Travel

Note: if you are being reimbursed by KIAS, please hold onto your arrival boarding passes or train ticket (transportation) itineraries. Give them to Dr. Hyun Kyu Kim or upload a photocopy of them to the google form that we sent you.

After the conference, email your departure boarding passes or train ticket itineraries to Dr. Hyun Kyu Kim or upload them to the google form.

Contact us if you need the link again.

As pedestrians,

• Use Crossings: Always use crosswalks, underpasses, or overpasses when available.

• Obey Signals: Stop at red lights and wait for green; look both ways before crossing on green.

• No Jaywalking: Do not cross roads outside designated areas or just in front/behind vehicles.

• Walk Safely: Walk, don't run, to stay aware of dangers.

• Road-Side Zones: You have the right-of-way on roads without sidewalks; drivers must slow down.

T-cards

T-cards are transportation cards. They never expire and the money on it will never disappear.

T-Money cards in Korea do not expire, and the card itself can be used indefinitely and the balance remains valid indefinitely. 

Key Points:

• Card Validity: The physical T-Money card has permanent validity and does not expire. 

• Balance Validity: Sources state that the balance remains valid forever, with cards from 10+ years working. 

• Dormancy: A card might become "dormant" (unusable) if inactive for a very long time, but funds can often be restored.

The T-cards can be used in the traditional markets (you get 1,000 won discount for purchases over 10,000 won within 1 hour of using the T-card), taxis, and some parking lots. 

Map of the subway.

Interactive map.

Directions from the Incheon International Airport (ICN) to the hotel Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun:

Trains and Subways

1. After exiting immigration, follow the signs to the Airport Railroad (AREX). The station is located in the transport center, near Terminal 1 or on the B1 level at Terminal 2.

2. Choose your train:

   1. 1. AREX Express Train: This is a non-stop, faster option with reserved seating, taking about 40 minutes to reach Seoul Station. 

      2. AREX All-Stop Train: This is a cheaper option that stops at all 14 stations, taking just under 60 minutes to arrive at Seoul Station.

3. Purchase your ticket:

   1. 1. At the Station: Buy a single-journey card from a ticket machine or ticket desk. 

      2. Payment Methods: You can use cash (Korean Won) or credit/debit cards. 

      3. T-money Card: You can buy a T-money card from a nearby convenience store, which can be used for other public transportation in Seoul and all the other cities throughout South Korea (buses, trains, bicycles, ferries).

      4. Climate Card: You can use a Climate card for unlimited bus, train, bicycle rides. But this is good only in Seoul.

4. Board the train:

   1. 1. Scan your ticket barcode at the gate to enter.

      2. Take the elevator to the correct platform (B3).

      3. Find your designated waiting area for your specific car number. For the All-Stop Train, I believe there is no assigned seat number.

      4. Place your luggage in the storage area and find your seat.

5. Arrive at Seoul Train Station:

   1. 1. Upon arrival, scan your ticket barcode again to exit the station. If you do not scan your ticket upon exiting, you may be charged more than the cost for the ride.

6. Transfer to subway: 

   1. 1. From Seoul Train Station, take the subway (e.g. Line 1/other depending on final walk) to a station near Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun. For example, go to the station Jonggak (Line 1) or Gwanghwamun (Line 5).

7. Walk 5 to 8 minutes to the hotel.

AREX Express Train from Incheon International Airport (ICN) to the Seoul Train Station (about 40 minutes): ₩9,500 (US$6.65).

AREX All-Stop Train from Incheon International Airport (ICN) to the Seoul Train Station (about 60 minutes, but runs more frequently): ₩4,150 - ₩4,750 (US$2.91 - US$3.33).

Subway from Seoul Train Station to Jonggak Station: ₩1,300 - ₩1,800 (US$0.88 - US$1.22).

Airport Limousine Buses

To get from Incheon Airport to Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun by bus, the best option is the Airport Limousine Bus Route 6002, costing around 17,000 KRW (US$11.53), or take the similar Route 6011, with both generally taking about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the traffic.

1. Find the Bus Stop: After exiting customs at Incheon Airport (Terminals 1 or 2), look for signs pointing to "Airport Limousine Bus" or "Bus Stop". 

2. Identify the Route: Look for 

   1. 1. Bus 6002 - get off at Jongro 1ga (22 stops) - 5 min walk to Shilla stay Gwanghwamun

      2. Bus 6005 - get off at city hall (28 stops) - 12 min walk to Shilla stay Gwanghwamun

      3. Bus 6011 - get off at Anguk subway station (16 stops) - 7 to 10 min walk to Shilla stay Gwanghwamun 

      4. Bus 6701 -  get off at Gwanghwamun Koreanan hotel (16 stops) - 13 min walk to Shilla stay Gwanghwamun

3. Purchase Ticket/Pay: You can buy tickets at the airport bus ticket counter or pay directly on the bus with cash or a transportation card (T-Money/Cashbee). 

4. Get Off Near the Hotel: After getting off, it is a short walk to Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun. You can use Naver Map or Google Maps to guide the final walk.

5. Check Schedules: Visit the Airport Limousine website (airportlimousine.co.kr/en) for the current schedule as they can change.

Taxis

We have put together a spreadsheet in case the speakers and the participants would like to share a taxi or travel together from and to the Incheon (ICN) airport. If you need the link to this spreadsheet again, please email the organizers.

Furthermore, we recommend that you use Uber (the standard, international version), Kakao T (transportation) or Naver Map app. It may cost approximately ₩45,286 - ₩50,000 (US$31.00 - US$34.23) from ICN airport to the Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun hotel via a taxi, depending on the traffic and time.

Directions from the hotel Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun to Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS):

Free Shuttle Bus for Speakers Only

KIAS will provide a free shuttle to only speakers in the mornings and in the afternoons due to limited space. 

From the hotel to KIAS: 

• Meet in front of the hotel (outside) by 08:50 each morning (sharp!). A shuttle bus will take everyone to KIAS. 

From KIAS to the hotel (note the time change): 

• Monday: Departs at 16:30. The speakers' dinner is at 17:00, which will be a walking distance from the hotel. 

• Tuesday: Departs at 16:30, after the last talk. 

• Wednesday: Departs at 14:00, 13:30, after lunch. 

• Thursday: Departs at 19:45, 19:10, bringing the speakers to the hotel after the banquet. 

• Friday: Departs at 14:00, 13:30, after lunch.

Subways

1. From Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun, walk to Jonggak Station (on Subway Line 1) — or to Gwanghwamun Station.

2. Take Subway Line 1 toward Hoegi Station (approximately 20 - 25 mins).

3. At Hoegi Station, exit, then walk or ride a short distance to KIAS at 85 Hoegi-ro, Dongdaemun-gu.

Standard subway fare: ₩1,300 - ₩1,900 (US$0.88 - US$1.29).

Taxis

The distance between Gwanghwamun (or nearby Gwanghwamun/Jonggak) and Hoegi is about 7.9 km (approximately a 10 min ride), and a typical taxi fare for that distance is around ₩12,000 - ₩15,000 (US$8.16 - US$10.21).

Transportation Apps

We strongly recommend that you download onto your phone:

• Uber  (Uber for Apple)

• Kakao T  (Kakao T for Apple)

• Kakao Map  (Kakao Map for Apple)

• Naver Map  (Naver Map for Apple)

for transportation purposes.

Most venues, including subways and buses, have free internet.

Kakao T taxis also provide free WiFi service in the vehicle.