Tag Archives: subway

Feb2

To Incheon Airport… and beyond!!

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Public transport in Korea is truly amazing!  Getting around is super easy and there’s no need to buy a car.  Most foreigners don’t own one and most who want one (me) realise that it’s really just a luxury.   Even in the smallest villages you’ll be able to find at least a taxi that can take you to a bus terminal or train station.  This is where learning to read Korean comes in handy!!  (For a taxi, “bus terminal” is exactly that… in drunk-speech “bussuh tuminuuuuhl” and “train station” is “(city name) yeok” ex. “Seoul yok” or “Gumi yok”)

I remember my first time on a subway… It was in Daegu and the two subway lines were a strange experience for me.  Going to Seoul was a completely different ball game.  Roughly 12 subway lines that intertwine and connect Seoul with Incheon, Gyeonggi province, western Gangwon province, and northern Chungnam province.  O_o  Yalp.

Daegu Subway Map:

Seoul Subway Map:

My face:

Whuuut…??!

Turns out the Seoul subway isn’t half as crazy as it seems.  There are *awesome* apps for smartphones that can help you navigate. My favourite one for Android is called “Seoul Subway” (big surprise there..) by “Shining” because you can actually give it your departing & arriving stations and it will show you the route – depending on what you want. (Fastest route / least amount of transfers etc).  Aaanyways, this thread is actually about how to get from Incheon International Airport to Wherever You Want To Be.

From the airport itself, there are many options:

Train:

I’m not too sure about the trains to and from Incheon Airport as the information is only available on the Korean version of the Korail website.  I have never taken a train from the airport. Sorry!

Bus:

There are a number of “bus options”, the most convenient being Airport Limousine buses.  They literally run from the airport to your city, with a quick 15 – 20 minute break about halfway.  Some buses stop at 2 cities, but it’s really the most convenient way of going straight home!  Tickets can be bought at the Transport Counter on the Arrivals Floor (1st floor).  These buses don’t run 24hrs a day, but there are buses that depart rather late. (Final bus to Gumi is at 10:30pm, arriving 2am)  Here’s a map of the basic layout of airport & buses.  If you’re not heading for Seoul or Incheon but going to other provinces, you need to cross the road to find your bus.  This is also where you can take a bus to Seoul.  Bus fare, depending on which bus you take (deluxe or standard) can vary from 9,000w to 15,000w.  Not the cheapest option.

It’s reaaaally easy. Promise!

Taxi:   

Possibly the worst idea unless you want to go somewhere IN Incheon.  A taxi to Seoul station can cost you 100,000won (That’s about R750/$100!)  Also note that in Korea, if your taxi has to drive through a toll gate, it is added to your fare and not the responsibility of the driver.  It can really get expensive.  Also avoid taxi drivers that approach you in the airport already (or at a train station / bus terminal).  Koreans in general are very very honest people, but lets be realistic.  To them, you’re probably just the dumb foreign tourist who doesn’t know how to get from point A to point B or what it should cost.  So for taxiing from Incheon airport… avoid it unless you have no other choice.

AREX Subway:

There are two lines for the AREX subway to Seoul:  Express and Commuter.  The express line goes directly from Incheon Airport to Seoul station (non-stop) and the Commuter makes a few stops at other popular subway stops along the way.    I personally think the Express is a waste of money, as it is only 10 minutes faster (43 minutes) than the Commuter (53 minutes), but costs 13,300won. The Commuter only costs 3,700won.  Finding this subway is easy – just follow the AREX signs in the airport and buy a ticket.  There will be signs guiding you to the different lines.   The Commuter stops at the following stations:  (Note:  Hongik University is in Hongdae area, so if you are staying in a guesthouse / hostel / motel in Hongdae, you need to get off at Hongik University.  If you’re staying in Sinchon, also get off at Hongik.  It’s right next to it, so going to Seoul station first would be a waste)

Top line: Commuter

I haven’t taken this route back to Seoul. I usually take the AREX to the airport and limousine bus back to my town, but when coming to the airport from Seoul, the subway *might* make a “final stop” at Gyomam.  Stop panicking, walk out the door and just go straight.  There’s another line *right in front of you* (see pic) where the subway will stop to take you straight to Incheon.   I’m not sure if it does the same when coming back from Incheon towards Seoul.  If it does, (they will announce “This is the final stop etc”,  just find the door that looks like this one, but with the arrow pointing left towards Gyeyang! :)

As you walk out of the subway you’ll see this one. Just wait. :)

