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Airport

Incheon International Airport
Incheon International Airport is 52km west of downtown Seoul. Known as the Winged City, Incheon International Airport is built on reclaimed land between two islands off Incheon. Geographically, located between Japan and China from East to West, and between and Siberia Southeast Asia from South to North, the location of IIA represents a premier regional gateway to major air routes to about 40 cities, each with more than one million people. Opened in March 2001, the airport provides international flights connecting 70 cities in 30 countries. It can accommodate 170,000 flights, process 27 million passengers and handle 1.7 million tons of cargo annually. (Incheon International Airport: 82-32-741-0104)

Located at the World Trade Center Seoul in southeastern Seoul, The Korea City Air Terminal (KCAT) provides passenger and luggage check-in and immigration processing for international flight passengers. Passenger Service Charge tickets are sold here at a 50 percent discount. Currently, the service is available for those flying Asiana Airlines, Korean Air and one of 10 foreign airliners who have check-in counters at the terminal. A limousine bus service operates between KCAT and Incheon Airport at 5 to 10-minute intervals from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. (KCAT: 82-2-551-0077~8)

At City Air Terminal located inside Gimpo Airport, passengers for international flights can receive their boarding passes, check-in their luggage, buy discounted Passenger Service Charge tickets, complete immigrations procedure and board a non-stop limousine bus to Incheon International Airport. The check-in service is available only for Korean Air and Asiana Airlines at the moment. Passengers must begin check-in at least two hours and 20 minutes before departure time. Limousine bus service to Incheon International Airport departs every six to 10 minutes, from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Korean Air at 82-2-656-5141, Asiana Airlines at 82-2-669-1151)

From Incheon International Airport to downtown Seoul, there are several transportation options. Limousine buses run on 15 routes, including those to Seoul City Hall, Seoul Station, Yeouido and Gimpo International Airport. City Express buses offer six routes. Taxi passengers have to pay a toll for using the New Airport Expressway, which is the only way in and out of the airport.

Gimpo Airport
Gimpo Airport is 18.2 km from downtown Seoul. Flights to 13 Korean cities depart from this airport. The airport is served by subway No. 5 line. Several different bus services are available, including the Sejin Limousine Bus, KAL Limousine Bus and Airport Limousine Bus. (Gimpo Airport: 82-2-660-2114)

Bus

City Buses
There are approximately 400 bus routes connecting the farthest corners of the city. 'The Exclusive Lane for Bus System' is enforced at daytime. Fares can be paid with either cash, or a bus card as you board. To stop the bus at your destination, push one of the stop.

Kinds of City bus
Three kinds of urban buses are running in Seoul City: City, City Express and Deluxe Express. The City Express Buses are referred to as 'jwaseok' and are more comfortable than City Buses. City Buses are referred to as 'ilban' bus. You may get assistance from your hotel front desk to find out where the bus stops are and which number you need to take. You may also contract the Bus Route Information Center (Tel. 82-2-414-5005)

And there is one more kind of bus called 'Maeul Bus' that is a kind of a shuttle bus. It is run with a short-distance service course in the residential. These buses are smaller and cheaper than the normal buses.

Seoul City Tour Bus
Specifically designed for the touring of Seoul, the 35-seat luxury bus ensures passengers a comfortable ride by employing wide leg room and reclining seats. A tour begins every 30 minutes at the bus terminal. Tourists with a day ticket can hop on and off for an unlimited time from any bus at any of the designated tour-bus stops.

For more information: www.seoulcitytourbus.com

Transportation Card
The Transportation Card is a pay-per-ride card with 2 % added value and can also be used to pay subway fares. 10,000, and 20,000won bus cards are sold and recharged at kiosks or news stands near the bus stop.

When the passenger gets on the bus, he or she needs to place the transportation card to the card reader set beside the driver to pay the bus fare on the card. Then the card reader displays how much money left in the card. If one wants to pay the fares for more than one person, he needs to tell the driver how many people he wants to pay the fare for and place the card to the card reader as many times as the number of the people. (the Seoul Bus Transport Association at 82-2-414-5005)

Taxi

In Seoul, there are several types of taxis on the streets. Ordinary taxis charge 1,600 won for the first 2 km and 100 won for each additional 168 meters. Fares increase 20 percent between midnight and 4 a.m.

Deluxe taxis are black with a yellow sign on top and the word "Deluxe Taxi" written on the side. These taxis offer a higher standard of service. The fare is 4,000 won for the first 3 km and 200 won for each additional 205 meters or 50 seconds if the speed drops below 15 km per hour. There is no late-night surcharge. A deluxe taxi can be called at (02)-3431-5100.

Jumbo taxis are black minivans that can carry up to eight passengers. Fare rate is the same as that charged by deluxe taxis. Jumbo taxi stands are located at airports, hotels, train stations and bus stations, and on major streets.

"Visitor's Guide Taxis" have been introduced for foreigners who do not speak Korean. These taxis are black with a yellow sign on the roof and a label reading "Visitor's Guide" on both sides of the vehicle. Drivers speak English and Japanese. A special interpretation is provided in taxis displaying the "Free Interpretation" stickers on the rear side window. Three-way simultaneous communication is possible between the passenger, driver and interpreter in English, Japanese and Chinese through a wireless phone installed in the taxi.

