As the capital and most populous city of South Korea, Seoul is often the first or primary destination for international visitors. Incheon Airport is the main gateway for the arrival of international travelers before they can enter Korea and start exploring the country. However, Incheon Airport is not located in downtown Seoul or outskirts of Seoul. Instead, the airport is located on Yeongjong Island in Incheon, around 60 km southwest of central Seoul.

A common question from visitors arriving at Incheon Airport is, “How do I get from Incheon Airport to Seoul?” General answers to the question about the transport options from Incheon Airport to Seoul can be found on the official Seoul metro government website or Incheon airport web portal. Yet, as you scroll the information on the pages, you may find out that the information has not been updated or the details are insufficient. You may also need more context on how you can use each option, as for example supported payment method, daily schedule, waiting area location, options for late night arrival, and so forth.

Incheon Airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. There are slight differences on how you can get to Seoul from each terminal. In this article, we focus on the circumstances where your flight arrives at Terminal 1. We will guide you on the various transfer options you can choose for getting to Seoul from Incheon Airport Terminal 1. We go deep in this article, providing you with the detailed information you have been looking for so that you’re well prepared for your upcoming trip to Korea.

Let’s get started.

Incheon Airport Terminal 1 Floor Plan for Arrival

When you arrive at Incheon Airport, you will have to go through the arrival procedures before you can enter Korea. After clearing immigration and collecting your checked luggage, you will go through the customs. If you have nothing to declare, you can simply walk through the green lane. South Korea stopped collecting customs declaration form for non declaring visitors since May 1st, 2023 so there is no need to fill and submit customs declaration form to the customs officer. However, in case you have items to declare, you should walk through the red lane to have your luggage and carry-on items inspected.

After clearing customs, you will exit the restricted area and enter the arrival hall. There are 6 arrival halls named Arrival Hall A to Arrival Hall F. Your arrival hall depends on the location of the baggage carousel number assigned to your flight. Once you’re in the arrival hall, you have officially entered Korea and can take your transport of choice to get to Seoul.

In the picture below, you can see the floor plan for the landside area of Incheon Airport at Terminal 1. The arrival hall, where you’re now standing is located on the first floor. Buses, taxis, ride hailing services, and chartered vehicles are accessible outside of the exits on the first floor. To take metro or subway system, you need to go down one level to the B1 floor. For the case of transferring to Terminal 2 using the airport shuttle bus, you will have to go up to the departure level on the third floor to get to the bus stop.

If you plan to use public transport to get to Seoul and during your stay in Korea, it is important that you bring a Korean transportation card with you.

Securing Your Transportation Card

Having a transportation card is essential when traveling to Korea. Public transportation in South Korea is so massive, interconnected, and integrated. Suffice to say, you will experience an excellent public transport system while in Korea. Bus and metro/subway system are also linked so that you can transfer between subway lines, between bus lines, and from a subway to a bus or vice versa for free.

Using transportation card to pay for your public transportation ride has several benefits. First, the price you pay is less compared to paying a single journey ticket. Usually, there is a KRW 100 deduction for payment with transportation card. Secondly, you further save cost from the free transfer system. Let’s say you take a wrong bus number. You can get off at the next bus stop and wait to get on the right bus without paying extra. This is different with paying by cash whereas you have to pay every time you get on the bus.

There are two types of Korean transportation card based on how you pay for your ride: post paid and pre-paid. Post paid transportation card is usually integrated into a Korean debit card or credit card. You are billed monthly on your rides and you pay the total amount of public transportation costs from the previous month or billing cycle. However, this type of transportation card is only available to Koreans or registered foreigners in Korea with Korean bank accounts. Tourists or visitors can only use pre-paid transportation card that should be loaded with balance prior to use. The balance will then be deducted every time you take a public transportation ride.

There are various types of pre-paid transportation card. The popular ones are T-Money card, WOWPASS card, and Climate card.

T-Money Card

T-Money card is the flagship Korean pre-paid transportation card. It can be used in Seoul and also other regions in Korea. You can buy T-money card at local convenience stores like GS25 or CU. To top up the card, you can use the ticket kiosks at the metro stations. Alternatively, you can go to a convenience store and ask the staff whether you can add balance to your card there. Your payment to top up the card should be made in cash.