If you’re going all the way to Seoul station, you will be able to take a train to other provinces and cities or catch the subway (to wherever you want to go in Seoul) from there.  For the subway, just follow the Metro signs.  You will exit the station and go down some escalators (close to “Bennigans” restaurant).  If you are spending a few days in Seoul, the best option would be to buy a T-money card or dongle-thingy.  There are machines at all subway stations.  So instead of just buying a single ticket every time, you recharge your T-money card/Hello Kitty/mirror/heart-shaped-plastic-dongle-thing and swipe at the subway gates.  Saves a LOT of time and it’s also a few won cheaper.  Note that the “single ticket” machines and the “recharge” machines are different.  The machine where you buy the card/dongle is slightly bigger.   You can use the same machine to buy the dongle or card and to recharge it.  The card will cost 3,000won before recharging and the dongle about 10,000.  Definitely worth it since all the transportation systems will be T-money systems soon. (Currently (January 2012), Busan has a different system called Mybi.  You can use your T-money card in Busan, however at the moment you can not recharge T-money in Busan… at least… not yet.)  Most other cities accept T-money. You can also use your T-money card to pay for some taxis.

Tip:  We don’t have subways in South Africa, so if this is the same at other subways around the world, then great!  For those who don’t know:  When trying to find out which side of the line you need to be (which direction the subway is going) the signs will usually show the final station on that line, possibly the next stop as well as few busy stations in that direction – usually transfer stations)

Example:

For all of you coming over a few days before your EPIK Orientation to explore, hope this helps — if not, ASK!  Have fun and safe travels!

Nov16

I’d like to build the world a home… in Busan!

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From my old blog, posted June 11,2011:

… and furnish it with looooove! Grow cherry-blossom treeeees and sitting on the beeeeeeach .. okay I made that up.

There’s no other way to say it. I love Busan. Being from Cape Town this is probably where I feel most at home in Korea. The city by the Sea…

There are many ways to get to Busan. Subway, bus, train and airplane.
There are quite a few bus terminals in Busan, but you’ll most likely end up at either Sasang or Nopo-dong. Sasang is on the green subway line and Nopo-dong is the first stop on the orange line. Here’s a subway map to make this post a bit easier to follow – if you want to go there.

These are a few of my favourite thiiiings…

I am a green line junkie. Most of my favourite places are on the green line. So I’ll start from Sasang (stop 227), which is where I usually get off when I take the bus. Sasang itself doesn’t have too much to offer, but I must also admit I haven’t spent a lot of time there, so maybe there are some hidden gems. There’s a big E-mart pretty close to the bus terminal as well as a few clothing stores, but nothing major. As you make your way from the bus terminal to the subway, you’ll go through the apple clothing store – a bunch of clothing shops. They have some nice stuff, but I think the prices are a bit of a rip off. As you exit the apple store you’ll find McD’s, KFC, Crown Bakery, Baskin Robbins etc. There’s also a small little stall which sells scarves / boots / stockings etc. I got a very nice beanie-cap (5000w) and a pair of fleece lined leggings (10,000w) from the first vendor. The leggings are like SA ski pants with fleece in them… awesome for Korean winter!! I have two pairs now and wear one every day! Anyways, you go down the escalator to the subway and buy a ticket.

TIP: If you’re going to spend the whole day doing lots of stuff around Busan (getting on/off more than 3 subway stations) buy a day pass! Press English on the ticket machine and in the bottom corner choose Day Pass. It’s 3,500w and gives you unlimited access ’til midnight! If you leave earlier just grab a Korean who’s waiting to buy a ticket and give it to them saying “day pass” and smile. Good deed of the day.

Okay, so my green line favourites are… (From Sasang towards Jangsan – so you need to take the gates next to the ticketing machines)

1. Seomyeon station – Okay I’ve only been here a few times, but… There’s a huge Lotte Dept store with a pretty decent food market on the lower level. Awesome Korean restaurants and other food stalls as well as a grocery store with some imported foodstuffs and a nice wine shop. Before you get to the Lotte you’ll also pass a few shops like Krispy Creme and clothing stores like Converse and Uniqlo. If you walk from the subway towards Lotte and take the exit to your left, you will find a bus stop. Hop on the 68 (it costs 1000w) and get off 3 stops later. Ask someone to point you towards “Tractor restaurant”. It’s about two blocks or so from the bus stop. That’s the Korean version of Primi Piatti. It’s soooo nice!  I have only been outside Seomyeon station twice, but I recommend taking a day and exploring. I saw loads of clothing stores and other nice coffee shops etc. I definitely plan on checking it out soon! From Seomyeon you can also transfer to the orange subway line without having to go through gates again, but more about that later.

