaka, not Gofukumuchi (yes, that’s really the name!)
Tojinmachi to Korean Embassy
Once at Tojinmachi (3 stops from Tenjin), follow the signs for Exit one, down the steps, back up the steps and out onto the street. Carry on in the direction you depart the station from, for a block. You will see glimpses of Fukuoka dome to your right. Take the first main road to the right. There are convenience stores, one on your left, then your right. There’s a big crossroads and you’ll see a Korean-style building on the opposite left white building, Korean roof and a Korean flag. From the station to the embassy is no more than 10-15 minutes. Go down to the guy in the booth and fill in the form.
Inside, there should be a pile of white application forms. Fill one out, hand it over before 2:30 and you’re sorted.
The next day, you’ll have to come back at 11:00. Turn up at 10 and they’ll send you away. Turn up at 10:45 and they’re okay. Picking it up literally takes 3 minutes, which gives you loads of time to get back to the ferry.
Back to the ferry
Reverse the previous steps to get back to the International port. If you go sight-seeing, you can follow signs for the Tenjin Kita gate of the highway which will get you in the rough direction or, again take a No.11 or No.19 bus.
The boat I took left at 2.15. Once at the international port, sign in at the Beetle counter downstairs, go upstairs and head to the right for immigration.
There is a machine which you have to put Y400 into for tax. Take the ticket, hand over your documents, then it’s another 3 hours to Busan and you’re done 
Other stuff
There’s a really good tourist info place at Hakaata, the main station (also on the orange line). You can get lists of bars and events, they’ll arrange hotels for you if you don’t have one. Not far from there is canal city, chill place for lounging or shopping. Near the port are a few nice temples, parks and shrines.
Additional Info
P. Clark sent out this note on an internet mailing list:
Hi, another way to go cheap is through Barota.com My son travels back and forth from Fukuoka to Busan that way.
