Travelling to Seoul?

Our routes, not a list of everything. Places that have been there for centuries: no opening times or prices, which go stale.

1. 01

   Seoul in a day

   10 hWear a hanbok and the palaces let you in free. It isn’t a one-day promotion: it’s the rule, and there are rental shops at the gate.Gyeongbokgung · Bukchon, which is a neighbourhood · The Cheonggyecheon stream · Gwangjang market · The night, which starts lateRead the full guide
2. 02

   A weekend in Seoul

   22 hHere dinner is at midnight and almost nothing closes, so the day yields double. Two days covers the palaces, the mountain and a night that doesn’t end.Saturday: Changdeokgung and its garden · Saturday: Bukhansan · Saturday night: the barbecue and the scissors · Sunday: Gangnam and the riverRead the full guide
3. 03

   What to see in Seoul

   Almost nothing is old and it isn’t anyone here’s fault: the city changed hands four times in the Korean War and was ninety per cent destroyed.Gyeongbokgung · Changdeokgung · Zaha Hadid’s DDP · The National MuseumRead the full guide
4. 04

   Eating in Seoul

   The little dishes that arrive unasked are free and refilled as often as you like. They’re called banchan and they’re half of Korean food.The banchan · Kimchi, and the fridge it has · Chimaek · Soju, and how it’s poured · The Korean convenience storeRead the full guide
5. 05

   Where to stay in Seoul

   The river splits the city and the two sides are fifty years apart: the palaces are north, and what was rice paddy in 1970 is south.Myeongdong · Bukchon and Seochon · Hongdae · GangnamRead the full guide
6. 06

   Day trips from Seoul

   The most militarised border on earth is an hour away and you visit with a booking and a passport. But the part people want to see gets suspended often.The DMZ · Suwon and its fortress · Nami Island · Incheon and its ChinatownRead the full guide
7. 07

   From Incheon airport to the centre

   Each airport coach goes to a different district and you take yours: the 6015 is Myeongdong’s and the 6001 is Dongdaemun’s. Getting it wrong costs an hour.The limousine coaches · The AREX: express or all-stopRead the full guide
8. 08

   Seoul: practical tips

   Google Maps doesn’t work properly here and it isn’t a coverage problem: it’s a law. Download Naver Map or KakaoMap before you come or you’ll be walking blind.Naver Map or KakaoMap · The T-money card · The seats nobody takes · The age system changed in 2023 · Mobile dataRead the full guide

The real options, with what actually decides it: which terminal it leaves from and where it drops you. Fares and timetables live with the operator, who keeps them current.

• TrainAREXSeoul Station · HongdaeTwo services on one line: the express runs non-stop to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes. The all-stop calls at Hongdae, which suits many people better, and is cheaper. The express isn’t 24h: the last one leaves around half ten at night.·Fares and timesAirport Railroad
• BusLimousine (6015 · 6001)Myeongdong · Dongdaemun · GangnamThe limousine coaches stop at the hotels district by district. With heavy luggage they’re unbeatable.·Fares and timesAirport Limousine

Before you fly, or on the layover. Pay per visit, whatever airline.

• Matinafrom €39.35
• Matinafrom €39.35
• Matinafrom €39.35