You can also buy T-money card before your departure and pick up the card at the designated location in the arrival hall on the first floor of Incheon Airport Terminal 1.

WOWPASS Card

WOWPASS card combines T-money transportation card with Korean pre-paid debit card. Not only can you use the card when taking a public transportation ride, WOWPASS card can also be used to shop at stores in Korea. Different with T-Money card that is only accepted as a payment method at some stores (mostly convenience stores), WOWPASS card can be used anywhere in Korea as long as the store has a card reader machine. This card is the right choice when you are into shopping and prefer using just a single card for many things instead of dealing with card clutter.

You can buy WOWPASS card voucher before your departure to Korea. As you arrive at Incheon Airport, you can redeem the voucher at the WOWPASS machine installed in front of CU convenient store near Arrival Hall A on the first floor of Incheon Airport Terminal 1.

Alternatively, you can also pre-purchase and pick up the card at one of the CU convenient stores located in the arrival hall.

Climate Card

Climate card is a special transportation card issued by Seoul metropolitan government that offers unlimited public transport rides in Seoul (bus, metro, and bike) for a certain period of time with a one-time fare. If you spend most of the time in Seoul during your stay in Korea, this is the right transportation card for you. However, note that this card will not work outside of Seoul. When you use public transportation to travel outside of Seoul, you can only use standard transportation card (e.g. T-money card). For optimal use, combine this card with Discover Seoul Pass that gives you unlimited free entries to more than 70 top tourist attractions in Seoul.

Transport Options from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul

Now that you have your transportation card secured, let’s review your transport options for getting to Seoul from Incheon Airport Terminal 1. The transport options that you can choose to get to Seoul are as follows:

• AREX express
• AREX all-stop train
• Airport bus (airport limousine)
• Standard Seoul taxi
• International taxi
• Premium / deluxe taxi
• Jumbo taxi
• Call van
• Ride hailing service
• Private transfer

Let’s dive into more details for each option.

AREX Express

AREX (Airport Railroad Express) is a special railway line connecting Incheon Airport with Seoul area. There are two types of AREX train: express train and all-stop train. AREX express trains do not make in-between stops when traveling between Incheon Airport and Seoul. Each passenger is seated in their designated seat number when traveling with the express train.

With travel time at 43 minutes, AREX express is the fastest method you can choose when going from Incheon Airport to Seoul.

Route: Incheon Airport Terminal 1 – Seoul Station (non stop)

How to use:
From the arrival hall, use the elevator or escalator to go down one level to B1 floor. Follow the sign that points the direction to Airport Railroad.

Once you arrive at the station, buy a ticket if you haven’t bought one and scan the barcode on the ticket at the ticket gate to enter the boarding area. Wait on the train platform until the express train arrives. Once it arrives, locate your car and sit in your assigned seat, and enjoy your ride to Seoul Station.

Schedule:
Refer to the table below for the schedule of AREX express train departing from Terminal 1 to Seoul Station: Note that interval between trains are around 30 to 64 minutes.

Hour	Mon to Fri		Sat, Sun, Holiday
5	05:23	05:58	05:23	05:58
6	06:38		06:38
7	07:13		07:28
8	08:18	08:48	08:08	08:48
9	09:28		09:28
10	10:08	10:48	10:08	10:48
11	11:28		11:28
12	12:08	12:48	12:08	12:48
13	13:28		13:28
14	14:08	14:48	14:08	14:48
15	15:28		15:28
16	16:08	16:48	16:08	16:48
17	17:33		17:28
18	18:08	18:53	18:08	18:48
19	19:37		19:28
20	20:08	20:58	20:08	20:58
21	21:44		21:48
22	22:48		22:48

Price: KRW 13,000

How to buy ticket:
You can buy the ticket onsite at a ticket kiosk or ticketing office and pay by cash or card. Alternatively, you can pre-purchase a ticket voucher and exchange it into a ticket at any of the AREX express ticket kiosks at the station.

AREX All-stop Train

The AREX all-stop train transports passengers from Incheon Airport to Seoul with stops at several subway stations along the way. The all-stop train terminus at Incheon Airport is Incheon Airport Terminal 2 Station while the terminus in Seoul is Seoul Station.

