AREX Airport Railroad

Rail · Seoul · Airport Railroad Co.

2 lines · 15 stations · 2 interchanges

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Lines

Quick facts

Operator
Airport Railroad Co. runs AREX between Seoul Station, Gimpo, and Incheon Airport.
Payment
All Stop trains behave like the transit network. Express trains are a separate airport-rail product with their own ticketing.
Check the current fare before riding. The important choice is All Stop for flexibility versus Express for a cleaner airport run.
Airport linkAirport rail
Airport links
AREX serves Incheon Airport Terminals 1 and 2, Gimpo Airport, Hongik University, Gongdeok, and Seoul Station.
Seoul Subway
Network type
Airport railroad with a local All Stop service and a faster Express service.
Airport railExpress service

Mike’s notes

AREX is the airport answer for Seoul, but there are two versions of the answer.

The All Stop Train is the flexible one. It links Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport, Hongik University, Gongdeok, and Seoul Station, so it behaves like a normal transit layer with airport usefulness attached.

The Express Train is the cleaner airport product. It skips the local stops and is aimed at Seoul Station to Incheon Airport trips. If your hotel is near Seoul Station or you are connecting to a train there, it can be the calmer choice.

Airport limousine buses still matter when your hotel is not near Seoul Station or an AREX transfer. With luggage, a direct bus to the right district can be better than a technically faster rail trip with two awkward transfers.

Short history

  1. 2007

    Airport rail begins

    The first AREX section opens between Incheon International Airport and Gimpo Airport.

  2. 2010

    Seoul Station connection

    AREX reaches Seoul Station, making the airport railroad the default rail arrival path for many visitors.

  3. 2018

    Terminal 2 extension

    The line extends to Incheon Airport Terminal 2, matching the airport's newer long-haul terminal layout.

Sources and references (1)
  1. AREX