Introduction
If you have completed all the immigration procedures, you should exit the arrivals and go somewhere, right? Your final destination could be Seoul, a small city in the provinces, or Busan. Here, I will introduce the fastest and most comfortable way to get to all the other parts of Korea except Jeju Island.
To Seoul
First, I will explain under the assumption that you know that Incheon International Airport has Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. You will be in one of the two. From these places, you can use taxis, buses, and Airport Railroad(AREX) to get to Seoul.
And the pros and cons of each mode of transportation, such as intervals between vehicles, fares, and convenience of boarding, are as follows:
| Intervals(Min) | Estimated fare(KRW) | Convenience | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | Always you want | 70,000~95,000 | Very comfortable |
| Bus | 10~15m | 17,000 | Quite comfortable |
| AREX | 5~10m | 11,000 | Moderately comfortable |
Now, I will explain one by one how to use each means of transportation.
Taxi
It is the fastest and most comfortable way to get to any part of Seoul. It takes about an hour to get to Seoul. During rush hour (8-9 AM, 6-7 PM), it can take more than an hour and a half. Unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous taxi drivers in Incheon International Airport who charge foreigners unreasonably high fares to get to Seoul.
| To be precise, depending on where you are going in Seoul, 70,000~95,000 KRW is enough to get from Incheon Airport to Seoul. Anything more than that is an unfair fare, so if a taxi driver asks for more than that, never pay and find another taxi. |
|---|
Now let's learn how to safely take a taxi.
At Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, exit Arrivals through Area B, C, and D, then exit the airport through Gates 4 to 9. Then, there is a place right in front where taxis are waiting to pick up passengers.
At Incheon International Airport Terminal 2, to catch a taxi, exit Arrivals and go to Gate 2 in front of Area A or Gate 5 in front of Area B. As you exit the Terminal 2 building and pass the area where buses are lined up, you will see taxis. If you exit through Gate 2, you can catch an international taxi, and if you exit through Gate 5, you can catch a regular taxi with a destination of Seoul. You can choose from different types of taxis.
- Regular Taxis: Typically orange or silver. Typically, these are mid-size sedans or compact SUVs.
- Deluxe Taxis: Usually black with a yellow stripe, offering more comfort and a higher fare. Typically, these are large sedans or mid-sized SUVs.
- Jumbo Taxis: Suitable for larger groups or those with a lot of luggage. These are usually large SUVs or RVs.
- International Taxis: With professional drivers who are fluent in foreign languages such as English, Japanese, and Chinese, you can move comfortably without any inconvenience in communication.
Taxi fares increase from Regular Taxi to International Taxi. Again, I emphasize that even the most expensive International Taxi will usually not charge more than 100,000 won to go to the easternmost part of Seoul. If they are charging an outrageous fare, do not get in that taxi.
Join the queue at the appropriate taxi stand for your chosen type of taxi. And tell the driver your destination in Seoul. It can be helpful to have your destination written in Korean using Google Translator.
International Taxi
Among these, we will explain in more detail about International Taxi, which is the best means of transportation to get to Seoul comfortably without ruining your first travel experience in Korea.
International taxis have "International" written in large letters as shown in the picture above, and have English instructions. The small "English" next to it means that the driver of this taxi can speak English. 1644-2255 is the number to reserve an international taxi. You can make a reservation by calling that number, but it is also okay to just get on at the International Taxi boarding area.
International taxi drivers can speak at least one foreign language, such as English, Japanese, or Chinese, and they charge a set fare depending on the area in Seoul.
International taxis divide Seoul into zones A to E and charge the rates set above. Please note that the rates for regular (standard) taxis and large (jumbo) taxis are different. The taxi driver will charge you the rate after arriving at your destination based on this set rate table.