When taking AREX all-stop train that departs from Incheon Airport Terminal 1, your journey to Seoul will take between 48 minutes (to Digital Media City) and 60 minutes (to Seoul Station).

Route: Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul Station with stops at several stations in-between. Refer to the image below for the full route that includes all the stops.

How to use:
Similar with AREX express train, from the arrival hall go down to B1 floor and follow the sign to the airport railroad station. The AREX all-stop train entrance is located on the opposite side of the AREX express train entrance.

Tap your ticket or transportation card to get through the gate. Walk down to the platform on the B3 floor and wait for the train. As the train arrives, get on the train and find an empty seat. You can keep your luggage with you or put it in the storage shelves installed in the train car. Get off at the station that is closest to your destination in Seoul.

Schedule:
Refer to the table below for the schedule of AREX express all-stop train departing from Terminal 1 to Seoul Station.

Hour	Mon to Fri	Sat, Sun, Holiday
5	05:24 05:31 05:37 05:44 05:53	05:24 05:31 05:37 05:44 05:50
6	06:01 06:07 06:16 06:23 06:30 06:40 06:46 06:54	06:00 06:06 06:16 06:23 06:29 06:34 06:42 06:51
7	07:04 07:16 07:20 07:34 07:45 07:58	07:05 07:19 07:34 07:47 07:59
8	08:10 08:26 08:40 08:53	08:14 08:27 08:40 08:53
9	09:06 09:20 09:33 09:41 09:54	09:06 09:20 09:30 09:41 09:54
10	10:10 10:22 10:34 10:43 10:53	10:10 10:22 10:34 10:43 10:53
11	11:07 11:20 11:34 11:42 11:54	11:07 11:20 11:34 11:42 11:54
12	12:10 12:19 12:28 12:40 12:50	12:10 12:19 12:28 12:40 12:50
13	13:00 13:14 13:30 13:44 13:54	13:00 13:14 13:30 13:44 13:54
14	14:10 14:20 14:33 14:40 14:50 14:59	14:09 14:20 14:33 14:40 14:50 14:59
15	15:08 15:20 15:33 15:41 15:53 15:59	15:08 15:20 15:33 15:41 15:53 15:59
16	16:11 16:20 16:28 16:40 16:55	16:11 16:20 16:28 16:40 16:53
17	17:01 17:14 17:26 17:40 17:48	17:00 17:14 17:30 17:40 17:49
18	18:00 18:15 18:29 18:40 18:56	18:00 18:10 18:20 18:34 18:44 18:53 18:58
19	19:03 19:11 19:22 19:29 19:40 19:48	19:05 19:13 19:24 19:34 19:48
20	20:00 20:12 20:25 20:39 20:50	20:00 20:15 20:29 20:39 20:50
21	21:01 21:12 21:24 21:36 21:49 21:57	21:01 21:12 21:23 21:34 21:44 21:56
22	22:05 22:13 22:22 22:30 22:40 22:52	22:05 22:13 22:22 22:30 22:40 22:52
23	23:03 23:19 23:38	23:03 23:19 23:38

Note that at 23:56 there is another AREX all-stop train departing from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 heading to Seoul but with final stop at Digital Media City Station (3 stations before Seoul Station).

Price: KRW 4,650 (to Digital Media City) – KRW 4,850 (to Seoul Station)

How to buy ticket:
You can buy single journey ticket onsite at a ticket kiosk or ticketing office at the station and pay by cash or card. Alternatively, you can use your transportation card to by tapping the card on the card reader at the ticket gate. When you use your transportation card, KRW 100 discount will be applied to the final fare.

Airport Bus (Airport Limousine)

Airport buses at Incheon Airport Terminal 1 are operated by two companies: Airport Limousine Co. Ltd. and Korea Airport Limousine (KAL) Co. Ltd. Locals often refer to the airport bus as the eponymous airport limousine. An airport limousine bus is usually painted in gold while a KAL limousine is painted in blue.

The airport bus operates several routes to various destinations in Seoul. Besides the traffic, your travel time will depend on your destination in Seoul. If you’re heading to Myeongdong area, expect around 60 – 70 minutes of travel time at normal traffic.

