Getting Around

As of 2026-11-11 · Updated 2026-11-11

In short

VisitKorea lists three main ways into Seoul: the Airport Railroad (AREX), the airport limousine bus, and a taxi. Late-night buses also run after many daytime services end.
The official AREX Express Train runs non-stop between the airport and Seoul Station only. VisitKorea’s travel times are about 43 minutes from Terminal 1 and about 51 minutes from Terminal 2.
The official All-Stop Train also stops at stations such as Hongik University and Digital Media City. VisitKorea’s times are about 59 minutes from Terminal 1 and about 66 minutes from Terminal 2 to Seoul Station.
AREX fares in the company’s passenger terms (in force from 5 January 2026) are listed below. Confirm the price on www.arex.or.kr before you buy.
For buses and taxis, use the official Incheon Airport pages and designated taxi stands. The airport warns that illegal solicitation and overcharging by call vans posing as taxis are common.

Read the official VisitKorea airport transportation guide

Incheon International Airport has two passenger terminals. Check your terminal on the official airport website before you follow signs to the train, bus, or taxi.

This guide covers the trip into Seoul. Fares, times, and stops can change, so check the official page again on the day you travel.

Which option fits your arrival

Option	Official summary
AREX Express Train	Non-stop to Seoul Station
AREX All-Stop Train	Stops at major stations
Airport limousine bus	Many routes; ticket in advance
Late-night bus (N routes)	After about 23:30; fares below
Taxi	Designated stand; fares below

AREX Express Train. Non-stop to Seoul Station only, with a reserved seat. VisitKorea: about 43 minutes from Terminal 1, about 51 minutes from Terminal 2.
AREX All-Stop Train. Stops at major stations such as Hongik University and Digital Media City. You can use transportation cards. VisitKorea: about 59 minutes from Terminal 1, about 66 minutes from Terminal 2 to Seoul Station.
Airport limousine bus. Many routes into Seoul and other regions. VisitKorea says you must buy a ticket in advance; cash or a transportation card is not accepted on the limousine bus.
Late-night bus (route number starts with N). VisitKorea says most public transport into central Seoul finishes at around 23:30. Official airport fares for Seoul late-night buses are listed below.
Taxi. Use a designated stand. Official base fares and night surcharges are listed below. The airport does not publish a single total fare for every Seoul neighborhood.

If you still need Korean won or a transit card, see Money in Korea: Cards, ATMs, and Currency Exchange for Visitors.

AREX: Express Train and All-Stop Train

AREX is the Airport Railroad between Incheon Airport and Seoul Station. The company’s terms describe two trains.

The Express Train stops only at Seoul Station, Incheon Airport Terminal 1, and Incheon Airport Terminal 2, and you are assigned a seat. The All-Stop Train stops at every AREX station and does not assign a seat.

VisitKorea says Express tickets can be bought online or from ticket machines at the station. The AREX terms say Express tickets are sold at the Express Train customer center, ticket machines, the official website, and the official app.

All-Stop Train tickets, VisitKorea says, can be used with single-use cards, prepaid and postpaid transportation cards, and commuter passes.

Open the official AREX website

Official AREX fares

These adult and child Express fares, and these All-Stop transportation-card fares, come from AREX’s Passenger Transport Terms amended on 26 December 2025 and in force from 5 January 2026. Check www.arex.or.kr if you travel later, because fares can change.

Train and ticket	Seoul Station to Terminal 1	Seoul Station to Terminal 2
Express Train, adult	18,100 won	18,700 won
Express Train, child	9,500 won	9,500 won
All-Stop Train, card (adult)	4,750 won	5,350 won
All-Stop, card, to Hongik Univ.	4,650 won from Terminal 1	5,250 won from Terminal 2

For an adult All-Stop single-use card (1-time ticket), the same terms add 100 won to the transportation-card fare, plus a 500-won deposit. You can get the deposit back at the arrival station when you return the card.

