| Subway tips and advice posted by real travelers and Seoul locals. • 76 Photos
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About every popular destination in Seoul has a train stop so get a stored price ticket and zip anywhere through town.
Don't worry about the language bit. Every arrival will be announced in English and Korean. Signs are also written in English and Korean.
Also, if you are carrying a huge backpack like me, friendly , English-speaking Koreans will look out for you....
Some of my best interactions with the locals took place in the Korean tube. Yes, apart from being shoved in the peak hours and stumbling about like a spongy mad cow, I've learnt a thing or two about Korean culture here.
Most of the locals take the public transport here as it is cheaper to driving their own car. So, it's not surprising to see a well-dressed, businessman taking the tube and speaking to you in perfect American English. Secondly, most of them even know where tiny Singapore is, thanks to our Korean ChannelNewsAsia anchor, Susan Chung.
Take the Korean subway if you want to immerse yourself in the local culture, also it is far easier to use, compared to the Tokyo tube.
As mentioned, do get a stored priced ticket if you intend to use the subway more than once. Not only does it save you time, you'll be spared of the indignity of coin-counting behind a cursing Korean queue. I paid 5,000won for a tiny orange ticket and it lasted me quite a while.
Oh yes, and grab one of those subway maps from the airport or visit the website to print out one for yourself. The yin-yang signs denote the inter-change stations. Leave a Comment
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If you've ever lost anything in Seoul there is one place you can go: http://www.lost114.com/ There are items, kids and animals that people have lost or found here...in true Korean fashion it's all online, of course.
The Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation has their own site too. There are 6 different locations depending on which line you figured you lost it on, but basically all of it is centralized online at http://www.seoulsubway.co.kr/english_subway/lost/lost3_1.jsp (Notice the English isn't 100%, but you'll be able to figure it out.)
Good luck! Leave a Comment
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The absolute best way to get around Seoul is the subway. It is clean, fast and safe. The lines are always expanding so no matter where you need to go in the city (and in some cases outside), it will get you there. Of course, just like Japan, the cars are crowded during rush hour and the trains stop at about midnight and start up again at 5:30 in the morning.
The subway maps in the stations and in the cars is Korean and English, color coded, and numbered and all stops all called out in both languages on a speaker in all cars and there is also a ticker for the hearing impared to read. They even tell you which side of the car to step off of as you approach each stop. The system is extremely easy to navigate given the size of it.
Many of the stations also double as underground shopping centers and meeting places for people; some pretty good fast food can be had in the subway.
Back to the size, you can now ride the subway from as far out as Kimpo airport to NE Seoul and to Choneon to the south. Also, since the subway connects with the national train service, you could quite literally travel the whole country by subway/train.
Lastly, the subway is very inexpensive. They just changed the the way rates are calculated to by distance. Basic rate is 800 won and goes up from there. The most you will pay is 2200 won to get anywhere in the city or to Incheon. A taxi by comparison will cost close to than that just to get moving. Leave a Comment
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On Sunday I had to go to Hannan-Dong from Yeouido so I checked the Seoul Subway website's route-finder. It said that it would take 30 minutes to get there. Go to Singil, change from Line 5 to Line 1 and then at Yongsan change again to another part of Line 1 (following the Han River)--should take 30 minutes.
It actually took about 50 minutes (to go 7 stations!). The reason is the Line 1 trains (especially on that part of the track and especially, again, on Sundays, have extremely long waits between trains...like TEN to TWENTY minutes! And, with two transfers this gets multiplied.
For that distance I'll take a cab next time. The cost would be a bit more but time would most definately be cut down. Leave a Comment
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The subways here are basic. Within 2-3 rides with a local you should have a grasp of how to: (i) identify stations (black poles at street level) (ii) read a map (versions in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese are available at the stations), (iii) know how to change/transfer trains (easy, there are lots of simple-to-follow maps in the stations) and (iv) find the right exit (again, lots of good maps in the stations).
If you need directions try to have a Hangul/Korean language map--locals are used to reading that and may take a bit to figure out an English map.
