How to Read BEXCO Across Two Exhibition Halls on APEC-ro, Starting with the Event Schedule

Centum City, which became the stage for the 2005 APEC meeting after opening on September 13, 2001

BEXCO, short for Busan Exhibition & Convention Center, is an international exhibition and convention center located at 55 APEC-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan Metropolitan City. Construction began in October 1998 and was completed in May 2001, with the center opening on September 13, 2001. As Haeundae, once a coastal tourist destination in Busan, developed to incorporate the business, retail, and cultural functions of Centum City, this facility was created as a base for hosting major international events and industry exhibitions.

It is also known as the venue for the 2002 Korea–Japan World Cup final draw, events related to the 2005 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, and the 2014 ASEAN–Korea Special Summit. In particular, the name APEC-ro is an urban trace of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held in Busan in 2005. This context becomes especially clear when BEXCO, the nearby Nurimaru APEC House, and Haeundae Dongbaekseom are included in a single itinerary.

Two buildings with different purposes: Exhibition Hall 1 at 26,508㎡ and Exhibition Hall 2 at 19,872㎡

The total exhibition area is reported to be 46,380㎡, with Exhibition Hall 1 covering 26,508㎡ and Exhibition Hall 2 covering 19,872㎡. Exhibition Hall 1 is a spacious, single-story exhibition venue with five halls, making it suitable for events with long walking routes, such as large fairs, game shows, and motor shows. Exhibition Hall 2 is divided into exhibition spaces on the first and third floors and is used for specialized exhibitions, conferences, and events.

Before visiting, be sure to check the event’s official page to confirm whether it is being held in Exhibition Hall 1 or Exhibition Hall 2 and which hall number applies. If you travel based only on BEXCO’s overall address, you may have to find the correct building again on-site. When several events are held on the same day, registration desks, entrances, and admission times may differ by event. As BEXCO is not a permanent exhibition museum, it does not have a single general admission ticket.

What the 4,002-seat auditorium and 22 meeting rooms reveal about BEXCO’s uses

BEXCO is more than an exhibition venue. The auditorium has a capacity of up to 4,002 seats, consisting of 2,645 fixed front-facing seats, 552 powered retractable side seats, and 805 unassigned seats. Concerts, award ceremonies, and opening and closing ceremonies for major international conferences may be held in this auditorium separately from the exhibition halls, so check the venue name printed on your ticket.

The Convention Hall has 22 meeting rooms on the first and second floors, as well as a grand conference hall on the third floor. The grand conference hall has a capacity of approximately 2,400 seats. If you are attending an academic conference or industry exhibition, follow the organizer’s notices to find out whether exhibition registration alone allows access to session rooms or whether a separate conference badge is required. International visitors should first check the event page for English-language information and whether on-site interpretation is available.

About 50 m from Centum City Station Exit 1: the simplest access route even on rainy days

BEXCO is approximately 50 m from Exit 1 of Centum City Station on Busan Metro Line 2. After exiting the station, simply look for the exhibition building in the direction of APEC-ro, making the subway the simplest access option even for travelers visiting Busan for the first time. From Busan Station, Express Bus 1001 is reported to take about 30 minutes, while regular Bus 40 takes about 40 minutes.

For buses, use the “Centum City Station·BEXCO” stop. Routes including 5-1, 39, 40, 63, 1001, and 1002, as well as 115, 141, 155, and 181, stop there. It is advisable to check route operation and intervals again on the day of your visit using Busan’s bus information service. Subway gates and taxi stands may become crowded when events end, so for schedules with concentrated departure times, such as concerts and gaming events, it is better to decide whether to leave 10–15 minutes before the event ends.

Admission is based on event tickets, not a “BEXCO fee”; the facility operates year-round

BEXCO is a rental facility that operates year-round, but the operating hours, closing days, and admission fees for the exhibition halls, performance venues, and meeting rooms that travelers actually enter are determined by the event organizers. Therefore, admission fees cannot be set uniformly; free pre-registration events, paid on-site ticketed events, and invitation- or registration-badge-only events may all take place. Without a specific purpose for visiting, access to the indoor exhibition halls may be limited.

The main telephone number is 051-740-7300, and the official website is https://www.bexco.co.kr. Check the BEXCO event schedule together with notices from each organizer for the event name, visiting hours, pre-registration deadline, on-site purchase availability, and re-entry rules on your visit date. Large events may have admission queues immediately after opening and just after lunch, so it is practical to prepare your online pre-registration QR code and identification or passport in advance.

• Address: 55 APEC-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan Metropolitan City
• Main telephone: 051-740-7300
• Official website: https://www.bexco.co.kr
• Admission: Varies by event

Paid parking and the on-site travel variable starting at 400 won per 10 minutes

BEXCO has paid parking facilities, and guidance materials indicate that parking fees start at 400 won per 10 minutes. However, the applicable hours, discount conditions, and availability may vary during exhibitions, performances, and sporting events. In particular, large weekend events or multiple events held at the same time can cause waiting lines to enter and traffic congestion when leaving. If your accommodation is within reach of Centum City Station, using the metro is advantageous for predicting travel time.

Guidance materials report that a taxi ride from Gimhae International Airport to BEXCO covers approximately 26.87 km and takes about 45 minutes. The airport limousine is reported to take about 50 minutes, while regular buses may take approximately 1 hour 28 minutes, although actual times vary depending on traffic and operating routes. Visitors arriving by car should aim to arrive 30–60 minutes before the event begins and check the event notice for parking discounts, parking lot entrances, and recommendations to use public transportation.

Continue to Centum City, 6 minutes from BEXCO, and the Busan Museum of Art, 5 minutes away

A half-day itinerary centered on BEXCO should be planned according to the event viewing time. BEXCO is approximately 50 m from Centum City Station Exit 1, and Shinsegae Centum City and Lotte Department Store Centum City are nearby, making it easy to find places for meals, shopping, or shelter on rainy days. However, simply moving around inside the halls can take considerable time on exhibition days, so it is better to prioritize the event’s end time rather than packing every facility into the day.

The Busan Museum of Art is located at 58 APEC-ro near BEXCO and is described as a five-minute walk from Exit 5 of BEXCO (Busan Museum of Art) Station on Busan Metro Line 2. The museum’s operations may change, including due to construction at the main building, so check its separate operating notices. If you plan to continue to Haeundae Beach, Dongbaekseom, and Nurimaru APEC House, it is less wasteful to confirm the event schedule at BEXCO first and then arrange the Busan Metro Line 2 and walking segments.