Subway

Eight subway lines and one surface line serve Seoul and the outlying satellite cities. Lines 1-4 are operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation (http://seoulsubway.co.kr/english_subway/e_index.htm) and lines 5-8 are run by the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation. Colored differently between lines, Seoul subway lines link the farthest parts of Seoul and its satellite cities and cross each other at various transferable stations, marked by the symbol. The Korea National Railroad (http://www.korail.go.kr/eng) is responsible for the surface line.

In general, subway trains operate at intervals of 2.5 to 3 minutes during the morning and evening rush hours, and at intervals of 4 to 6 minutes during the non-rush hours. Tickets cost 600 won for area 1 and 700 won for area 2.

Train

Korean National Railroad (http://www.korail.go.kr/eng) provides train services in Korea. Tourists can use this fast, safe and reliable service with very reasonable prices. Trains run on strict schedules, offering a reliable alternative to traveling by car.
Three classes of trains are operated: Super express Saemaeul-ho, express Mugunghwa-ho and limited express Tongil-ho.

Seoul Station in downtown Seoul is the central station, through which about 90,000 people pass through every day. The station can be reached by Subway Lines 1 and 4.
Address: 122 Bongnae-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
Transportation: Get off at Seoul Station Transportation (ubway Line1 & 4)
Telephone: 82-2-1544-7788
For more information: www.seoulst.go.kr(Korean)

Cheongryangni Station, located in northeastern part of Seoul, is the originating point of Gyeongchun, Jungang, Taebaek and Yeongdong routes that connect Seoul with the East Coast and several national parks. The station can be reached by Subway Line 1.

Address: 588-1 Jeonnong-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
Transportation: Get off at Cheongnyangni Station (Subway Line 1):
Tel:82-2-1544-7788 (ARS)
For more information: www.cnnst.go.kr(Korean) 


Getting There & Away
A number of international carriers fly to South Korea. The international airport is in Incheon, 60km (37mi) from the capital; Gimpo airport in Seoul now operates domestic services only. The international airports in Busan and Jeju have flights to and from China and Japan. If you're flying from Japan, Tokyo is the best place for cheap fares. During the World Cup, look out for deals with Korean Air for flights to and from Japan. For flights plus accommodation, World Cup travel brochures offer special (if a bit pricey) packages. Departure tax on international flights is to be paid in won and costs in the vicinity of US$10.

Courier companies offer discounted airfares to passengers willing to accompany packages through customs; you may have to surrender all your baggage allowance and only be able to take hand luggage. If you want to extend your trip, you could consider a round-the-world ticket; this is a good-value way of seeing several countries, as long as you don't mind booking your stops in advance.

If you have the time, the Trans-Mongolian railway via Ulan Baatar to Beijing, with onward connections to Shanghai, is one of the world's acclaimed rail trips. From Shanghai, there are boats to Incheon; book this in advance. Ferries also run from Busan to Shimonoseki and Hakata in Japan, and from Incheon to Shanghai, Dalian, Dandong, Weihai, Yantai City, Qingdao, and Tianjin in China. You can get some great combined ferry-train tickets, eg, express train from Seoul to Busan, jetfoil to Hakata, plus a rail ticket to Osaka. Other combinations include: Seoul-Tokyo, Daegu-Kobe, Daejeon-Hiroshima, etc. To get to/from Russia there are ferries between Sokcho in Korea and Jarubino in Russia. The seafaring adventurer could hitch a ride on a cargo freighter; it's not the quickest way to go, but you'll see a fair few ports on the way and it's a low-cost option.

You can forget about entering South Korea by land.

Getting Around
All South Korea's main cities are linked by air, but the distances are small so it's usually not worth the extra cost. During the World Cup, however, Korean Air has plans to charge a flat fee of US$35 per single domestic flight. Land travel may still prove a better bet: buses are fast, safe and on time; the train network is extensive and services are frequent. There are two types of bus, express and intercity - the former go direct and the latter stop. Seats are reserved on the express buses (if you miss your bus, you must buy a new ticket), and unreserved on the intercity services.

The trains are also efficient: a high-speed service runs the length of the country and there are several local trains. The quickest trains are the saemaeul, with the mugunghwa not far behind. Tongil trains are cheap but lack air-con, and the 4th-class bidulgi and kkachi go at a snail's pace. Rail passes (KR Pass) can be a good bet if you're planning on travelling around for a few days. Allowing three, five, seven or 10 days unlimited travel on Korean trains, at the moment they can only be purchased in Japan or America, but there are plans to widen their availability. For more details on the rail pass see www.korail.go.kr.

Driving in South Korea can be difficult: it's expensive and traffic jams are a common problem. If that doesn't put you off, make sure you take an International Driving Permit. Long-distance share taxis, known as bullet taxis, go between big cities and major tourist sights. They're not metred so you'll need to negotiate a price before you set off. Cycling in Seoul is a bit of an extreme sport, but it can be a pleasant way of exploring the rural areas.

Water-babies can take ferries from the mainland to offshore islands and several lakes. Most cities have buses, but the stop names are not in English. Seoul, Busan, and several other cities have subways, which are convenient, cheap and comprehensible (all the signs are in Korean and English). Taxis cost more than the subway, but if you fancy treating yourself, deluxe taxis are comfortable, and the driver is smartly dressed and speaks English.
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The above material are taken from All Travel Korea
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