In Part 1, we covered the basics — what the Bike Passport is, how to get one, and the two ways to certify (physical stamps vs. app). If you haven't read that yet, start there.

This post goes deeper: every certification center on the route, how the app actually works, what happens after you finish, and the multi-level challenge system that'll keep you riding long after your first cross-country.

The Certification Hierarchy: It Doesn't End at Busan

Most people think the cross-country route is the finish line. It's actually just Level 1.

Korea's cycling certification system has four levels — and each one unlocks a new medal:

Level 1 — Individual Path
Complete any single bike path (e.g., Nakdong River only). Earns a path-specific sticker.

Level 2 — Cross-Country
Incheon → Busan: Ara + Han River + Saejae + Nakdong. Earns the Cross-Country Medal.

Level 3 — Four Rivers
All four major river paths: Han, Nakdong, Geum, Yeongsan. Earns the Four Rivers Medal.

Level 4 — Grand Slam
ALL 85 certification centers across ALL bike paths in Korea. Earns the Grand Slam Medal.

The full Grand Slam network includes:

The Grand Slam is the cyclist's equivalent of climbing all the 14ers. Most riders start with the cross-country, get hooked on the stamp system, and end up riding every bike path in the country.

Every Certification Center on the Cross-Country Route

Here's the complete list — all 29 certification centers from Incheon to Busan.

✅ = Staffed — you can buy a Bike Passport and get help here.
Unstaffed = red phone-booth-style stamp stations, open 24/7.

