AREX

The top 5 sunset attractions by Airport Railroad.

It is unusually cold this year but, even the last cold snap in March is finally over and typical spring weather is on the march with gentle wind. What a moment we have been waiting for! March is good season to take a tour in Korea but it is still premature spring for flower viewing. Don’t be discouraged yet.

Even though we can not meet spring flowers, it is far better season to enjoy romantic sunset when Korea tour. Around the Airport Railroad lines, you can find several attractions for sunset. If you are having travel with sweetheart or family, I strongly suggest lovely sunset places below.

1. Eulwangri beach around “Incheon Int’l Airport Station”

Starting point from the Incheon Int’l Airport Station, the Youngyu west beach which is combined with the Yeongjongdo Island is one of best sunset places. You can feel an endless horizon of the Muuido Island, Jawoldo Island and Deokjeokdo Island. When a sun goes down, why don’t you enjoy scenery sitting on the Eulwangri beach? It will be more romantic than you imagine.

<Directions>
get off at the Incheon Int'l Airport station > transfer to bus No. 302 at bus station No. 13 > the Eulwangri beach(20~30min)

2. Jungseojin & Youngjong Grand bridge rest station around “Cheongna Int’l City station”

Jungseojin is starting point of the Youngjong Grand bridge and ending point of Ara Waterway. If the Jeongdongjin is a famous sun-greeting place, the Jungseojin is a new attraction of sunset spot. Every end of the year, People have year-end festivities on the Jungseojin with fascinating sunset silhouette. The night view of the Youngjong Grand bridge and the Ara Waterway is another attractive option.

If you would like to enjoy sunset and night-scape of the Youngjong Grand bridge more specific, visiting the Youngjong Grand bridge rest station is proper way. The first floor is souvenir shop and food court, and you can watch whole scenery of the Jungseojin & the Youngjong Grand bridge at the observatory.

<Directions>
get off at the Cheongna Int’l City station > bus No. 77-1 or 77-2 > get off at the Incheon Passenger Terminal station(Jungseojin)

3. The Suhyangnu around “Gyeyang station”.

Make no bones about it, the Suhyangnu is the best sunset place in Ara Waterway. It is two stories of palace and you can go up to the second floor to watch the Ara Waterway. If you enjoy sunset on the second floor of the Suhyangnu with snacks and spring breeze, it couldn’t be better!

<Directions>
Get off at the Gyeyang station > turn left from exit and go 300 meters more > turn left at three way intersection and go 250 meters more > Ara Waterway.

4. Haneul Park around “Digital Media City station”

Haneul Park was once a landfill, but the former landfill site was transformed into an ecological park. The Haneul Park is the most popular place situated in World Cup Park which was built to commemorate the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Haneul Park is known to be the “closest to the sky” offering the most beautiful sights of sunset in downtown city of Seoul.

“Haneul” in Korean is the word for “sky”, the park is situated on the highest part of World Cup Park and offers relaxation. After climbing up 291 stairs of zigzags, visitors can enjoy fantastic views of Seoul and the Han river. During the annual Eulalia Festival, the entire park becomes carpeted in waves of silver, rendered by lush eulalia in full bloom.

If you are tired of citiy tour in Seoul, visiting the Haneul Park in sunset time will be a excellent option.

<Directions>
Get off at Digital Media City station > Exit 8, Bus No. 7013 > Get off at "Nanjicheon Park" parking-lot bus stop.

5. N-Seoul Tower around "Seoul Station"

N Seoul Tower is the iconic landmark of Seoul, which means, Koreans and foreigners would visit this place, at least, more than once. Because, N Seoul Tower is a popular place for dates, picnic, and sunset. If you climb up to the hill, you can enjoy panoramic views of downtown Seoul. A recent attraction for couples is "Locks of Love," thousands of padlocks are attached to the fence by couples symbolizing their endless love.

Feeling romantic sunset and night view in an observatory or luxurious restaurant will be a special pleasure for you and your traveling companians.

<Directions>
Get off at Seoul Station > Exit 9, get on bus 03 and get off at Seoul Tower

Great place for a spring outing - Graffiti art in the Hong-ik Univ. street.

People call the Hong-ik Univ. street as a "Young's street" or "place of youth", because it has many attractions for visitors. One of the symbol of Hong-ik Univ. street is probably a "Graffiti arts". If you drop by Hong-ik Univ. street, you can catch lots of graffiti arts in various places.

