Airport
Incheon International Airport
IATA Code: ICNLocation: The airport is located 30 miles (50km) from central Seoul at Incheon.
Time: GMT +9.
Contacts: Tel: +82 (0)2 1577 2600.
Transfer between terminals: The two terminals are connected by moving walkways and inter-terminal shuttles.
Transfer to the city: An express railway connection is in the final stages of completion and currently operates between Gimpo Airport (which handles domestic flights) and Incheon International. It will reach Seoul central by 2010. Meanwhile, visitors can transfer to the city along the Airport Expressway by public or courtesy bus, or a variety of taxis, from the airport Transportation Centre. The journey takes about an hour and a half. Tickets and information can be obtained from the Bus Ticketing Office at Exits 4 and 9 (indoors) and Exits 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, and 9C (outdoors). There is also a ferry service from Incheon port to Yeongjong-do.
Taxis: To catch a taxi into Seoul, exit Arrivals via Gates 4 through 8, cross the street, and make your way to the taxi stands located at 4C~8C. The taxi ride to Seoul central will cost KRW40,000 to 60,000 and take around 1 hour. The expressway toll of KRW7,100 is paid by the taxi passenger. Deluxe taxis are also available; these are more expensive but have the advantage of accepting credit cards. Drivers seldom speak English so write down your destination in a Korean on a piece of paper.
Car rental: Avis, Hertz and Kumho Rent-A-Car operate from kiosks at airport arrivals.
Facilities: The well-equipped airport has bureaux de change and banks, a large variety of restaurants and other eateries, numerous duty-free shops and a basement supermarket. There is a mobile phone rental outlet and Internet kiosks, pharmacies, saunas, hair salons, a post office and luggage storage facilities.
Parking: Short and long-term parking, as well as valet parking, is available. Parking lots are accessed via the Transportation Centre outside the terminal buildings and are serviced by shuttle buses.
Departure tax: 10,000 won, included in your ticket price.
Website: www.airport.kr/eng/airport/
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Seoul
Encircled by mountains, containing a population of 10-million, and with more than a million registered motor vehicles inching through its congested streets, one would imagine the metropolis of Seoul, capital of South Korea, to be a polluted nightmare. The city fathers, however, have made a concerted effort in recent years to clean and green this thriving, prosperous city, also ensuring that the mushrooming of gleaming skyscrapers has not meant the neglect or destruction of centuries-old palaces and shrines. The result is a bustling, but organised, city filled with fascination, where old and new co-exist happily.
A great deal of the credit for the well-ordered urban planning of Seoul can be given to the ancient Joseon Dynasty, which used great foresight when crafting the city into a capital way back in the 14th century.
The old Joseon Dynasty city with its central main palace is now the traditional downtown heart of Seoul where many of the most popular sights, hotels and markets are to be found. One of the most popular areas for visitors to explore is Insa-dong, filled with antique shops, art galleries, traditional teahouses, restaurants and bookshops.
Across the Han River the modern city is dominated by Korea's World Trade Centre, and the Coex Mall, a shopper's delight. Even the island, Yeouido, in the middle of the Han River is densely packed with high-rise buildings; this is also the base for the Korean National Assembly, and the world's biggest Presbyterian church.
Interspersed through the urban landscape are several lush, green parks, the most central being Namsan Park, encompassing the mountain of the same name just to the south of downtown Seoul. Namsan Park is also home to the iconic Seoul Tower, which offers spectacular 360 degree views of the city and surrounding countryside.
Nightlife in Seoul is lively and legendary with something to suit all tastes, from a 'booze-cruise' through the raunchy red light district of Itaewon, or a sedate sit-down at a traditional teahouse. Eating out, too, is a feast for the senses in Seoul, with an enormous international variety to choose from, whether it is succulent steak, perfect pizza, multi-course gourmet, tasty tandoori or even perhaps classic Korean.
