When traveling from the United States to an Asian destination like Manila, Philippines, most airlines have connection flights that require changing planes upon reaching another country. This usually has a waiting time of two to five hours. However, there are times that it takes 10 hours or even more before the next flight. For stops in Seoul, South Korea, passengers can use the long waiting time for tourism purposes.
Incheon International Airport
The Incheon International Airport, one of the largest and busiest airports in the world, serves Korea’s capital Seoul. It is often rated as one of the best airports in the world by the Airports Council International, Global Traveler, Skytrax, among many other reliable organizations, companies, and travel sites. It serves as the main hub for Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. Both these Korean airlines take part of the Seoul Stopover Program for international travelers.
Seoul Stopover Program
Generally, the advantage of being a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident is the convenience of taking part of the Seoul Stopover Program without visa requirements. This tourism program allows a long-distance traveler whose transit place when making a flight reservation is Korea to participate in a short Seoul tour or even book a discounted hotel reservation for a short stay in Korea, while in transit. An international traveler can also benefit from a variety of special benefits, discounts, and promos courtesy of this program.
Generally, the benefits for participating international travelers include a voucher for a free ride using the Seoul City Tour Bus, voucher for free roundtrip airport limousine bus rides between the hotel and the airport, free admission to major museums in Seoul, free casino tokens, and special discounts in hotels, restaurants, stage performances, and different tourist attractions, which usually range from 10 to 50 percent.
This program is typically an ideal option for those exploring Seoul for the first time. Travelers can try this if they have layover times of at least six hours in Incheon. It is also possible to make a special request to the airline for a longer stay in Seoul for a few days or even up to 30 days before scheduling the next flight going to one’s international destination.
Independently Exploring Seoul While in Transit
For those who are more adventurous or are more familiar with Seoul already, they can enjoy a short trip around the city without directly participating to the Seoul Stopover Program. Even without the free transportation offerings, reaching Seoul is considerably a breeze because of the ready access to train, bus, taxi, and car rental options from the airport. Special ticket options are available at the airport for the convenience of international travelers.
Incheon’s Airport Railroad Express (A’REX) is a train station located at the Transportation Center, which is just adjacent to the airport’s main terminal building. This offers high-speed train services to Seoul and also to Gimpo International Airport, the other airport nearest Incheon. This allows travelers to reach Seoul in more or less 43 minutes. As an express train, it directly goes to the Seoul Station without making stops in between. There is also a relatively cheaper, but slightly longer commuter train option that makes it possible to reach more specific areas in Seoul. It works like a typical subway service with distinct stops in a specific number of stations.
Some travelers may find the bus option more convenient, especially when planning to visit places not very near the train stations. Those who find it more ideal to rent a car or take a taxi can easily do so from the airport as well.
Going Back to the Airport on Time
To make sure that the next flight won’t encounter any problem, it is always best to get back to the airport three hours before the next scheduled flight. To be safe, giving further allowance for the return time and the chosen transportation option to use, maybe an hour or so, is much better. The advantage of using the Seoul Stopover Program is that the itinerary for the tours and the transportation options are managed by a local company, which generally ensures the travelers don’t get late for their next flight.
To be safe, those with shorter waiting times for their next flights can just check out the worthwhile tourism, relaxation, and recreation areas inside the airport including the Korean Wave Cultural Center, Korean Culture Museum, and a variety of duty-free shops and restaurants. A free internet and transfer lounge is also very helpful to passengers in transit.