Seoul Trip Part II: Transportation & Forex | Miss Shopaholic Goes Travelling

Seoul Trip Part II: Transportation & Forex

I am back from my Seoul trip! It was a really fruitful one - for me at least!

Ok, as promised, I will share with you my experience doing a free & easy trip to Seoul and what to look out for.

1. Currency

If you have not changed your currency, change it at Incheon Airport upon arrival!! The rate is so much better than Singapore. We changed most of it in Singapore at a rate of S$1 to 862Won. However, when I arrive at Incheon Airport to change more money, the rate is S$1 to 935won! In addition, do not change the money before you leave the security area. You will see two money changers just before the exit to the main arrival hall. Do not change there. There are more money changers in the main arrival hall and their rates are slightly better.

2. Airport Limousine bus

We realised that there are two types of airport limousine bus: Deluxe and Standard. Deluxe is operated by KAL (Korean Air) which goes to many of the major hotels in Seoul, including Lotte Hotel. http://www.koreanair.com/local/na/gd/eng/aa/ia/aa_ia_limo.htm. Their buses have more legroom and are way more comfortable than the standard limousine bus. Each ticket costs 14000won. For the standard airport limousine bus, they are numbered (the bus to Mydeong station is Bus 6015) and are more like a normal 44-seater coach bus. The buses go to some hotels but ply mainly to different parts of Seoul city. Each ticket costs 9000won. For more details on which bus you should take, check out http://www.airport.kr/airport/traffic/bus/busList.iia?flag=E&fake=1229497745683. If money is not an issue, stay at hotels where the limousine buses will stop. For eg. Westin Chosun, Lotte Hotel, etc.

As mentioned previously, we are staying at the Hotel Ibis Myeong Dong. Airport limousine bus does not stopped directly in front of our hotel but we knew that the hotel was very near to Lotte Hotel. When we approached the airport limousine bus counter and told them our hotel name, they told us to take bus 6015 which goes to Myeong Dong station. Our ticket was even printed with our hotel name so we thought maybe there is a new stop at our hotel. We were WRONG!! After double checking with the driver who can't quite speak English halfway through the journey, he told us to get off at Hotel Sejong in Myeong Dong and take a 10-mins walk to our hotel. Geez, can you imagine being faced with such situation in a foreign place!

We were totally disorientated and have no clue how to walk to our hotel lugging two big suitcases. So we decided to just take a taxi to our hotel. As our hotel is relatively new, we showed the map to the taxi driver. Kudos to the taxi driver who took us. Not only did he help with our luggage, he was also very reassuring - reassured us that he knew the place even though he can't quite speak English. In the end, our taxi fare was only 1900won from Hotel Sejong.

Despite the initial hiccup, all turned out well. The cost for us add up to only 19900won for two versus 28000won for two taking the deluxe bus to Lotte Hotel. If we have dropped at Lotte Hotel, we will also have to lug our luggages up and down flight of stairs through an underpass as there is no pedestrian crossing from Lotte to our hotel. Blessing in disguise indeed!! :)

Ok, will continue sharing about my Seoul trip, especially the shopping part soon!

posted by blossom179 at 2:41 PM

2 Comments:

At July 25, 2009 at 10:25 AM, Anonymous

The 6015 bus now (July 2009) stops right in front of the Ibis hotel - got it on Wednesday - very convenient, and taxi no longer required.

-- All the best,
Nick.
At January 2, 2017 at 8:08 PM, Mosafer

Watching too much Korean TV series makes me fall in love with the country. It is on my bucket list but unfortunately, I don't have time to travel there yet. My Korean friend invited me and hopefully I could eventually visit soon. Cross finger. ^_^