How to Get to Seoul

Seoul has two airports. Nearly every long-haul flight lands at Incheon (ICN), on an island about an hour west of the centre. Gimpo (GMP), much closer, handles domestic flights and a few short routes to Tokyo, Osaka, Shanghai and Taipei.

Incheon by train

The AREX airport railway has two services. The Express train runs non-stop to Seoul Station in about 45 minutes, with reserved seats and luggage space. The All-stop train is cheaper and takes about an hour, but it calls at Gimpo Airport, Digital Media City, Hongik University (for Hongdae), Gongdeok and Seoul Station, so it's often the more useful one. From Seoul Station, change to subway line 4, which reaches Myeongdong in two stops.

Incheon by bus or taxi

Airport limousine buses leave from the arrivals floor to almost every hotel district: Myeongdong, Jongno, Gangnam, Jamsil and more. With heavy bags, they beat hauling luggage through the subway. A few night buses run after the trains stop. Taxis to the centre take about an hour and are expensive; use the official rank, not the men who approach you inside.

From Gimpo

Gimpo is on the AREX line and subway lines 5 and 9, so the centre is 20 to 40 minutes away.

Transport cards

A T-money card pays for the subway, buses, taxis and convenience stores. Buy one at a convenience store or station machine, and top it up with cash at the station machines. Tap in and out on buses too, or you pay a penalty on the next ride. For heavy use, look at the short-term Climate Card for visitors, sold for one to seven days with unlimited subway and bus rides inside Seoul. It doesn't cover the AREX Express, and the rules change often, so check the official Seoul transport site first. Several prepaid travel cards also combine T-money with a currency exchange.

Getting around

The subway has more than twenty lines, colour-coded and numbered, with English announcements and station numbers. It stops around midnight. Use Naver Map or Kakao Map rather than Google Maps for directions; they tell you which carriage to board for the quickest exit. Our Seoul travel guide covers the other apps.

Onward by train

The KTX high-speed train reaches Busan in about two and a half hours from Seoul Station, and Gyeongju and Jeonju are easy side trips. The separate SRT line leaves from Suseo in the south-east, which suits Gangnam. For shorter trips from the city, see our day trips guide.