Three characteristics attributable only to Incheon airport railroad differentiating from regular subway

Some people, among foreign tourists using Incheon airport railroad running between Incheon airport and Seoul station, have often stated their views that they don’t know the difference between regular subway and Incheon airport railroad on the message board of travel website.

1. the express train is the deluxe and ,on the contrary, the regular is the public

The most confused misunderstanding is that they think both the express train running nonstop between Seoul station and Incheon airport station and the regular train stopping at all of 11 stations are in the same class of train.

Well, these two kinds of trains are totally different from their interiors to operation time, to say nothing of their fares and services. Interior seats of regular train stopping all of 11 stations are on both sides together on long seats in a row like metropolitan subway. Whereas, nonstop train called airport express train has no room for standing one like KTX(Korean Train Express) and provides various kinds of guidance by train crews to passengers. And also it has only two cabin doors, half of regular trains, offering pleasant interior to passengers.

While regular train runs in 56 minutes between Seoul station and Incheon airport station, nonstop train runs only in 43 minutes. As these two kinds of trains have totally different qualities, they apply differential fares such as 3,950 KRW for regular train and 8,000 KRW for nonstop train between Seoul station and Incheon airport station.

2. Is there is a city airport terminal inside Seoul station?

In Incheon airport railroad, there is a unique facility that isn’t in other railroad transportation agencies. That’s the city airport terminal at Seoul station. Some airlines like Korean Air or Asiana airline or Jeju airline take occupancy of this terminal and provide check-in and luggage consignment service to passengers who use nonstop train. Also passengers who finish check-in can go through departure process at the Korean immigration office at this terminal.

In other words, instead of going through departure procedure at Incheon airport, passengers can do it at this terminal just in 10 minutes. So foreign tourists who took here one or more times are used to visit again, due to its convenience.

3. twice faster than regular subway

Trains of Incheon airport railroad are twice faster than regular subway. Scheduled speed, an average speed of this train between stations, amounts to 70km/h but that speed of metropolitan subway remains only 30~35km/h.

The reason is that it’s distance between stations runs for 5.3km on average but subways’ one is only around 1 km on average. Especially, the distance between Chungra station and Unseo station which Yeongjong bridge is located between runs fully for 13.9 km as the longest. Reviews of foreign tourists have often been posted as they were surprised to the fact that the train was still running even after finishing to listen to a long symphony while this train passes through this section.

Incheon airport railroad has proven itself as the fastest way between Incheon airport and Seoul downtown~! Just remember the difference between nonstop train and regular one, the fast speed of this train and the city airport terminal inside Seoul station of Incheon airport railroad. And let’s refer to these points during your train travel in Korea.