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Mark Ford
Welcome! It’s great to have you here searching for Seoul travel tips. Seoul is the capital of the Republic of South Korea and for decades the city known as The Miracle of The Han, kept its head down, barely raising a ripple as the country rebuilt in the decades following the Korean War. Today, Seoul has re-emerged as an economic powerhouse and the epicentre of Hallyu, a Korean wave of culture that is sweeping the world’s smartphones, food halls and dance floors. But Seoul wasn’t always so outgoing. In the 14th century, a 12-mile fortress wall encircled Korea’s ancient capital; its gates closed each night to keep marauding Siberian tigers and invaders at bay.
Since then the city has spilled out far beyond and above its great city gates and Guardian Mountains. 21st century Seoul is a city where glass and steel towers and the ancient curves of palace roofs coexist. It’s a city where the brushstrokes of the past and contemporary public art tell stories of tradition and inspiration. Coming to grips with Seoul’s incredible size and sweeping narrative can be a little daunting, so start your adventure at the K-Style Hub, a state-of-the-art visitor centre. Where South Korea’s past, present and future converge, from the latest in K-Pop to its timeless national parks, from the cutting edge of K Design to culinary traditions which have taken centuries to perfect.
Seoul is served by Incheon International Airport located 48 kilometers from the city center. When searching for Seoul travel tips and how to best get from the airport to Seoul, there are three ways that will get you there smoothly. Some cheaper, some faster and some more comfortable. Here’s a quick guide on how to get from the airport to Seoul depending on your choice of transport.
Train
AREX Express trains will get you into Seoul in 40 minutes and costs 9,500 won. Make sure to buy the express ticket and not the All stop ticket, because that will stop at every station. It’s cheaper, it costs half the price, but it takes 60 minutes to get you into Seoul.
Bus
The airport buses travel to all major parts of the city. Prices range from 5000-15.000 won and get you into town in 60-80 minutes. This can be a good choice if you’re staying in a particular area that’s not close to the city center.
Taxi
Taxis are readily available at the airport and range from 30.000-50.000 won, and they will get you to your hotel in 40-90 minutes depending on which part of the city you stay in.
When searching for Seoul travel tips and how to get around Seoul, the city hosts an extensive, cheap and reliable public transport system that will get you to the nooks and crannies of this massive city. Due to its size, it’s too large to walk around, although there are some areas like Bukchon Village that are walking friendly. Let’s have a closer look at the best options to get around Seoul when it comes to public transport.
Seoul Public transport
Subway
The subway in Seoul is inexpensive and will get you all across the city. A single ticket costs 1,350 won (around $1.30) and a T-Money card, Seoul’s travel card costs 2.500 won for the card and fares are for 1,250 won for every 10 kilometer travelled.
Bus
Buses can be a bit tricky to navigate because most bus drivers only speak korean and the bus maps are not translated to english. So sticking to the train is your safest bet unless you’re planning to go somewhere specific with the buses.
Taxi
You can hail a cab in the streets and shorter rides can be very cheap. Standard taxis are silver, orange or white and cost around 3000 won (around $3) for the first 2 kilometers plus an extra 100 won (10 cents) for every mile after that. Write down your destination on a piece of paper to avoid miscommunication with the driver who might not speak very good english.
Best Places To Stay In Seoul
Seoul’s population is over 10 million people and it’s a massive city. When searching for Seoul travel tips and the best places to stay in Seoul, there’s so many areas to offer and it can be a bit overwhelming at first. That’s why we’ve put together a simple guide on the three safest areas to stay in Seoul, to make the most out of your travel experience.
Gangnam was made famous by that dreadful K-pop song many years ago, but the neighborhood is actually an upscale area with plenty of high end restaurants, nightclubs, designer stores, and bars. A great place to stay if you want a luxurious Seoul experience that won’t be as expensive as one back home.
Seoul
Recommended Hotel: Hotel NewV
Itaewon is located in the heart of the city and is one of the best areas to stay for tourists in Seoul. It’s known to be a place where many foreigners gather in the pubs and it’s the place to be for great nightlife. It has plenty of good restaurants, bars, museums and shops.
Recommended Hotel: Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel
Myeongdong is one of the busiest and coolest districts of the city, with food markets and local shops surrounded by the skyscrapers. This is the place to stay if you want a vibrant and local experience of Seoul.
Recommended Hotel: GLAD Hotel Mapo
When searching for Seoul travel tips and what to eat in Seoul, this city truly is a food lovers paradise. The streets are filled in abundance with nice restaurants and street foods. Spicy or not, meat or not, rice, noodles, soups… Seoul has it all and here are some of the must eat foods when visiting Seoul.
Bibimbap
Bibimbap is one of the most well known dishes in South Korea. The dish combines rice with vegetables, beef, korean chili paste and a fried egg on top. Easy to find and can be enjoyed all over Seoul.
Kimchi is probably the most famous korean food, the fermented cabbage is delicious, healthy and widespread in Seoul. They even have a Kimchi Museum in Seoul to find out about the history of this delicious dish.
Korean fried chicken can be found everywhere in Seoul, from street food vendors, to small restaurants and fancy dining. Lighter and crispier than the american version and perfect with a cool beer.
Hotteok will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth. This is a dough based pancake filled with
Changdeokgung Palace
sugar, cinnamon and sometimes nuts. Deep fried and turned into a delicious treat.
N Seoul Tower
Accreditation: Lost LeBlanc
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Mark Ford – Founder of Plus1Travel.com – For More Travel Tips > Go Here
