Seoul Airport is well served by public transport, both the metro and dozens of bus lines.
AREX Metro to Seoul
You'll always find subway stations underground at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. In the direction from downtown, Terminal 1 is the first station and Terminal 2 is the final station. You'll also encounter a train sign (Airport Railroad), but it's actually a classic subway like the other lines around Seoul.
There are two variants of the train/metro line. The station entrances are clearly differentiated and separated for both variants.
Official information can be found on the website: arex.or.kr
| Price | Frequency | Travel time | |
| Airport Railroad Express | 11 000 krw | 30-45 minutes | 43-51 minutes |
| All-Stop Train | 4 850 krw | 5-15 minutes | 60-66 minutes |
Airport Railroad Express
Express trains run the entire route without stopping and are marked in orange at stations. They only stop at both terminals of Incheon Airport and then at Seoul Main Station. Express trains do not stop at Gimpo Airport either.
Tickets can be bought at a machine where you can pay with a regular foreign credit card, notes and coins. Korean transport cards such as T-money, Cashbee or Mpass cannot be used for the express metro (see the Seoul guide for more on public transport tickets).
Alternatively, you can buy tickets online on the web: airportrailroad.com
- Travel time - 43 minutes to Terminal 1 or 51 minutes to Terminal 2
- Frequency - 30-45 minutes
- Price - 11 000 krw
- Last train from the airport - 22:40 (T2), 22:48 (T1)
- First train from Seoul Station - 5:15
Airport Railroad All-Stop Train
Theblue marked train stops at all stations along the route and also terminates at the main Seoul Station.
Tickets can be purchased from separate machines at All-Stop Train, but you cannot pay by credit/debit card, only cash. You can also use the Tmoney/Korea Travel Card/Cashbee or Mpass cards for subway stops.
Tmoney transport cards can be purchased from a special machine at the station entrance. One costs 4 000 krw, which you then need to top up at your own discretion at another machine next door. You can then use your Tmoney card on all public transport throughout South Korea.
If you choose to buy a single ticket, it is only valid for your chosen route.
- Travel time - 60 minutes to Terminal 1 or 66 minutes to Terminal 2
- Frequency - 5-15 minutes
- Price - 4 750 krw with T-money card, 4 850 krw with single ticket
- Last train from the airport - 23:32 (T2), 23:38 (T1)
- First train from Seoul Station - 5:20
For airport-bound stops, beware that selected trains end at Geomam Station.
The All-Stop Train is a convenient option if you continue on to Seoul by subway. Whether you travel on a single ticket on with a Tmoney card, you don't have to deal with additional ticketing when you transfer. When you buy a single ticket, you choose a destination anywhere on the Seoul subway network and it applies to transfers.
You can also read our detailed guide to travelling by metro in Seoul.
Buses
Buses can be used to transport you to the agglomeration around Seoul and the city centre itself.
There are very comfortable Limousine Buses to central Seoul, but they are considerably more expensive than the metro - a one-way ticket costs 17 000 krw.
The advantage of the buses is that they run on many lines throughout Seoul, so you don't have to change from the subway to the metro. T-money cards can be used on the buses. Tickets can be purchased from several machines at the bus stops or inside the arrival halls. The machines sell tickets for all bus routes to the airport.
The disadvantage is the risk of getting stuck in traffic jams and the longer journey times (about 65 to 80 minutes).
A complete listing of all buses, including timetables, can be found on the airport website: airport.kr/busRouteList
Night transport
At night, night buses are only dispatched to the nearby cities of Incheon, Ansan or Suwon. There is no all-night service to central Seoul.
Gimpo Airport
You can use the subway to transfer between Incheon - Gimpo Airport, but only the "All-Stop Train". Express trains do not stop at Gimpo Airport.
There is no need to change trains, the subway stops at Gimpo Airport and runs from Incheon Airport to downtown Seoul. It runs at intervals of 5-15 minutes during the day and takes 44 minutes to travel beyond Gimpo Airport. Tickets are available at 4 450 krw, or 4 350 krw with a T-money transport card.
Taxi, Uber
There is an official taxi stand outside each terminal where you first order a ride at a kiosk and are then directed to a specific car. Avoid the offers of taxi drivers who approach you in the arrivals hall and only follow the official signage.
Taxis operate solely by meter. The basic boarding rate is 3 800 krw. In addition, 100 krw is calculated for every 132 metres travelled or 100 krw for every 31 seconds standing.
In practice, you will pay between 50 ,000 KRW - 70 ,000 KRW to downtown Seoul depending on the length of the queue and the route.
Between midnight and 4am there is a surcharge of 20%.
Uber also operates in Seoul, but it runs at the same prices as regular taxis.
Car rental
Planning to head straight from Incheon Airport to explore the Korean countryside and coastline? If so, it's best to rent a car directly at the airport, where many multinational and local rental companies operate.
Prices for a week's rental start at around 540 usd.