2. Gwangan – Gwangalli beach is just a short walk (5 minutes or so) from Gwangan subway station. This is the place to be on those hot summer nights. I love love love Gwangalli beach at night time. There are some excellent little bars and restaurant on the beach front. Also try Fuzzy Navel – the bar where your chair is on the sidewalk. They have some amazing cocktails. For a wide range of beers, try 700 Beer. There’s also a Wabar if you’re looking for some western drinks. What I love most about Gwangalli beach is the bridge that runs across the bay. At night time it’s lit up and changes colour. The skyline at Gwangalli is also pretty spectacular.

3. Millak – this stop is perfect if you plan on going to Costco in Busan. If you grab a taxi from here it’ll be less than 3000w to Costco. You can also take a taxi from Centum City, but the traffic is a bit more crazy, so you’ll spend ages at traffic lights while the meter keeps running.

4. Centum City – Where Shopaholics meet. Centum City is the home of Shinsegae, the biggest Department store in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records. You will find anything and everything at Shinsegae. Perfumes, Clothing, bags, make up, shoes, food. From Shinsegae you can also enter the Lotte where they have the Aqua mall. They have a watershow every 20 minutes – worth seeing if you’re going to be there anyways.

5. Haeundae – The famous Haeundae beach in Busan. This beach is very crowded in the summer, but it’s not hard to understand why. The water here is amazing! Also lined with bars and restaurants, although I think it’s a bit more commercial than Gwangalli. They have Burger King, TGIF, Bennigans etc. If you exit the subway and walk towards the beach, look out for a chicken restaurant on your left. I honestly can’t remember the name… but there’s a picture of a chicken.. :D The sign is black with white writing and there are blue lights inside. But they have really good chargrilled chicken and have some soju cocktail with that!

Orange line favourites :)

Okay so from Sasang station travel to Seomyeon station. Instead of exiting, check for signposts directing you to the transfer lines. You can go to the Nopo-dong side or Sinpyeong, depending on where you’re headed. If you go towards Sinpyeong, these are my favourite stops: (I don’t really know the other side yet)

1. Jungang-dong – This is the Ferry terminal subway station. If you want to go to Japan you can take the ferry here. Next to the Ferry Passenger terminal is a small white building. Here you can buy tickets to take a boat trip either to Haeundae (1 hour, one way, 18,000w) or a trip around Busan (40 minutes, return, 15 000w). There is also a Lotte – surprise surprise! But what I *really* like about this one is the sky park! From the top floor, go outside and take the elevator up to the roof. You will get to see a stunning view of Busan. Also pretty spectacular at night time! Lower level of Lotte also has the food court area where you can have some really healthy meals for a few thousand won.

2.Nampodong – Another Shoppers delight! Nampodong has a brickroad lined with Western clothing stores.  North Face, Merrett shoes, American Apparel – it’s all there!  If you’re looking for some cheaper options, take the side streets from there.  They are lined with Korean clothing stores and stalls.  You can get some awesome specials there!  Christmas time in Nampodong is also gorgeous – with lots of Christmas lights.  From Nampodong you can also take an escalator (well… 3 escalators or loads of stairs) up to the Yongdusan Park where Busan tower is located.  You can get another sky view of Busan from here.  You can also find PIFF square from Nampodong – also lots of nice restaurants etc. there!  There is also a really nice hair salon opposite the Paris Baguette called Hwamiju.  They’re a bit pricy but it’s sooo pretty in there! :)   (Ask for Jini! Her English is very good!)

3.  Jagalchi station – I’ve only been there for a few hours, but Jagalchi is known for the fish market where you can buy the freshest seafood.  You can also walk to PIFF square from Jagalchi, 10 – 15 minute walk)

Brown line

Okay seriously the only thing I know about the brown line is:  You can take the subway from Sasang to Deokcheon and transfer to brown.  Travel one more stop which is Gupo.  Gupo is a KTX train station, so if you’re wanting to travel by train and your bus stops at Sasang, it’s quicker to take the subway to Gupo, than it is to go to Busan Station (orange line).

And that my dear friends are some of my favourite sights in Busan.   Feel free to comment if you’ve found anything else.  Also note that these aren’t the really touristy things (like Busan tower), but more like a list of “Where-can-I-walk-around-in-Busan” type of places.

xx

Click here to visit the official Busan Tourism page.