Incheon Airport to Seoul: AREX Train vs Airport Bus vs Taxi (2026)

The short version

Option	Price (adult)	Time to central Seoul	Best for
AREX all-stop train	₩4,750 (T1) / ₩5,350 (T2) to Seoul Station with a transit card	About 60–66 min to Seoul Station	Most visitors; Hongdae and Gongdeok
AREX express train	₩13,000	43 min (T1) / 51 min (T2) to Seoul Station	Hotels near Seoul Station; reserved seats
Airport limousine bus	Varies by route	Depends on traffic	Hotels near a bus stop, e.g. in Gangnam or Jamsil
Taxi	Metered, or flat fare from ₩70,000 with International Taxi	Depends on traffic	Late arrivals, families, heavy luggage

Prices and times are for trips from Incheon Airport, checked October 2026.

AREX: the airport railroad

The Airport Railroad (AREX) connects both Incheon terminals with Seoul Station. There are two kinds of train.

Express train

• Runs non-stop between the airport terminals and Seoul Station, with reserved seats.
• Fare: ₩13,000 for adults and ₩9,500 for children. It’s a little cheaper if you book online as an AREX web member.
• Time: 43 minutes from Terminal 1 and 51 minutes from Terminal 2.
• Tickets:
  • Express counters and machines in the Transportation Centre (B1) at both terminals
  • Online, from 60 days to 20 minutes before departure
• Hours from the airport:
  • First trains: 05:16 (T2) and 05:24 (T1)
  • Last trains: 22:40 (T2) and 22:48 (T1)

All-stop train

The all-stop train is a regular commuter train. You pay with a transit card such as T-money, or buy a single-journey card from the machines.

From the airport to	Fare from T1 / T2 (transit card)	Time from T2	Change here for
Gimpo Airport	₩4,350 / ₩4,950	44 min	Lines 5 and 9
Hongik Univ. (Hongdae)	₩4,650 / ₩5,250	58 min	Line 2
Gongdeok	₩4,650 / ₩5,250	62 min	Lines 5 and 6
Seoul Station	₩4,750 / ₩5,350	66 min	Lines 1 and 4, KTX

Trains from Terminal 1 are about 7 minutes quicker than from Terminal 2. On weekdays the first train from Terminal 1 leaves at 05:14 and the last train to Seoul Station leaves at 23:38.

New to transit cards? See Korea transit cards compared.

Airport limousine buses

Limousine buses run from both terminals to many parts of Seoul, including major hotel areas.

• Tickets: at bus ticket booths in the arrivals hall and just outside near the exits. Some routes also take ticket machines or the Tmoney GO app.
• Find your route: use the airport’s official Bus Search. Look for a route that stops within a short walk of your hotel. That’s when the bus beats dragging bags through subway transfers.

Late-night buses

After the trains stop, a few late-night buses run into Seoul from around midnight. Examples:

Bus	Goes to	Fare
N6000	Gangnam Express Bus Terminal	₩17,000
N6002	Cheongnyangni	₩18,000
N6701	Dongdaemun Design Plaza	₩18,000

Check the current times on the airport website before you rely on them.

Taxis

Use the official taxi stands outside arrivals. Ignore drivers who approach you inside the terminal.

Taxi type	What to expect
Regular	Metered. Base fare ₩4,800, plus a 20–40% surcharge between 10 pm and 4 am
Deluxe and jumbo	Metered at a higher rate; jumbo vans seat up to 8
International Taxi	Foreign-language drivers and flat fares by Seoul district: ₩70,000–95,000 for a sedan, ₩100,000–140,000 for a deluxe car or van. Stand 4C at T1 and 3C at T2

For how taxis work once you’re in the city, see taking taxis in Korea.

Which one should you pick?

• Hongdae or Gongdeok: AREX all-stop, no transfers.
• Seoul Station area: AREX express if you want a guaranteed seat, all-stop if you want to save money.
• Myeongdong, Jongno, Insadong: AREX to Seoul Station, then a short subway or taxi ride. Or a limousine bus if one stops near your hotel.
• Gangnam or Jamsil: a limousine bus, since the train needs transfers.
• Arriving late, with kids, or with lots of luggage: a taxi.

Want to show the driver your hotel in Korean? Use our taxi card.