Ara Bike Path (아라자전거길) — 21 km / 2 stamps

1. Ara West Sea Lock (아라서해갑문) ✅ Staffed
START. Passport sold here. K-water building, 1st floor.

2. Ara Hangang Lock (아라한강갑문) — Unstaffed
End of canal, where Ara meets the Han River.

Han River Bike Path (한강자전거길) — Seoul Section, ~56 km / 4 stamps

3. Yeouido (여의도) ✅ Staffed
Passport sold here. Near Yanghwa Hangang Park.

4. Ttukseom Viewpoint (뚝섬전망콤플렉스) — Unstaffed
Seongdong-gu, Seoul.

5. Gwangnaru Bicycle Park (광나루자전거공원) — Unstaffed
Gangdong-gu, Seoul. Last stop in Seoul.

6. Neungnae Station (능내역) — Unstaffed
Namyangju. Old railroad station turned rest stop.

South Han River Bike Path (남한강자전거길) — ~132 km / 5 stamps

7. Yangpyeong Art Museum (양평군립미술관) — Unstaffed
Yangpyeong county.

8. Ipo Weir (이포보) ✅ Staffed
Passport sold here. Yeoju area.

9. Yeoju Weir (여주보) — Unstaffed
Yeoju city.

10. Gangcheon Weir (강천보) — Unstaffed
Toward Chungju.

11. Chungju Dam (충주댐) ✅ Staffed
Passport sold here. End of Han River section.

Saejae Bike Path (새재자전거길) — ~100 km / 5 stamps

12. Chungju Tangeumdae (충주탄금대) ✅ Staffed
Saejae starting point. Passport available.

13. Suanbo Hot Spring (수안보온천) — Unstaffed
Great overnight stop — hot springs for recovery!

14. Ihwaryeong Pass (이화령) — Unstaffed
Near the summit. You earned this stamp.

15. Mungyeong Buljeong Station (문경불정역) — Unstaffed
Mungyeong area.

16. Sangju Sangpung Bridge (상주상풍교) — Unstaffed
End of Saejae, start of Nakdong River.

Nakdong River Bike Path (낙동강자전거길) — ~389 km / 12 stamps

17. Sangju Weir (상주보) ✅ Staffed
Passport sold here.

18. Nakdan Weir (낙단보) — Unstaffed
Between Sangju and Gumi.

19. Gumi Weir (구미보) — Unstaffed
Gumi city area.

20. Chilgok Weir (칠곡보) — Unstaffed
Chilgok county.

21. Gangjeong-Goryeong Weir (강정고령보) ✅ Staffed
Daegu area. Passport sold here. Convenience store and bike shop nearby.

22. Dalseong Weir (달성보) — Unstaffed
Daegu Dalseong-gun.

23. Hapcheon-Changnyeong Weir (합천창녕보) — Unstaffed

24. Changnyeong-Haman Weir (창녕함안보) — Unstaffed

25. Gureumjae (구름재) — Unstaffed
Near Uiryeong.

26. Yangsan Water Culture Center (양산물문화관) — Unstaffed
Yangsan city. Last resupply chance before Busan.

27. Binae Island (비내섬) — Unstaffed
Near the coast.

28. Nakdong River Estuary (낙동강하구둑) ✅ Staffed
FINISH LINE. Busan, Saha-gu. Passport & medal info here.

Quick Stats

Staffed center hours: Generally 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Many are closed on Mondays. Hours vary — if buying a passport is your plan, arrive well before closing time.

Don't Miss a Stamp: The GPX & Planning Trick

This is the mistake that ruins people's rides: they pass a certification center without realizing it, then have to backtrack 10–20 km to stamp their passport.

Two ways to prevent this:

Option 1: Download a GPX File with All Centers Marked

Before your trip, download a GPX file that has every certification center pinned as a waypoint. Load it onto your bike computer or phone, and you'll get an alert as you approach each one.

Where to get GPX files:

• Sanguru (산구루) — GPX tracks for all Korean bike paths
• Rhyshan's Blog — Full cross-country GPX pack (ZIP download)
• Bike Magazine (바이크매거진) — GPX/FIT/TCX files for 114 courses

How to load GPX on your device:

Wahoo — ELEMNT Companion app → Routes → Import GPX file

Garmin — Garmin Connect app or web → Courses → Import GPX → Sync to device

Phone (Guru Maps) — Download Guru Maps app → Import GPX → Works offline with downloaded maps

Option 2: Check the Next Center at Every Stop

Make it a habit: every time you stamp at a certification center, check where the next one is and how far away it is. Most centers have a route map posted nearby. Take a photo of it. That way you always know what's coming and won't accidentally ride past one.

This is especially important on the Nakdong River section, where centers can be 30–40 km apart and the path has fewer landmarks to remind you.

Do both. GPX on your device + a quick check at every stop. Belt and suspenders.

The App: 자전거행복나눔 (Bike Happiness Sharing)

The app is a digital alternative to physical stamps. Here's how it actually works.

Download

• iOS: Search "자전거 행복나눔" on the App Store
• Android: Search "자전거 행복나눔" on Google Play

Setting Up (Important for Foreigners)

Here's the catch: the app requires Korean identity verification to register.

Korean phone + ARC (Alien Registration Card)?
✅ Likely yes — most USFK personnel qualify.

Tourist visa, no ARC?
❌ No — use the physical passport instead.

Registration steps (if eligible):

1. Go to bike.go.kr and create an account (Korean identity verification required)
2. Download the app and log in with the same account
3. If you have a physical passport, register its serial number under My Page → Cyber Passport (사이버인증수첩)

Two Ways to Certify via App

GPS Auto-Certification:

• Enable location services for the app
• Keep the app running while you ride
• When you're within ~40 meters of a certification center, it automatically logs the stamp
• No action needed — just ride past it

QR Code Scan:

• Open the app → Cyber Certification (사이버인증) menu
• Point your camera at the QR code posted at the certification booth
• The app reads it automatically — no need to press a button
• Confirmation notification appears on screen

Physical + Digital: Best of Both Worlds

If you have the physical passport AND the app, register your passport's serial number in the app. This gives you:

• A digital backup of all your stamps
• The option to skip physical stamping at a center if it's raining, dark, or the ink pad is dry
• Proof of completion even if you lose the physical book

The Ink Pad Problem (And How to Solve It)

Here's something nobody tells you until it's too late: the ink pads at unstaffed stations sometimes dry out.

You arrive at a certification center after riding 35 km, ready to stamp your passport, and the ink pad is bone dry. Or worse — the stamp mechanism is jammed or broken.

The fix: carry your own ink pad. A small ink pad (available at any Korean stationery store or Daiso for about ₩1,000) weighs almost nothing and saves you from this exact situation. Toss one in your bag before you leave.

If the stamp booth is truly broken and you don't have an ink pad:

• Take a clear photo of yourself with the booth (show the booth number/name)
• At the next staffed center, show the photo — they'll stamp it for you

After You Finish: Certificate & Medal

You crossed the country. You have all 29 stamps. Now what?