Especially, in spring, Hongik University Playground Park which opens the "Art at HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket" every weekend is known for a graffiti art's hub. Various graffiti arts on slide, Hong-ik senior citizen center, public toilet draw many spectators' prase.

The "Art at HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket" which has opened on 5th of March is crowded with people buying & selling, and taking photos of graffiti arts.

The reason that graffiti arts is popular with visitors is not only partial graffiti on a wall, but also huge scale of graffiti covering a building, so graffiti arts of the Hong-ik University Playground Park are looked like scribbles but are evaluated as great artistry.

The Hong-ik University Playground Park recently changed graffiti arts to meet visitors, so when you go to Seoul, you should not miss them. And the exit 7 of Hong-ik Univ. station will lead you to new wall painting arts at streets upto the tourist service center. This street is also famous for the "busking performance“

Around the exit 7 of Hong-ik Univ. station, there is an another park like "Hong-ik University Playground Park". If you go 50 meters from exit 7 and turn right on rotary, you can find public toilet covered with graffiti arts at a public park.

In this shining spring season, visiting graffiti arts place in the Hong-ik Univ. street will give you fresh and special reminiscences.

Let's go to the "HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket"

If you are sick and tired of monotonous tour routine, let us go to the HongDae(Hongik Univ.)~! HongDae is one of the most popular place among young people, because there are a lot of places to enjoy, to watch, and to eat.

The "HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket" can be called original market and has influenced others, which are also labelled "Flea-market", "Free-market", and etc.

Since the opening of the first market in June 2002, various creators have participated in many ways, and now, the Free-market has become a superstar in HongDae street. When the market opens, the HongDae street is overcrowded with creators, sellers, and visitors. Foreigners who visit Korea spread words quickly to each other that this market is not to be missed.

Any creator can participate as a seller and culture creator but, of course, must register first. There are lots of goods like small accessaries, painting shoes and cloth bags, hand-made dolls and these are one and only products by cultural creators. They inscribe initials or special memo on goods, so it could be a meaningful present for couples.

"HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket" has not only creators' products, but also painters. Every artist has his own style and skill, so watching sketch or picture is another kind of pleasure. You can catch artists' calligraphies as well and they turn a phrase personally for consumer's taste.

One of the biggest advantage in "HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket" is that products are cheaper than online market. Because artists open a market and sell goods directly, so consumers are able to purchase them as lower price than online, and some products are sold only in this market.

Performance art is also the important part of living art. The "HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket" has an open ground for performing artists, such as singers, dancers, and other performance artists. colorful performance stage awaits artists who communicate with people by action in the "Afternoon Stage".

This weekend, the "HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket" will satisfy your all senses, so do not hesitate to find out your own treasure.

<"HongDaeAp Artmarket Freemarket" information>

Operation time : 5th, March ~ 26th, Nov. (Saturday, 13:00~18:00)

Location : Hongik University Playground Park (19-3, Wausan-ro 21-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul)

Hompage : www.freemarket.or.kr

direction : Getting off at Hongik Univ. Station(Airport Railroad)

Extending "discount period" of Express Train ticket : Passengers from the Southeast Asia(8,000=>6,900won)

Extending "discount period" of Express Train ticket : Passengers from the Southeast Asia(8,000=>6,900won)

There has one useful information for foreign tourists in Korea. The Airport Railroad decided to extend event period for passengers by Thai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and etc.(Airlines from Southeast) until 30th of June, 2016.

Passengers by Thai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines can purchase Express Train ticket as 6,900won(original price : 8,000won). Just visit "Customer Service Center" or "Travel Center" in the Seoul station & Incheon Int'l Airport station and show flight tickets(including E-ticket, within 7 days from boarding date) and then you can get discount price of Express Train ticket.

This event had been carried from 16th of November, 2015 to 29th of February, 2016, however, due to good feedback from passengers, the Airport Railroad decided to extend until 30th of June, 2016.

The AREX(Airport Railroad Express) is only one railroad which connects the Incheon Int'l Airport, Gimpo Int'l Airport to Seoul. The Express Train goes nonstop between Incheon Int'l Airport and Seoul Station and All stop Train stops at all 11 stations in-between Incheon Int'l Airport and Seoul Station, such as Gongdeok Station and Hongik Univ. Station.

