 | ||
| Seoul | ||
| Country | South Korea | |
|---|---|---|
| The search for a province ends with the state | ||
| Residents | 9.668.465 (2020) | |
| height | 38 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Seoul is the capital South Korea.
Districts
Seoul is divided into 25 districts.
- Dobong-gu
- Dongdaemun-gu
- Dongjak-gu
- Eunpyeong-gu
- Gangbuk-gu
- Gangdong-gu
- Gangnam-gu
- Gangseo-gu
- Geumcheon-gu
- Guro-gu
- Gwanak-gu
- Gwangjin-gu
- Jongno-gu
- Young gu
- Jungnang-gu
- Mapo-gu
- Nowon-gu
- Seocho-gu
- Seodaemun-gu
- Seongbuk-gu
- Seongdong-gu
- Songpa-gu
- Yangcheon-gu
- Yeongdeungpo-gu
- Yongsan-gu
background
Seoul was conquered several times by the warring factions during the Korean War. As a result, Seoul has been almost completely destroyed. Even though Korea has rebuilt many sights, there are not many originals left.
getting there
By plane
Incheon International Airport
It is located on an artificial building created by the sea between two islands on Yeongjong-do. The transfer and check-in times are significantly faster than the international average, you can check in up to 40 minutes before departure. The entire facility is wheelchair accessible throughout. Check-in for domestic flights is at Terminal 1, 1F. As of October 2018, Terminal 2 is using Korean Air, KLM / Air France, Delta Air Lines and all companies of SkyTeam Alliance. The extremely clean airport, praised by experts, with free showers (4F each), has some unusual features, including a free ice slide (shoes for rent), golf driving range and a museum of Korean culture on level 4F in Terminal 1. Here is, near Exit 25 also has an internet zone with standing desks (ditto T2, at exit 268). There is also a decent spa, capsule hotels (60 places each; in both terminals), post office (T1, 2F, 9.00-18.00), cinema, etc. The air raid shelter is on level 3F in Terminal 1. The prayer room (T1, B1) is shared Christians, Protestants and Buddhists at different times of the day. The exchange offices in the arrivals area of Terminal 1 are open 24 hours; full banking services are available from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There are at least four mobile operators on level 1F of this terminal. Both terminals have children's play areas where parents can keep an eye on their little ones from connected cafes. Those who do not want to eat in the numerous expensive restaurants can use the convenience stores, which can be found on levels 1 or 4. Viewing areas for “plane spotting” are in T1, 3F, 10.30am-4pm and T2, 5F, 6am-9pm. There is a smoking area at exit 30 in T1.in the Hyatt-Airport hotel (3 minutes by shuttle bus) there is also a casino.
- Arrival and Departure
By train can be reached in 66 minutes AREX-Trains from Seoul Central Station to Terminal 2 terminus, a distance of 45.3 km. The clock is 40 minutes, the price in 2018 is 9,000 ₩. It takes six minutes to get between the two terminals. However, there are also free shuttles that leave every 7-10 minutes in front of Level 3F of the terminals.
The high-speed trains KTX were discontinued on Sept. 1, 2018.
The bus connection from is popular with passengers who do not want to take the detour to the center 3 Gwangmyeong Railway Station(37 ° 24 '58 "N.126 ° 53 '4 "E). There is a connection to the high-speed rail network. This is 25% more expensive than the trains, but you check in before boarding the buses. They are also more frequent at 20-30 minutes.
A total of six Bus routes (Details) serve the greater Seoul area. Tickets are available at several counters. Stops are in front of Terminal 1, Level 1F and Terminal 2 1F or B1.
Long-distance buses also go directly to various cities in South Korea. Bus information is near exit 14, T1 (6.00-22.00).
Between midnight and 4 a.m. there are special, surcharge-free trips Night bus routes about every 40 minutes. Both lines stop at Songjung (미아 사거리 역) and Yeomchang (염창 역) stations:
- N6000: Gangnam long-distance bus station
- N6001: Seoul Central Station (Stop: 02003)
There are taxi stands for various companies in front of Terminal 2, level B1F. Minibuses can be booked near exit 12, Terminal 1 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The latter is also the normal opening hours of the various car rental companies.
The airport island can be reached via bridges from the north via the Incheon International Airport Expressway (인천 국제 공항 고속도로) or from the south via the Incheon Daegyo Expressway. There are 4,000 short-term and 6,000 long-term parking spaces.
A 4 Ferry to Yeongjong-do Island comes from the smaller islands to the north. However, the airfield cannot be reached directly.
