When flying to Seoul South Korea, figuring out how to get from Incheon Airport to Seoul will be your top priority. You may think that Incheon Airport is in Seoul, but in fact it is in the nearby city of Incheon, a 59km drive from the centre of Seoul.
There is a variety of transport options that will take you from Incheon Airport to Seoul. Alternatives include car hire, private transfer, taxi, airport express train and bus. Which you choose will depend on your budget, your level of comfort and the amount of time you want to devote to the journey.
During our trip to Seoul, we decided to test drive several of these transport options and we share our experiences to help you decide which form of transport suits you best.
Private Transfer from Incheon Airport to Seoul Hotels
The most hassle-free way to reach your Seoul hotel from Incheon Airport Korea is to take a private transfer, this is especially true for anyone on their first visit to the city of Seoul.
After a long flight, nothing is more comforting than entering the arrivals hall and seeing your driver holding your name card. Once in your car you can relax knowing that your journey is almost over, as you are safely driven to your hotel.
Choosing a private transfer removes the stress of having to negotiate with a taxi driver and takes away the worry of being scammed.
Click here for Private Transfers
Incheon Airport to Seoul Distance by Car
The driving distance from Seoul Incheon Airport to Seoul city centre is 59 km and takes around an hour if you travel outside peak hours.
During peak hours (6:30am – 9:30am & 3pm – 7pm) travel slows to a snail’s pace as the highway becomes congested with traffic, stretching the journey to two hours or sometimes longer.
This time difference is something that needs to be taken into consideration if you are planning to hire a car, take a taxi or the airport bus and driving the distance from Incheon Airport to Seoul.
Click here for car hire
AREX Express Train from Incheon (ICN) Airport to Seoul
By far the quickest Incheon International Airport – Seoul transfer would have to be the AREX Express Train. This convenient Incheon International – Seoul airport express train leaves from both Terminal 1 & 2 and travels to Seoul Station.
The AREX Express Train takes between 45 to 50 minutes to reach Seoul Station depending on whether you arrive at Terminal 1 or 2. Trains leave Incheon International Airport between 5:15 am and 10:40pm daily with fewer services on weekends and public holidays.
Trains depart every 40 minutes (later for weekends & holidays), and seats need to be assigned to each passenger before travel. This can either be done on arrival at the orange ticket machines at the entry to the concourse or prebooked online prior to travel.
During our visit, we chose to prebook online as it allowed us to arrive without the fuss of currency exchange. The process was easy, we downloaded the ticket voucher via the app on our phone and scanned it at the orange ticket machine near the train station.
We were surprised that the train was quite reasonable in price, costing us less than $10 Australian, a bargain compared to other airport express trains around the world. We also found that it was cheaper to buy a pre-booked ticket voucher than buying a ticket from the ticket machine on the day.
The train carriage had a large luggage bay and small area for overhead luggage storage. Our allocated seats were comfortable, and we had a relaxing train ride to Seoul Station in the city centre.
Click here to buy your online AREX Express Train ticket here
Onward Transport From Seoul Station
Seoul Station is not only the final stop for the AREX Express Train from Incheon Airport but also a hub for Korean intercity train travel. The station also connects to Seoul metro lines 1 and 4, which provides easy access around the city.
The best way to get the most out of taking the AREX Express Train from Incheon International Airport to Seoul Station is to stay at one of the nearby hotels. There are a few hotels within walking distance to Seoul Station and one of the best would have to be the Four Points by Sheraton Josun, Seoul Station.
Click here for Four Points by Sheraton Josun, Seoul Station latest rates
If you plan to stay in a different part of the city there are other methods for getting to your hotel from Seoul Station, these include taxi and taking the subway.
Taxi from Seoul Station
You will find taxi ranks at Exit 1 and Exit 3 of Seoul Station with each taking passengers to various locations within the city. Directions to the exits are signed as you leave the train station.
Subway Lines from Seoul Station
Seoul Station has connections to Seoul subway line 1 and 4. Line 1 connects to City Hall and line 4 connects to the lively Myeong-Dong area.
One thing to keep in mind when taking the subway is that there are a lot of stairs exiting the subway stations. Lifts were either unavailable or hidden and not easy to find. We often saw people struggling with large suitcases up the stairs.
Bus from Incheon Airport to Seoul
There are a range of Incheon Airport bus schedules that will take you to destinations across the city. We chose to take the 6015 Airport Limousine Bus because it was heading from Incheon Airport to the Myeong-Dong area of Seoul.
In fact, as luck would have it, there was a bus stop right in front of our accommodation, the Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong Hotel, which is across the road from the LOTTE Department Store Main Store. The hotel was in a fabulous location right in the heart of the vibrant Myeong-Dong area which is full of shops, restaurants, and street markets.
Click here for Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong Hotel latest rates
We purchased the tickets for the Airport Limousine Bus at the ticket booth outside Exit 6 in the arrival’s hall. After getting our tickets we searched for stand 6015, which displayed all the stops along the route. There were many buses to different areas it is just a matter of finding the right destination for you.
Be aware that the tickets from the airport can only be purchased at the ticket booth, the driver will not take any money or cards. Seats were extremely comfortable and roomy, almost putting us to sleep immediately.
Being outside of peak hour it took around an hour to get from Incheon Airport to our bus stop at the Ibis Hotel Myungdong. To stop the bus, you must press a buzzer, which was a little hard to find, but it turned out to be a red buzzer above the window.
The return Seoul to Incheon Airport bus allowed us to pay at the bus stop. Again, we were extremely lucky as the bus stop was the same one in front of our hotel. However, this time we were heading into peak hour, and we got to experience a much slower drive out to the airport. This time the journey took over an hour and a half.
There are a variety of bus lines going to different areas of Seoul. You can pre-book your bus ticket before you leave home.
If you would like to pre-book your bus ticket click here
Taxi from Incheon Airport to Seoul
Incheon International Airport taxis have a bad reputation for scamming tourists, often taking passengers on a long, drawn-out route to the hotel and charging astronomical prices for the fare.
If you do decide to take a taxi, be aware that there are late-night charges from 11pm to 4am that can range from 20% to 40% extra on the base taxi fare.
Incheon Airport and Gimpo Airport to Seoul Station
The AREX All Stop Train from Incheon Airport is another choice of transport to Seoul Station. This all stop train also has Gimpo International Airport along its route. This is a convenient option for anyone arriving or leaving from Incheon Airport and Gimpo Airport.
Although cheaper the All Stop Train is not as comfortable as the AREX Express Train. The carriage is a subway car with limited seating and a lot of standing room. The All Stop Train takes around an hour to make the journey from Incheon International Airport to Seoul Station.
If you are flying into Gimpo International Airport, the AREX All Stop Train is a short 25-minute train ride to Seoul Station.
Last Words On How To Get From Incheon Airport to Seoul
We hope this article has helped give you a better perspective of the transport options available from Incheon Airport to Seoul.
As I said in the beginning, the easiest choice is to take a private airport transfer from the airport to your hotel. We can also highly recommend the AREX Airport Express Train, especially if you are staying around the Seoul Station area.
Click here to pre-book the AREX Airport Express Train
The 6015 Airport Limousine Bus is perfect for anyone staying at the Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong Hotel as long as you take peak hour traffic into consideration.
Enjoy your stay in Seoul, it is a vibrant city filled with history, nightlife, food, and shopping. While there, make sure to take a DMZ day tour which is one of the most fascinating day trips we have ever taken. Have you visited Seoul? What is your favourite form of transport from Incheon Airport to Seoul?
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