Korean Job Discussion Forums

[CanKorea]

Trivial post for you all, but how about those subways? Yesterday I stood jammed into a tiny corner near the doors and spent most of the ride enduring an older man coughing all over my arm. I felt like screaming.

I need to stop traveling on the weekends!

[Zed]

When I had to come into Seoul from Suwon one morning to go to the embassy I vowed never again to take the subway at this time. The bus is so much better. I was near the front end of a car and at each stop more people climbed in. By the time we got to Anyang the car was jammed. This didn't stop more and more people, each stop, from getting in. I kept getting pushed further and further into the corner over top of the people that were sitting there. The result was that my body wasn't over my legs and I had to hang on the overhead bar for 45 minutes. This is quite a physical feat, hanging for 45 minutes on an angle. My arms were sore for a few days. This situation was made worse by the fact that most people in the car couldn't reach any handles so when the car started or stopped they were thrown forward or backward. At the front of the car everyone was crushed up against the door every time the thing stopped. I imagine the same was true at the other end when it started. Like water being sloshed back and forth in a box. Russh hour nightmare on line 1. I ALWAYS took the 7770 bus into Sadang after that. That station is a nightmare in rush hour too but at least I missed the worst of it.

[Raoul Duke]

I agree. I prefer a crowded bus to a crowded subway car. I'm not sure why that is exactly- I don't have claustrophobia or any phobias about being underground or anything...

[posco's trumpet]

[little mixed girl]

......

[Zed]

The bus is also faster when coming from Suwon or Bundang/Yongin.

The Paris subway was nice Posco. I never had any problems getting around there quickly and it's a fortune less than using the tube in London.

[peppermint]

The green line is Hell. On my way to work at 5:50 in the morning, there's never an empty seat. After my last class, I may as well crowd surf the whole way home.

[weatherman]

I always liked it (don't live in the Seoul metro area now) when the cars got over full. It was really exciting, like some big was about to happen.

[just because]

I remember one Saturday night at Dongdaemun station. I open the door and just laughed. So I stood back and said Kimchi and took a photo for the folks back home. Titled it the sardine can

[JackSarang]

[ratslash]

the way i find it - if you go by bus, double the length of time it takes you by subway. the subway is crowded but it sure as hell beats the buses.

[Zed]

[bucheon bum]

There are only a couple buses that go into seoul from where I am and they feel like they take forever, even w/out traffic.

Line #2 is definitly the worst. I was shocked friday night, I got a seat with room to spare. That usually only happens midday. Then saturday night, uggh, the sardine can experience.

The express Juan/Yongsan train is pretty bad all weekend long too.

[crazylemongirl]

I find that taking a bus from my area of incheon is far better than taking the subway plus I'm guranteed a seat.

The worst I've experienced was the day of the subway strike where after managing to get on a train I had a full on panic attack after two stops and had to get off it was really scary.

I do like being tall as I can reach over the koreans though.

CLG

[hellofaniceguy]

Do what I do, and I never have a problem. Use your elbows and keep an open space aound you. I give the rude ones the stink eye. Hey I figure; if you're rude enough to want to push and shove me then I have no qualms about returning your kindness. And actually some of the other passengers appreciate my gestures; they also get some room! It's sad a times, koreans just don't want to speak up at times for things that they should speak up against, like rudeness. Yet, you'll get a bunch of idiot ajummas speaking up, yelling and screaming about something trivial! Direct that energy to something positive!