penguin22

jetlaggedlizard

vagabond

This Fall, I am planning a trip to Asia. The layover in Incheon is 11 hours, arriving there at 0530. Is it possible to hop a bus into town to look around, have lunch, visit a flea market then bus back to the airport?

Zacf16

Airport to the shopping area on the east side of Yongsan is between 45 mins to 1 1/2 hours depending on traffic. Beware of August travel...it took us 2 1/2 hours to check-in and make it to the gate because of all the folks traveling to the US. If we hadn't asked to cut a couple of lines based on our departure time, it probably would have taken closer to 4 hours.

TonyC

Airport Express -- Express Train runs from the ICN Transportation Center to Seoul Station every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour and takes 43 minutes. If you miss the Express and don't want to wait 30 minutes, the Commuter Train leaves more frequently (~7-15 minutes depending on the time of day) and only takes 10 minutes more.

From Seoul Station, you can go anywhere. The subway system is clean, reliable, and fairly simple to use. Line 1 and Line 4 stop at Seoul Station. Two stops on Line 4 and two stops on Line 6 takes you to Itaewon, a popular tourist haunt where you might spot pairs of tennis-shoe clad, leather-jacket wearing guys looking for cheap bags, high-quality embroidery, and a cold beverage with food.

Seoul Subway is a great site for learning the subway system, and it has a "Cyber Station Map" that shows routes, transfers, times, and fares between points on the system. TIP: The names of the Lines and Stations are given in Korean and English. They also have unique numbers. I find it easier to look for the numbers. For example, to get from Hoehyeon Station to the Itaewon Station, go towards Oido on Line 4 to the Samgakji Station, transfer to the Line 6 headed towards Bonghwasan, and get off at Itaewon. OR ... Start at 425, transfer at 427, get off at 630. ~18 minutes, 5 stops, 5km, 1,150 won

Consult tourist guides for a more "authentic" flea market if you prefer.

Depending on the airline you're taking out, and how you plan to transit, you might be interested in the "In Town Check-In" at the City Airport Terminal in the Seoul Station. For Korean Airlines, Asiana Airlines, and Jeju Airlines, you can check in there up to 3 hours prior to flight departure. If you start the day with no luggage and accumulate packages you'd like to carry as checked baggage, that might be an option.

However, you'd probably be better served to check your bags through to the next destination, and check in and get your boarding pass for the next leg before you ever leave the airport. Then all you have to do when you get back is go through customs and immigration, which is pretty efficient. Getting back to the airport 2 hours before your departure should give you plenty of time to get through the formalities, shop at the duty free, eat dinner, and relax at the gate.

ysslah

I'd say doable. But the check in line is sometimes a lot longer than they are in most US airports. Also security and immigration takes some time during the peak hours. The airport has pretty good size duty free stores all around so it may not be a bad idea to get back to the airport early and roam around those. As far as getting to the downtown area from the airport, i think the buses are by far the easiest.