Korean Job Discussion Forums

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

I have an 8 am flight from Incheon to Japan on Friday.

I'm wondering what my best option is to give myself enough time to deal with checking in, getting my boarding pass, dealing with customs and immigration, and finally boarding the plane.

I bought my ticket at Korean Air's office at City Air Terminal near Samseong Station. They told me that I should be there 3 hours before the flight and that I can deal with immigration there and take a limousine to the airport. Since they only open at 5:20 am, she said that that would be fine. I doubt I'll be able to take a subway that early in the moring, so I'll have to take a taxi. Not sure if the limousine will cost anything. They say "limousine," but I'm thinking that it's just a shuttle bus.

The other option I'm thinking of is going to the airport the night before and dealing with immi and whatnot at the airport. Is this feasible? Can you go to the airport and sit there overnight? Or does it close for a few hours? I think this would be best and maybe cheaper since I wouldn't have to pay for the shuttle bus (funds are low). If the airport is closed for a few hours, I could hang around at a PC Bang as close to the airport as I can get.

If I can just go to the airport Thursday night and wait, that would be best, I think. Or maybe the ticket counters or whatever aren't open till a certain time.

I could go to Samseong Station, I guess, and hang out at a PC Bang around there and get to City Air Terminal right on time. I didn't see too many PC bangs around there though. It's more like a business, department store area.

Is it quicker and more efficient to just go to City Air Terminal? I'd arrive at the airport at around 6:30 am. I suppose that'll give me plenty of time to board for my 8 am departure.

Can anyone shed some light here?

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

If I were you, I would go from City Air Terminal. You can go to the PC Bang in COEX overnight if you want. You can do immigration and bag check in at CAT and then really, you only need to be at the airport about an hour before your flight because when you go through security and immigration again (yes again) you go through with the pilots and crew which only takes about 5 minutes total and there is never lines. If flying Asiana or Korean Air, CAT is the best thing since sliced bread. And yes, of course, it is a limousine bus and not a limousine.

drunkenfud · Joined: 08 Mar 2007

You could check in at the airport guest house the night before. It's about 5 minutes drive from the airport, costs (if I remember correctly) 45k per night. The owner will pick you up from the airport when you arrive, and drive you back the next day. There's a bar nearby. Rooms are clean and perfectly acceptable.

The number's 032 743 0979 if you're interested.

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

curlygirl · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Location: Pundang, Seohyeon dong

As a super cheap and convenient option, you can stay in the small sauna inside the airport (I did this). Can't remember the price but it wouldn't have been much over man won, and of course you can shower and refresh yourself the next morning.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

thematrixiam · Joined: 31 Oct 2007

COEX... am I lost, do you mean COEX mall. because I thought that wasn't anywhere near inceon airport.

Either way. I am sure you can find something close by, even bupyeong area. And just lodge up in a cheap motel or PCbang. if you want to sleep 30 bucks a night... if not. get a pcbang... nothing is stopping you from crashing at your computer either. You could always just load up on cold coffees

edit: opps by bad.wrong airport... either way. pc bang or motel would be pretty cheap.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

bossface · Joined: 05 Aug 2006

hey OP-
you mention taking the subway to Coex to use the CAT. Do you live close to Coex? If not, and you are in Seoul, there's probably an airport limousine bus closer to home. Most of them start at around 5, just get on at the closest airport bus stop to you at 5 or so, you'll get to Incheon in plenty of time for an 8 a.m. flight. Most airport buses from anywhere in Seoul take about an hour. If you are flying Korean Air or Asiana and aren't checking luggage, you can check in at one of the machines.

Taking the subway to the airport (via Gimpo/AREX train) costs about 5,000 when considering subway fare, buses are 12-14,000. At most, you save 9k on the subway, and unless you live on the far west side of town, it takes forever to get to Incheon. If you live on the west side of town, you definitely wouldn't want to go to Coex first anyway, it's the wrong direction.

Stevie_B · Joined: 14 May 2008

Tsk! I thought this thread was going to be about the Wright Brothers.

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

Yeah, I'm going to do the CAT thing. Maybe I'll just take a taxi at around 4:45 or something. Not sure. If I'm paying 2000 Won an hour at a PC bang for a few hours, that will probably be more than a taxi.

I don't live too far from the CAT. It's near Samseong Stn and I'm at Gildong Stn in Gangdong. Taxi might not be too much. Plus I get 3 years worth of pension next Wednesday.