Step 1: Get Your Completion Verified

At the Nakdong River Estuary (낙동강하구둑) — the finish line — or any staffed certification center:

• Show your completed passport to the staff
• They'll verify all stamps and apply an official completion sticker to your passport
• You'll receive a completion certificate (인증서) — free of charge

Step 2: Order Your Medal

The medal is sold separately — it's not handed to you at the finish line.

How to order:

1. Go to the 우리강 이용 도우미 (River Guide) website: riverguide.go.kr
2. Apply for medal purchase (you'll need to prove completion)
3. Pay online and wait for delivery

Or ask at any staffed certification center — they can help you through the process.

Costs

Delivery time: About 2–3 weeks after ordering.

Foreigner tip: The online medal ordering system may require Korean payment methods. If you can't order online, ask a Korean friend or coworker to order for you — or ask the staff at the finish-line center for help. Alternatively, stop by Platoon Cycles and we'll help you sort it out.

Foreigner Survival Guide

Let's be honest: this system was designed for Koreans. As a foreigner, you'll run into a few friction points. Here's how to handle each one.

Language

Outside of Seoul, English is rare — including at staffed certification centers. Prepare these phrases:

"Bike Passport, please."
인증수첩 주세요. (In-jeung su-cheop ju-se-yo)

"Please stamp this."
도장 찍어주세요. (Do-jang jjik-eo ju-se-yo)

"I missed this stamp. Here's my photo."
이 도장을 못 찍었어요. 사진 있어요. (I do-jang-eul mot jjik-eoss-eo-yo. Sa-jin iss-eo-yo)

"Where is the next center?"
다음 인증센터가 어디예요? (Da-eum in-jeung sen-teo-ga eo-di-ye-yo)

"Completion certificate, please."
완주 인증서 주세요. (Wan-ju in-jeung-seo ju-se-yo)

Papago (Naver's translation app) is more accurate than Google Translate for Korean. Download it before your trip.

Payment

• Physical passport: Cash (₩4,000) at any staffed center. No card issues.
• Medal online order: May require Korean payment. Ask a Korean friend to help.
• Carry cash: ₩50,000–100,000 is plenty for the entire trip's certification needs.

Navigation

Google Maps does not work well for cycling in Korea. Use:

• Naver Map — best for Korea, has a bike route mode

• Kakao Map — good alternative
• GPX file on bike computer — the most reliable option (see GPX section above)

The App Workaround

Can't register for the app because you don't have Korean ID verification? The physical passport works perfectly fine on its own. The app is a convenience, not a requirement. Millions of Koreans completed the cross-country before the app existed — using nothing but stamps and ink.

Your Certification Game Plan

Here's the step-by-step, from "I want to do this" to "medal on my wall":

1. Before your ride: Download GPX files with certification center waypoints. Load them onto your bike computer or phone app.
2. Day 1 (Incheon start): Buy your Bike Passport (₩4,000) at the Ara West Sea Lock staffed center. Buy a vinyl cover (₩500) and route map (₩500) while you're there.
3. Every center: Stamp your passport. Check where the next center is and how far. Take a photo of the route map if posted.
4. If a booth is broken: Photo with the booth → get it stamped at the next staffed center.
5. Carry a spare ink pad. Just do it.
6. Finish line (Busan): Get your completion verified at the Nakdong River Estuary staffed center. Receive your certificate and stickers.
7. After your ride: Order your medal online (₩7,500) at riverguide.go.kr or get help at a staffed center. Wait 2–3 weeks for delivery.
8. Get addicted: Start planning the Geum River path, the Yeongsan River path, and everything else on the way to Grand Slam.

Next in This Series

1. What Is the Cross-Country Route?
2. Planning Your Ride: Days, Budget & Gear
3. The Bike Passport: Korea's Stamp Rally System ← You are here
4. Stage-by-Stage Breakdown
5. Where to Sleep & Eat Along the Way
6. Navigation & Apps
7. What I Wish I Knew Before My First Cross-Country

Questions about the certification system? Stop by the shop — we've walked dozens of riders through this process.

Platoon Cycles
📍 157, Pyeongseongdaegyo-gil, Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si
📞 070-8845-7351
🌐 www.platooncycles.com