Routes (all Seoul buses):
Airport limousine: 6001, 6002, 6003, 6004, 6005, 6007, 6008, 6010, 6011, 6012, 6013, 6014, 6015, 6016, 6017, 6018, 6019, N6000, N6002
KAL limousine: 6701, 6702, 6703, 6705A, N6701

If you want to get to Myeongdong area, you can take airport bus 6001, 6015, and 6701.

How to use:
After getting your ticket, exit the arrival hall through gate 4, gate 5, or gate 6. You will be immediately at the bus waiting zone. Seoul buses use bay 3B to 6B.

Go to the designated bay for your bus and wait until the bus arrives. After the bus arrives, board the bus, show your ticket to the driver, and sit in your designated seat. Get off at the station closest to your destination in Seoul.

Schedule:
Schedule varies depending on the route. Day bus to Seoul operates from around 5:30 to 23:00 and night bus is from 23:50 to 04:50.

Fare:
Adult: KRW 17,000 – KRW 18,000
Child (6-12 years old): KRW 12,000
Infant, toddler: free (lap seat)

How to buy ticket:
You can buy the airport bus ticket onsite at a ticket kiosk or bus ticketing office on the first floor. Payment can be made by card or cash.

Alternatively, you can pre-purchase a ticket voucher and exchange it into an airport bus ticket at the ticketing office.

If you have a transportation card with you, you do not need to buy a ticket at all. Load your card with sufficient balance and tap the card on the reader when you get on the bus.

Standard Seoul Taxi

To get to the taxi stand at Incheon Airport Terminal 1, first you need to cross the pedestrian walk outside of the terminal building. After crossing, you will be in the taxi lane. Walk to the taxi stand for Seoul taxis and wait in line until it’s your turn to take the taxi.

When you take a standard Seoul taxi, your vehicle will be a 5-seater that can be a sedan or compact SUV. This means that if you’re travel as a family, you can’t choose this option.

If you ride a taxi to get to Myeongdong area, expect around 60-70 minutes of travel time at normal traffic.

Route: Incheon airport Terminal 1 to your final destination in Seoul.

How to use:
From taxi lane, walk to bay 6D that is designated for standard Seoul taxis.

Availability:
Standard Seoul taxi is available for 24 hours. At night, expect that Seoul taxis are scarcer.

Fare:
Fare is metered based. Base fare is KRW 4,800 during the day and up to KRW 6,700 at night. A surcharge of 20-40% is applied when you take the taxi between 10PM and 4AM.

How to pay:
You can pay by cash or card. However, beware that when you use non Korean card to pay your taxi fare, your card may be declined.

International Taxi

International taxi drivers speak English, Japanese, or Mandarin so you will be assured not to have communication problem when riding the taxi. Each taxi is also certified by Seoul metro government so that you can expect consistent level of service when taking the taxi.

There are three types of international taxi: standard, deluxe, and large. Standard international taxi is a 5-seater sedan or compact SUV. The deluxe type uses premium sedan, while large international taxi is a 7-seater van.

How to use:
The international taxi ride is on reservation basis. If you haven’t reserved the international taxi service when you arrive at Incheon Airport Terminal 1, go to booth A18 located near to Arrival Hall A and make the reservation. Alternatively, if you already did an advanced reservation, simply follow the communication from the taxi service operator.

The taxi stand for international taxi is located at bay 4C in the taxi lane.

Schedule:
The international taxi is available 24 hours on on-demand basis.

Fare:
For standard international taxi, the fare is fixed at KRW 70,000 to KRW 95,000 based on the region of your destination in Seoul.
For deluxe / large taxi, the fare is fixed at KRW 100,000 to KRW 140,000 based on the region of your destination in Seoul.

How to pay:
You make the payment at the time of reservation. You can reserve the service before your flight to ensure smooth process when you arrive at the airport.

Premium / Deluxe Taxi

A premium / deluxe taxi uses 5-seater premium sedan, as for example Hyundai Grandeur or Genesis. This option can be your choice if you travel alone or as a couple and seek for more comfort. Note that, not all deluxe taxi drivers are fluent in English.