In the terms, a child on AREX is generally age 6 or older and under 13, or an elementary-school student, including foreign children. An adult is 13 or older and under 65. Infants under 6 are treated differently; check the terms if you are traveling with a young child.

The Express Train does not stop at Hongik University or Digital Media City. If those stations are your destination, use the All-Stop Train, or go to Seoul Station on the Express Train and transfer.

Times and how to board the Express Train

VisitKorea’s times are above. The official weekday Express timetable on AREX’s website shows the first departure from Terminal 2 at 05:15 (Terminal 1 at 05:23), arriving at Seoul Station at 06:07.

The last weekday departure from Terminal 2 is 22:40 (Terminal 1 at 22:48), arriving at Seoul Station at 23:31. Holiday times differ. AREX added extra Express trains from 23 October 2026, so always open the current timetable.

The terms say you should be on the Express platform at least 3 minutes before departure. You may reserve an Express ticket on the website or official app from 2 months ahead, and you must issue the ticket at least 5 minutes before departure.

Bags on AREX are limited. The terms say you may not bring an item that weighs 32 kg or more, or whose length, width, and height add up to 158 cm or more, and you may not bring more than two items. There are exceptions, including a folded bicycle and, if staff agree, some items for same-day flight passengers.

Airport limousine bus

Airport limousine buses run from Incheon Airport to many parts of Seoul and to other regions. VisitKorea says this is useful if your hotel is not next to an AREX station.

VisitKorea says cash or a transportation card is not accepted on the airport limousine, and you must buy a bus ticket in advance.

Ticket offices in Terminal 1, VisitKorea says, are on the 1st floor inside the airport (between Gates 4 and 9; 6 and 7; 8 and 9; and 10 and 11) or outside (between Gates 3 and 4; 7 and 8; and 11 and 12). Terminal 2 has a staffed ticket office and a ticket machine on B1 of the Transportation Center.

This article does not list daytime limousine fares, because an official, complete fare table for every Seoul route was not confirmed on the pages checked today. Buy your ticket at the official airport ticket office or machine, and confirm the price and stop there.

Late-night buses

VisitKorea says most public transportation from the airport into central Seoul finishes at around 23:30. Night buses have a route number that starts with N.

The official Incheon Airport “Seoul Late-Night Buses” page lists these adult and child fares. The same page asks you to verify the information with the operator, so confirm the price when you buy the ticket.

Route (airport page label)	Adult	Child
N6000 and N6002	17,000 won	10,000 won
N6701 and N6703	18,000 won	12,000 won
Songjeong Station	10,000 won	6,000 won

N6000 and N6002. N6000 (Gangnam Express Bus Terminal) and N6002 (Cheongnyangni).
N6701 and N6703. N6701 (Dongdaemun Design Plaza) and N6703 (Gwangnaru Station).
Songjeong Station. Listed as a separate fare on the airport page.

The airport page says staff tickets and discount tickets are not accepted. For N6000 and N6002, it tells you to buy a bus ticket at a ticket booth or machine. For N6701, it also lists the Tmoney GO app.

VisitKorea, in general, says night-bus tickets should be bought in advance at a ticket booth or machine. Use the official airport page for today’s departure times. The timetable checked today is written for Terminal 1; confirm Terminal 2 stops and times on the airport website.

Open the official Seoul late-night bus page

Taxi

The official Incheon Airport taxi guide, checked on 2026-11-11, tells you to use designated taxi stands. It warns that illegal solicitation and overcharging by call vans posing as taxis are common.

Official base fares and night surcharges on that page are as follows. The page does not give one total price for every address in Seoul, so this article does not invent a door-to-door total.

