Transportation in Seoul

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Seoul, the capital and largest city in South Korea, accounts for only 0.6% of the country's total land area, yet it is home to around 19% of the population.^[1] The population density in Seoul demands a great deal of the city's transportation systems, which are regarded by many as among the best and most advanced in the world.^[2] Seoul is very well connected by its subway and bus systems, and the city is also very supportive of pedestrian foot travel. In 2006 it won the Sustainable Transport Award.

Airports

There are two

There are four types of buses:^[4]

• Red, "regional" buses that connect Seoul to inner suburbs.
• Blue, "mainline" buses that act as supplementary mainline transportation.
• Green, "branch-line" buses that extensively cover a certain area.
• Yellow, "loop-line" buses that loop around a certain area.

Intercity Bus Terminals

Seoul has many big intercity bus terminals. These buses connect Seoul to cities all around Korea. Major bus terminals include:

• Seoul Express Bus Terminal and Central City in Banpo-dong,
  Seocho-gu
• Seoul Nambu Terminal, also in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu
• Dongseoul Bus Terminal in
  Gwangjin-gu

There are also a number of former bus terminals, including but not limited to:

• Sangbong Terminal in
  Jungnang-gu
  , closed due to low passenger numbers
• Dongmajang Terminal in
  Dongdaemun-gu
  , consolidated into Sangbong and Dongseoul Terminals
• Seoul Western Bus Terminal in
  Eunpyeong-gu
  , closed due to financial difficulties
• Yongsan Terminal in
  Yongsan-gu
  , consolidated into Nambu Terminal

Subway

Seoul city government owns 11 metro and light metro lines that interlink every district of the city with one another and with the surrounding area. The majority of the population now uses the public transportation system due to its convenience and low cost. With more than 8 million passengers a day, Seoul has one of the busiest subway systems in the world. Despite this, it is highly regarded for its efficiency, its ease of navigation, its timeliness, and for the allure of all the shops and attractions that are present inside the subway system itself.^[2]

Taxi

There are two tiers of taxis - Regular (일반 택시, Ilban taxi), and Deluxe (모범 택시, Mobeom taxi).

Regular taxis start at 3800 won for the first two kilometers and are metered at 100 won every 132 meters, which equates to about 758 won per kilometer. If the taxi is going less than 15 km per hour, an additional charge of 100 KRW per 31 seconds is added to the fare. A 20% surcharge is added between midnight and 4 am. These are typically white or silver in color but also can be seen in yellow

Deluxe taxis start at 6500 won for the first three kilometers and are metered at 200 won every 151 meters, which equates to about 1325 won per kilometer. If the taxi is going less than 15 km per hour, an additional charge of 200 KRW per 36 seconds is added to the fare. Their name could also be translated as "Model Taxi" as their service should be an example of what a proper taxi is. Deluxe taxis do not have nightly surcharges.

International taxis 20% more expensive than Regular, Deluxe taxi. They speak English.

Seoul city council announced Seoul Regular Taxi will be repainted. They selected colour called Seoul Orange; look like similar orange or mud yellow. They are going to complete the painting until 2016.^[5]

Train

Seoul, being the national capital, is naturally where most of the major intercity rail and high-speed rail services terminate. This includes the KTX and SRT high-speed services 300 km/h services, and ITX services on conventional rail lines.

Major railroad stations are:

• Jung-gu
  - conventional rail and HSR services toward Busan, Daegu, Changwon, Pohang, Gangneung, and Donghae
• Yongsan-gu - conventional rail and HSR services toward Iksan, Gwangju, Mokpo, Jeonju, and Yeosu (KTX/ITX/Mugunghwa-ho), as well as ITX-Cheongchun
  services to Chuncheon
• Yeongdeungpo Station,
  Yeongdeungpo-gu
  - conventional rail services toward Busan, Mokpo, Yeosu, etc. as well as HSR service toward Busan via Suwon
• Dongdaemun-gu
  - conventional rail and upgraded higher-speed line services toward Gangneung, Donghae, Wonju, Andong, Bujeon, and Chuncheon
• Gangnam-gu - SRT
  services to Mokpo, Yeosu, Busan, Changwon, and Pohang.

• Oksu station and Wangsimni station - ITX-Cheongchun services to Chuncheon
• KTX
  services to Gangneung, Donghae, and Andong.
• KTX
  services to Chungju
• Gwangmyeong Station - technically not within the city, services most HSR services that stop at Seoul and Yongsan stations.

Payment

The most common form of payment that seamlessly works for the public buses and subways in Seoul is the Tmoney transportation card. It is purchasable for 2,500 won from machines at each subway station, as well as from most prominent convenience stores in Seoul. Money is able to be loaded onto the card, and then the card is tapped to a sensor whenever you enter or exit a bus or subway station, with the proper fare being deducted from the card's balance. Many taxis also accept the Tmoney card; those that do will often have a Tmoney logo showing on their vehicle.^[6]

International tourists have an alternative card that they can purchase for 4,000 won: the KOREA TOUR CARD. This card works very similarly to the Tmoney card, but it also provides discounts to many popular tourist attractions.^[6]

Transportation cards are not required to travel around Seoul, as cash and credit cards can also be used to buy tickets for each individual mode of transportation, though this requires buying a new ticket each time you travel. Additionally, transportation cards give slight discounts on travel fares and allow up to four transfers between Seoul subways and/or buses with no additional charges.^[7]

Foreign visitors also have the option to purchase a Korea Rail Pass from

• Plug-in electric vehicles in South Korea § Seoul

References