New link here. Leave a Comment
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the computation for subway fares are:
basic fare : up tp 10 km : 900 won
Between 10km and 40km : additional 100won per 5km
Over 40km : Additional per 5km 100won per 10km
A color-coded system, as well as a numerical system are used for routing. All station entrances, platforms and destinations are color-coded and clearly marked in English. Large subway maps are posted at each station and in each subway car. Although many foreign residents refer to each line by color (i.e. orange line or blue line), locals go by the numbers (orange = line 3, while blue may be line 3 or line 1). Each station has a number code (Seoul Station is 426 meaning line 4 stop 26).
You can buy a magnetized yellow ticket at a vending machine or ticket window at any subway stop. Validate the ticket by inserting it and picking it up as you go through the turnstile; make sure you keep it unbent or uncrumpled for use at the destination turnstile that will retain one-way tickets. Stand in line for boarding and board quickly. Stops are announced in Korean and English; markings on the subway map inside each car generally indicate which side the doors open for exiting at each station. In general, subway trains operate at intervals of two and a half to three minutes during the morning and evening rush hours and at intervals of four to six minutes during the non-rush hours. Depending on the line, trains begin running between 5:40 and 6:00 to stop between 22:30 and 23:00.
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Seoul has one of the world's largest subway-network with 8 different lines plus two additional lines connecting Deokso and Bundang.
The lines are colour-coded, clearly numbered and all information incl. announcements are bilingual.
Once you got used to the system, it is extremely easy to use and provides you with a fast and inexpensive way to explore the city without any risk of being stuck in traffic jams.
If you intend to stay longer than two days/nights in Seoul, I suggest you buy a T-Money pre-paid transportation card. This card can be purchased at all subway stations and certain kiosks. The card itself costs 2,500 KRW (no refund!) and can be used to pay for subway (T-Money users enjoy a discount on all subway rides, i.e. while a normal ride starts at 1,000 KRW, with T-Money it only costs 900 KRW), bus and taxi and it can be used at certain convenience stores, museums, parking lots, vending machines, etc. etc. etc. (the usage possibilities of the T-Money card are expanding rapidly).
Buy the card, put some money on it (e.g. 10,000 KRW) and enjoy a trouble-free stay in Seoul.
Check out the below web-site for more information: It includes comprehensive information on fares, timetables, stations and even step-by-step instruction-videos for things like "Purchasing a ticket", "Passing through ticket gates", etc. Leave a Comment
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Seoul offers a very extensive and pervasive subway system.
You can literally get anywhere in Seoul by subway (or close enough to walk) to where you need to go. Currently under construction is an extention to go through to the airport in Incheon.
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Station and transfer signs are in Korean, English, and a few in Japanese as well.
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Price starts at 1,000 Won for up to a 10km trip, and goes up 100 Won every 5km after.
You can purchase an electronic transit pass (T-money or U-pass) at convenience stores or banks, and have them charged up at the stations. They give you a discounted fare when riding both subway and bus systems.
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Click on the link below to go to a large fullscreen map.
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The first trains start up at approximately 5:30ish, depending on the line.
Last trains run untill approximately 12:15 on weekends, and 1:30 on weekdays.
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*BE WARNED!* If you are on the last train when it stops and you are not yet at your needed stop, you will have to exit the station and take a cab to where you need to go. Leave a Comment
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For me, subway is the best way to go around Seoul. It is very convenient to use (idiot proof ^^) as I have discovered. And all the signs are written both in Hangul and English.
For most places, the fare is 900W to 1000W (as of October 2004). Leave a Comment
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Seoul has quite a developed subway system. There are many lines, and it's everywhere. therefore, wherever you wish to go, usually it's there, All you gotta do is to buy a ticket and get it. However, to get the right place, you may have to transfer many lines, and that's not real easy. Usually subway's packed with people.. But anyways..
since you are down here to experience everything as a tourist, being packed in a subway won't be too bad, just for once.. maybe.
The cost is pretty cheap.. can be vary depends on how far you travel... it can cost from about 0.8 $to 2$ maximum. Leave a Comment Theme: Subway/Metro
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