Incheon Airport to Seoul

Incheon International Airport in South Korea is one of the busiest airports in the world, the main airport for Seoul, and a popular layover when traveling from the United States to many Asian countries. It is not uncommon to have a long layover at Incheon. And by long, I mean like 12+ hours! This is the perfect opportunity to leave the airport and visit the vibrant city of Seoul. Here is how to navigate the trip from the airport to Seoul, the capital of South Korea!

Customs

To get to Seoul, you are going to go through customs at the airport. When we got to customs, they asked that we fill out a card with information about what we are doing in South Korea. We just noted we were visiting for the day. They put a sticker on our passports and we were able to get through customs with no problem.

AREX to Seoul Station

After going through customs, look for signs for the “AREX” (Airport Railroad Express). There are trains that run from both airport Terminals 1 and 2 to Seoul Station. AREX is located on floor B1 in Terminal 1 and on B3 in Terminal 2.

The orange line is the express train that goes directly from the airport to Soul Station with no stops. The blue line makes all stops from the terminal to Seoul Station. The AREX express orange line leaves 1-2 times per hour, takes about 45 minutes to get to Seoul Station, costs about $10 each way, and your ticket assigns you to a specific seat. The blue line leaves more frequently, takes about 30 minutes longer, and is more crowded than the orange line, depending on the time. Both options offer clean and reliable public transportation!

You can purchase your ticket for AREX in advance online or purchase a round trip ticket at the easy to use digital vending machines at the airport. We bought a one-way AREX ticket for the orange line from the airport to Seoul Station at the airport that morning. Upon returning in the afternoon, the orange line was booked so we took the blue line back. You will need to have South Korean won (the local currency) to purchase a ticket for the blue line, but the orange line will accept credit card.

Both the Orange and Blue Lines have clear signs and are fairly easy to navigate.

Luggage Locker

There were no public luggage rental lockers at Incheon Airport when we were there. I just had a backpack that I wanted to store for the day so I took that with me to Seoul Station. There are rental lockers all around the station but they fill up in the morning - especially the lockers for larger luggage. We found a locker that fit both my backpack and my friend’s backpack. The rental locker takes a credit card and uses a passcode to lock the unit. Remember the platform and area for your rental locker at Seoul Station as it is expansive with lots of levels.

Luggage Lockers at Seoul Station

Interior of Seoul Station

From Seoul Station

From Seoul Station, Ubers and taxis are available. Taxis take credit cards. Some also try to do it off the record so verify they will take a credit card (if you don’t have won) and use the meter before hopping in. You will also want to show them the address in Korean which is listed in Google Maps. Uber might be easier if you don’t want to fuss with this. You can also walk, which is what we ended up doing to go sightseeing! Enjoy the beautiful city of Seoul. The people, the food, and the shopping is all absolutely incredible here!

Seoul Station

Looking at Seoul from the exit of Seoul Station

To the best of Seoul during a layover! Discover which historic sites, delicious food, and amazing shops to visit during your Layover in Seoul, check out this post.

Helpful to Know

• It is 15-30 minutes from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 at Incheon Internation Airport. The AREX provides transportation from both but upon returning to the airport, make sure you stop at the correct terminal.

• Checked luggage will be routed to your final destination so if you are visiting Seoul for a layover, no need to worry about any checked bags! Also, it might be helpful to check any bags with items you don’t need access to so you don’t have to carry it around and find a large locker.