Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Vox_Populi]

Anyone know what the rules for taking bicycles on the subway are in Seoul? I'm shopping around for a 2nd hand bike now and it looks like I may have to buy in a different area of the city.

I live in Bundang if that makes any difference to anyone.

[ThingsComeAround]

Very front or very rear of the train.

[cdninkorea]

As of a few months ago, only on weekends. A subway worker at Olympic Park station (line 5) wouldn't let me take my bike on the subway on a weekday, saying it's weekends only. Not sure if this is still true though.

[jondepoer]

Yeah, I've pretty much had it with security-guard types making it up as they go along. I had a similar situation a couple months back where the guy at the track entrance gave me the wildly waving "no" hand. I just said "no hangul" and kept going. Seriously, ignore the "authority figure" in 90% of these situations. Nothing will happen. Twats.

[Mr. Peabody]

Sundays only.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/nation_view.asp?newsIdx=50261&categoryCode=117

[theloneleaf]

That's 2 years old, I'm sure I've seen bikes on the subway during weekdays. But definitely not during rush hour.

[cdninkorea]

[Mr. Peabody]

[jonnyh]

Mr. Peabody's right. There is a Korea Times story from 2009 about Seoul allowing bikes on the subway on Sundays, and it states that there were plans to make it Saturday and Sundays in 2010, and weekdays by 2012. However, those plans were not enacted, and it's still Sundays only. We called the subway and asked about it. Too bad. It'd be a nice way to get around.

[Lazio]

I see bikes carried on the subway quite often on weekdays.
I think there is no problem with it if the train is not crowded (ie. outer sections of lines like #4 from Sadang to Oido, #3 to Ilsan etc.)
Anyone trying to push a bike on a packed train -lets say #2- during peak hours should be beaten with their own bike and/or considered insane. This is the reason why it is only allowed on Sundays.

[jonnyh]

I'm glad someone else thinks there should be no problem with it too.

Unfortunately, however, the subway system does officially forbid it, except on Sundays.

I was just passing the word on what the rule is. I don't really have a big problem with the subway system making rules for what one can and cannot do on the subway.

Anybody who wants to argue with subway employees and be a pain in the butt foreigner who likes to argue about the rules that most people obey can continue to do so. To me, it doesn't seem like an enjoyable way to travel.

http://cycleseoul.blogspot.com/2009/10/taking-bikes-on-subway-in-seoul.html

[Vox_Populi]

[Harpeau]

I've been taking my bike on subways during various days of the week. I avoid rush hour like the plague, but I've never had a problem with the first and the last cars. I think that the main thing is to be considerate toward the other passengers.

[jonnyh]

Now this is interesting, and part of the reason I called to ask the subway people and researched this topic in the first place.

Are you saying no subway personnel have given you any hassle or asked any questions?
Have you encountered any subway staff? All the stations I use seem to have lots of people working and monitoring passengers.
What stations have you used and how have you handled transfers?

I have to get from NE Seoul to far south on line 1 on Saturdays and it'd be great to use the bike after I get off the subway, but I don't have time for a hassle ruining my commute.

[pkang0202]

Jsut fair warning,

do not take a bike on to Line #2, during rush hour in the first or last car, between Kyodae Station and Samsung Station.


The first car on Line 2 is the closest to the transfer hallway to Line 3 at Kyosae station. I promise you, with 1000000000000000000% certainty that the first and last car (depending on the direction you are going) will be packed full of people.

I take that transfer almost daily and I've seen newborn babies held by their mothers, smothered by the people trying to push their way into the first and last car.