Korea Expat BLog

inCheon AirPort Express Mapo Hotel Residence

inCheon international Airport Officially opened 2001, by filling four islands (connected by narrow roads – which I myself enjoyed driving to, for then-secluded beaches) off the West-Coast Port City of inCheon . and because it is a good two-hours drive (the preceding GimPo Airport is an hour’s drive) West of its serving Capital of SEOUL, transportation is always a factor .

you basically have four options (in the order of sheer speed):

  1. AirPort Export Express Train to the old SEOUL KTX Train Station, West of old downtown SEOUL (direct and also a few stops in between)
  2. City AirPort Terminal Limousine Bus to COEX Exhibition Complex, South of the Han River in SamSungDong (direct)
  3. KAL (Korean Airlines) and Airport Limousine Buses (two different companies) offers about 30~40 routes to and around satellite cities
  4. by taxi which will cost you over W45,000 and car where parking may be a problem on cost, although they have a large under-and-above ground parking area .

the end of the Line at SEOUL KTX Train Station is built (2004) right next to the old SEOUL Train Station – erect 1900, now defunct – is largely a business district

( I should clarify because this whole area is a rather huge complex – some not seen as it is under-ground : the original brick-dome building of Japanese Meiji government facade is regularly used for college graduate art shows in the Summer, and the full-glass KTX Bullet Train Station built just South of it, contains AirPort Express dug-deep at its rear entrance at West-End – ticketing at B2 Floor and platform at an astonishing B7 Floor. then Subway Line 1 and 4 can be accessed again under-ground to its East via outside corridor )

so many opt.to pick lodging at the two stations just prior to terminus at either HongDae (short for Hong-ik University) or GongDok (the area is largely known as Mapo). HongDae has become a party-area for young English teachers, so many sleek AirBnB lodging and cheap guest-houses abound in this area – many quite a walk from the actual station and/or bar-clustered areas .

” Korean lodging FAQ : (note, the English terms are quite different in Post-Modern South Korean from say, American Mid-West in the order from expensive price) *hotel in full-service sometimes chains *residence is the latest no-frills block-building much alike Japanese business hotels, although designed a bit more boutique *AirBnB is dotted near subway stations all-over the Capital just like any other developed country *guest-house is more of smaller hostel, privately owned and operated*inn(yeo-gwan) is the faded old Korean lodging mostly in small buildings falling-apart “

20161216_171855_640x360BelMT
but for those preferring larger hotels and residence there are a handful of good choice in the Western region of old downtown SEOUL (as always, from West clock-wise to South with price guide with discount on WeekDays $=W50,000~80,000 $$=W90,000~190,000 $$$=W200,000~450,000)

  1. Casa Ville Residence ShinCheon [$]
  2. Lotte City Hotel Mapo [$$] with small pool
  3. Shilla Stay Mapo [$]
  4. Best Western Premiere Seoul Garden Hotel [$$]
  5. Conrad Seoul [$$$] with pool

– Korea Expat BLog –

No Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.