Type	Base fare	Official notes
Standard taxi	4,800 won	Night surcharge; see below
Deluxe or jumbo taxi	7,000 won	Night 20%; see below
International / Smart taxi	Flat fare (amount not stated)	Reserve in advance

Standard taxi (Seoul, Gyeonggi, or Incheon). Base fare 4,800 won. Seoul-bound night surcharge: 20% from 22:00 to 23:00, 40% from 23:00 to 02:00, and 20% from 02:00 to 04:00. Gyeonggi and Incheon night hours differ slightly on the same page.
Deluxe or jumbo taxi (up to 9 passengers). Base fare 7,000 won. Night surcharge of 20% from 22:00 to 04:00 (Gyeonggi taxis: 23:00 to 04:00).
International taxi / Smart taxi. The page says a flat fare applies in Seoul, but it does not state the amount. Official taxis with foreign-language support. VisitKorea says you need to reserve an international taxi in advance.

Pickup stand numbers on the same official page include, for a Seoul-bound standard taxi, 5C, 6C, and 6D at Terminal 1 and 7C at Terminal 2. Deluxe or jumbo stands are listed as 7C/8C at Terminal 1 and 7D at Terminal 2.

For trips from the airport to Seoul, Incheon, Goyang, Gwangmyeong, Gimpo, or Bucheon, the airport says no boundary (out-of-area) surcharge applies. A timed boundary surcharge can apply for other destinations, such as Paju. VisitKorea says taxis may be paid with cash, a credit card, or a transportation card.

Open the official Incheon Airport taxi guide

Common mistakes

Buying an Express ticket when you need Hongik University or Digital Media City. The Express Train does not stop there.
Assuming a blog fare is still correct. Use the official AREX terms or ticket machine, and the official airport bus and taxi pages.
Following someone who offers a ride away from the official taxi stand. The airport warns about illegal solicitation and overcharging.
Arriving after the last Express Train and expecting daytime buses to still run. VisitKorea says many services toward central Seoul end at around 23:30.
Trying to pay an airport limousine with cash or a transit card. VisitKorea says you must buy a ticket first.

FAQ

Q1. What is the fastest official way from Incheon Airport to Seoul Station?

VisitKorea calls AREX the fastest way between Incheon Airport and Seoul Station. The Express Train is the non-stop option on that line.

Q2. How much is the AREX Express Train?

The official terms in force from 5 January 2026 list 18,100 won for an adult ticket between Seoul Station and Terminal 1, and 18,700 won for Terminal 2. A child ticket is 9,500 won to either terminal. Confirm the price on the official AREX website before you buy.

Q3. Can I use a T-money or other transportation card on AREX?

VisitKorea says the All-Stop Train can be used with prepaid and postpaid transportation cards, among other tickets. The Express Train uses its own reserved-seat ticket, sold at the official channels listed above.

Q4. How do I get to Hongdae from the airport?

Take the All-Stop Train to Hongik University Station. Official transportation-card fares in the terms are 4,650 won from Terminal 1 and 5,250 won from Terminal 2.

Q5. What if I arrive after midnight?

Use a late-night bus or a taxi from a designated stand. Check the official late-night bus timetable and fares, and confirm whether your terminal is served at that hour.

Q6. Do I need to change terminals to take the train?

Each terminal has AREX service. Follow the official airport signs for your terminal. This article does not state an inter-terminal AREX fee, because official airport pages checked today did not agree on one amount.

Checklist before you leave the airport

I know whether I landed at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2.
I have compared AREX Express, AREX All-Stop, the airport bus, a late-night bus, and a taxi against my hotel area and arrival time.
If I take AREX, I will confirm today’s fare and timetable on www.arex.or.kr.
If I take a limousine or late-night bus, I will buy the ticket the official way and confirm the stop.
If I take a taxi, I will use a designated stand and ignore unofficial offers.
I have enough won or a card that will work for the ticket I chose. See the money guide if you still need to exchange currency.

Sources（Checked 2026-11-11）

Rules, fares, and times can change. Check the official website again before you travel.

Incheon Airport to Seoul: AREX, Bus, and Taxi Compared