Gimpo International Airport
15 km west of the city center. There is one terminal for international and one for domestic flights. These are connected to one another by a shuttle bus ring line. WLAN in the entire area, internet terminals in the domestic area, 2F. Lockers (limited opening hours) each on 1F. On the 6th floor of the aviation authority building KAC, is a child-friendly museum (Tuesday-Friday 9 am-6pm) with a viewing area.Open: 6.00-23.00 (overnight stays not possible).- Arrival and Departure
The Metro lines 5 and 9 (connection to the long-distance bus station 고속 터미널) stop here. Two more lines are under construction and should open in July 2019 and 2021 respectively.
There are services between the two airports, including Seoul Central Station AREX- express trains.
Overview of the direct bus connections to Seoul as well as places across the country. The taxi stands are behind the bus stops, in front of the arrival halls.
By train
The fastest train connections are the KTX connections. But cheaper trains are also possible. Seoul can be reached by train from all South Korean cities. The main train station is the Seoul Station in the center of the city. The airport is connected with an express train connection and can be reached from the main train station in under an hour. The tickets are available at the train station.
By bus
All South Korean cities have an express bus connection to Seoul. There is a bus from Incheon Airport to Seoul (approx. 17k won) at least every 0 minutes.
In the street
Seoul can be reached by car on several highways. When traveling by car, an international driver's license is required in addition to the European driver's license.
By boat
Seoul does not have a port, but Incheon has connections to China, Japan and inter-Korean destinations in the Article on Incheon are described.
mobility
Subway
The subway system Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) is clear, fast and inexpensive. Hours of operation are 5:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends.
Single tickets can be conveniently bought at the machine using the English-language system. Payment is based on distance. The base price for 2020 is 1,250 won for 10 km, plus an additional 100 won for 5 km. For the plastic ticket with which you can pass the barriers, you have to pay a deposit of 500 won in addition to the fare. After the trip you can get them back at special return machines.
Alternatively, there is one at special machines in the underground stations, but also in almost all 7-Eleven branches, for example T-money card available that can be topped up with credit (either at the T-Money machines or the normal machines) to save you having to buy a ticket before starting your journey. The T-money card can also be loaded onto a smartphone if it has NFC. The fare is even cheaper, it also works as a means of payment in buses, taxis and at numerous vending machines for drinks and snacks within the subway stations. In each subway car there are six places on the edge for senior citizens, pregnant women and disabled people. It is not a problem to sit there as long as you stand up for the needy, but most Koreans leave these places free right from the start. Most Koreans also stand up from other places for seniors in an exemplary manner.
There are discounts for children up to 12 (50%), teenagers and early risers, 20% before 6.30 a.m. Monthly tickets with 60 trips are available at 44 times the basic price minus 15%.
You have to be careful with the maps of the area in the stations. They are aligned according to their location. So north is not always at the top of these maps, as is usually the case. The exits and the sights there are also signposted in English.
- Homepage of the MRT (English)
- Equipment of the stations
By bus
Bus travel is not recommended for tourists, as the route network maps are hardly available in English and the transport is significantly slower than with the subway due to traffic jams. Buses should only be used if you want to reach areas outside the city center that do not have a subway connection.
taxi
Taxis are relatively cheap but have one major disadvantage: They have to squeeze through the traffic. A journey can take an eternity, especially in rush hour traffic. In addition, the South Koreans are not exactly considered to be disciplined drivers. You push forward, accelerate at every opportunity and be careful at pedestrian crossings. Those who do not have to carry all their luggage with them are better advised to take the subway as close as possible to their destination.
Tourist Attractions
activities
shop
kitchen
nightlife
Seoul's neighborhood Itaewon is especially popular with foreigners. Unfortunately, it's gotten a bit run down over the years, so one might wonder why some guidebooks still recommend it. The bars and the ladies there are a bit dodgy.
accommodation
Learn
Seoul has a few universities, three of which have a particularly good reputation and are known by the acronym SKY:
Which university one studied at can be decisive for the professional career opportunities of the graduates in Korea. Therefore, Korean students prepare very intensively for their final tests in order to get one of the popular places at a SKY university.[1]
Work
security
health
Practical advice
There is a Discover Pass for tourists [2]which includes discounts (30 positions) and free entry (36 sites). In addition, the offline card can be used in local public transport instead of a T-money card.
The pass is available for 3 different periods (prices as of 2018):
- 24 hours 39,900 WON
- 48 hours 55,000 won
- 72 hours 70,000 WON
The pass can be purchased online or pre-ordered. Collection is then possible at the issuing points listed on the homepage.
Depending on the sites visited, the pass is definitely worth it. The preselection also provides an overview of possible destinations in the city.
trips
literature
Web links
http://english.seoul.go.kr/ (en) - Official website of Seoul