How to use:
From taxi lane, walk to bay 7C and wait for a deluxe taxi that will take you to Seoul

Schedule:
Deluxe taxis are available 24 hours. However, deluxe taxis are usually scarce at night.

Fare:
Deluxe taxi fare is metered based. Base fare is KRW 7,000 during the day and KRW 8,400 from 10PM to 4PM. A 20% surcharge is applied when you take a deluxe taxi between 10PM to 4AM.

How to pay:
You can pay by cash or card. However, beware that when you use non Korean card to pay your deluxe taxi fare, your card may be declined.

Jumbo Taxi

A jumbo taxi uses 7-seater van, such as Hyundai Staria, Hyundai Starex, or KIA Carnival. This option can be your choice when you travel as a family. Note that not all jumbo taxi drivers are fluent in English.

How to use:
From taxi lane, walk to bay 8C and wait for a jumbo taxi that will take you to Seoul.

Schedule:
Jumbo taxis are available 24 hours. However, jumbo taxis are usually scarce at night.

Fare:
Jumbo taxi fare is metered based. Base fare is KRW 7,000 during the day and KRW 8,400 from 10PM to 4PM. A 20% surcharge is applied when you take a jumbo taxi between 10PM to 4AM.

How to pay:
You can pay your jumbo taxi ride by cash or card.

Call Van

A call van that operates at Incheon Airport is similar to a jumbo taxi. Both are 7-seater van. The difference is in how the fare is calculated. While jumbo taxi fare is metered based, call van fare is calculated based on distance traveled with fare increment every 5 km.

How to use:
From taxi lane, walk to bay 10C and find a call van to take you to Seoul. Note that not all drivers are fluent in English. So, you can bring a piece of paper with your destination address written in Korea and ask the driver the total fare to get to the destination.

Schedule:
Call vans are available 24 hours. However, call vans are usually scarce at night.

Fare:
Refer to the table below for the fare up to 100 km distance from Incheon Airport Terminal 1. The fare excludes toll fee that will be added separately to the final fare.

Distance	Fare
10 km	KRW 30,000
15 km	KRW 32,000
20 km	KRW 35,000
25 km	KRW 38,000
30 km	KRW 42,000
40 km	KRW 49,000
45 km	KRW 55,000
50 km	KRW 62,000
55 km	KRW 68,000
60 km	KRW 74,000
65 km	KRW 80,000
70 km	KRW 86,000
75 km	KRW 92,000
80 km	KRW 97,000
85 km	KRW 102,000
90 km	KRW 107,000
95 km	KRW 112,000
100 km	KRW 117,000

When getting to area around Seoul Station or Myeongdong, expect to pay around KRW 85,000.

How to pay:
You can pay to the call van driver by cash or card.

Ride Hailing Service

If you’re a fan of ride hailing service like Uber, you can also use the service to get to Seoul from Incheon Airport Terminal 1. Note that in Korea, Uber is practically a taxi, not a private car. Besides Uber, there is also Kakao Taxi, the most popular taxi / ride hailing service in Korea and other companies such as TADA or i.M.

How to use:
Use your app to order ride hailing to Seoul. For Uber Taxi, use Uber app. For Kakao taxi service, use Kakao T or K Ride app. Use TADA app to order a TADA ride and i.M app to order an i.M ride hailing service.

Schedule:
Ride hailing service is available 24 hours through each app.

Fare:
Fare varies from one app to another and is metered based. Base fare for Uber Taxi is KRW 8,000, KRW 4,000 for Kakao Venti taxi, KRW 5,000 for TADA and KRW 7,000 for i.M. Each ride hailing service may apply dynamic pricing with a multiplier of 0.7 to 4 to the standard fare.

How to pay:
You can pay directly in your app or pay with card or cash to the driver.

Private Transfer

Another option that you can consider when traveling in a group or as a family is private transfer. When you use a private transfer service, you will have a broader range of flexibility for the vehicles, drivers, and schedule. You can also ride premium van or even a bus, an offering that you will only find when you use a private transfer service.

How to use:
Choose a provider and select the suitable options for your ride. Follow the instruction provided by the service provider to find the location of the car. The provider may also offer meet-and-greet service so that you’re picked up and escorted to your car as you enter the arrival hall.

Schedule:
Private transfer service is available 24 hours on on-demand basis.