And you can enjoy your travel conveniently with no baggage and no waiting line at Incheon Int'l Airport, owing to getting services like flight check-in and departure procedure of Immigration in City Airport Terminal of Seoul Station(B2). Moreover, there has currency exchange in City Airport Terminal, so you can change money as your country one before leaving Korea. Facilities like restaurant, cafe are also located in City Airport Terminal of Seoul Station.

After departure procedure in City Airport Terminal of Seoul Station and going Incheon Int'l Airport by Express Train, you can use the designated entreance on the departure hall(3rd floor) without waiting line, in Incheon Int'l Airport.

West sea trip by Airport Railroad and maglev train

If you want to have special experiences before departing, you may take a time at the Inchon Int'l Airport. Magnetic levitation train from Inchon Int'l Airport to Yongyu Station were opened on 3rd of February, secondly, in the world. So, you can enjoy West sea around Youngyu Island.

The last stop of Airport Railroad is Inchon Int'l Airport and it can be directly transferred to maglev train at second floor of transportation center. The maglev train route is "Inchon Int'l Airport - Long Term parking - Administration Complex - Int'l Business Center - Water Park - Young Yu" and total length of train line is 6.1km. Maglev train runs every 15min from 9am to 6pm. Maximum speed of the maglev train is 110km/h and ticket price is free.

Let's take a look at the tour spot by 'Airport Railroad + Maglev Train"

1. The Geojampo, sunrise and sunset of port.

The Geojampo has Korean style of fishing village and is the nearest place from Seoul that people can see the sunup and sundown at the beach. This place has sushi market to taste sliced raw fish, steamed seafood, grilled clams, bajirakcahlgooksoo(pasta with clam soup) and etc.

1. stop at Inchon Int'l Airport > move to second floor of Transportation Center > get in Maglev Train > get off at Youngyu Station(5min, walking distance)

2. Bus No. 302 or 306 at No. 2 or 7 bus stop at 3rd floor of Inchon Int'l Airport > get off at Geojampo

2. Cozy winter beach, the Youngyu beach

If you want to take a walk on beach road in Korean winter, the Masiran beach which has wide sandy beach and mud flat will welcome you. Bus No. 302 or 306 will take you from the Youngyu station to the Seonnyeobawi Beach(heavenly maid's rock), Eurwangni Beach(has many convenient facilities) and quiet Wangsan beach, so these tree attractive tourist spot will satisfy your five senses.

1. stop at Inchon Int'l Airport > move to second floor of Transportation Center > get in Maglev Train > get off at Youngyu Station > Bus No. 302 or 306 > Seonnyeobawi Beach, Eurwangni Beach, Wangsan beach

2. Bus No. 302 or 306 at No. 2 or 7 bus stop at 3rd floor of Inchon Int'l Airport > Seonnyeobawi Beach, Eurwangni Beach, Wangsan beach

3. Miniature of Jeju Olle Route, Nuri-gil of Muui Sea in Somuuido Island.

If you have trip with family, I recommend Nuri-gil of Muui Sea in Somuuido Island. People call Nuri-gil of Muui Sea in Somuuido Island as a "miniature of Jeju Olle Route", which has roads of fishing village and roads of cliff coast, coastal roads, mountain paths. If you want to have special memory with family, 1 hour of tracking course in Nuri-gil of Muui Sea will be an affectionate roads.

1. stop at Inchon Int'l Airport > move to second floor of Transportation Center > get in Maglev Train > get off at Youngyu Station >board a ship at Jamjindo Wharf > shuttle bus at Muuido Island > Somuiido Island(Gwangmyeong port)

2. Take Bus No. 2-1 or 222 at the 7th bus stop on the third floor of Incheon Int’l Airport → board a ship at Jamjindo Wharf → Muuido Island

4. Special mountain tracking in island, Horyong Goksan in Muuido.

Why don't you have mountain tracking in island? The Muuido Horyong Goksan provides special tracking course which is from Gwangmyeong port to the Horyong Goksan, Guksabong Peak, and Muuido wharf. It takes 3~4hours and Airport Rail roads can take you there only. Before you leave Korea, I strongly recommend these tracking course as a gift of trip.