Fare:
Fare varies based on your preferences (vehicle, schedule, and other add-on service)

How to pay:
You make the payment at the time of reservation.

Comparisons of Transport Options

The table below summarizes the comparisons between various transport options when you want to get to Seoul from Incheon Airport Terminal 1, with Seoul Station as the reference point for the destination.

Type of Ride	Location	Availability	Price*	Travel Time**
AREX express	B1 floor	05:23 – 22:48	KRW 13,000	43 minutes
AREX all-stop train	B1 floor	05:24 – 23:38	KRW 4,850	60 minutes
Airport bus	First floor, bus lane bay 3B to 6B	05:29 – 23:19	KRW 17,000 – KRW 18,000	60 – 70 minutes
Standard Seoul taxi	First floor, taxi lane bay 6D	24 hours	KRW 52,500	60 – 70 minutes
International taxi	First floor, taxi lane bay 4C	24 hours	KRW 85,000 (standard), KRW 120,000 (deluxe / large)	60 – 70 minutes
Deluxe taxi	First floor, taxi lane bay 7C	24 hours	KRW 85,000	60 – 70 minutes
Jumbo taxi	First floor, taxi lane bay 8C	24 hours	KRW 85,000	60 – 70 minutes
Call van	First floor, taxi lane bay 10C	24 hours	KRW 85,000	60 – 70 minutes
Ride hailing service	First floor, taxi lane bay 4D, 14C	24 hours	KRW 72,500 – KRW 360,000***	60 – 70 minutes
Private transfer	First floor, taxi lane	24 hours (on demand)	KRW 72,000 – KRW 480,000	60 – 70 minutes

* The price shown is an estimated price for Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul Station under normal traffic as of September 2025. Except AREX and bus, price may vary when traffic is congested and for different destination address.
** Travel time shown is the estimated time for getting from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul Station under normal traffic.
*** The maximum price shown is when the highest multiplier is used in the dynamic pricing, which is very rare.

Getting to Seoul When You Arrive Late at Night

If you arrive late at night at Incheon Airport Terminal 1, especially after midnight, you will have less options to get to Seoul. After midnight, AREX and day bus are not in service. You can choose between night airport bus, taxi, ride hailing service, or private transfer. Note that it may not be easy to get a taxi or a driver in your ride hailing app at late night, especially if you travel as a family. A more guaranteed option is to use private transfer service.

If you take a night airport bus and your final destination is around Seoul Station or Myeongdong, you can take bus N6701, which is a KAL limousine. The bus departs almost once every hour from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 at 23:50, 00:40, 01:40, 03:50, and 04:40.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does AREX train to Seoul operates 24 hours?
A: No, AREX does not operate 24 hours. AREX express that goes to Seoul from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 operates from 05:23 – 22:48. AREX all-stop train for Incheon Airport Terminal 1 – Seoul Station route operates from 05:24 – 23:38.

Q: How much does an AREX express train ticket cost to get from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul?
A: As of September 2025, the cost of AREX express ticket for a ride from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul Station is KRW 13,000.

Q: How much does an AREX all-stop train cost to get from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul?
A: As of September 2025, the cost of AREX all-stop train for Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Seoul Station is KRW 4,850 for a single journey ticket or KRW 4,750 when paying with a transportation card.

Q: How much does it cost by to get to a place near to Seoul Station from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 by airport bus?
A: As of September 2025, the airport bus fare when getting to a place near Seoul Station from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 is KRW 17,000 for adult and KRW 12,000 for child aged 6 -12 years old. Infant and toddler aged less than 6 years old can get on the bus free but should be on a lap seat.

Q: How much does it cost by taxi to get to Myeongdong from Incheon Airport Terminal 1?
A: As of September 2025, the fare for standard Seoul taxi from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Myeongdong is around KRW 55,000. For international taxi, deluxe taxi, and jumbo taxi, expect to pay at least KRW 85,000. The fare can be higher at night when surcharge is applied and also when the traffic is congested.

Q: Is it easy to find directions to public transport at Incheon Airport?
A: Yes, there are ample direction signs at Incheon Airport including English signs that would make it easy for you to find the place you’re looking for at the airport.