[Sponsored Report] Seoul Station is a hit for air travel

Seoul Station City Airport Terminal is gaining popularity with travelers.

Located in central Seoul, Seoul Station is a transport hub connected to the KTX bullet service, the Gyeongui Line and Seoul Metro’s subway lines No. 1 and 4.

More overseas travelers are choosing to drop by Seoul Station before heading to Incheon International Airport because the city terminal offers check-in services and a 43-minute nonstop express train to the airport.

At Seoul Station City Airport Terminal, passengers of Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Jeju Air can go through check-in procedures, seat selection and baggage consignment at the six available counters. The Ministry of Justice’s Korea Immigration Service then provides immigration checks.

Check-in must be completed at least three hours prior to boarding time, and customers can go straight to the airport without their heavy luggage. The total boarding procedure only takes about 10 minutes, even in peak travel seasons. This way, passengers can avoid waiting in long lines and will save at least one hour compared to when checking in at the airport.

Afterward, passengers can hop on the express train to the airport. The Airport Railroad Express (AREX) currently offers two types of services: an ordinary all-stop train service that stops at all ten stations between Seoul Station and Incheon International Airport, and the express train that follows the same route but travels without interruption for 43 minutes.

Approximately 150,000 passengers use the ordinary train every day while only 2,000 use the express train. Demand for the express train is expected to grow, however, as passengers prefer its designated seats and open space.

The boarding service at the City Airport Terminal is free of charge for express train passengers.

After arriving at the airport, those who already completed check-in and immigration can go straight through the departure passageway exclusively reserved for flight attendants and diplomats. All they need to do at the airport is show their passports for some simple security checks.

Such convenient features have been luring passengers to Seoul Station. During summer, the high season for overseas traveling, Seoul Station City Airport Terminal user traffic soared.

Left: Passengers traveling overseas checking in at Seoul Station City Airport Terminal. Right: The nonstop express train operating between Seoul Station and Incheon International Airport. Provided by the company

Average daily ridership of the express train rose by 30 percent in just one month, from 1,953 in July to 2,536 in August.

“More travelers are turning to Seoul Station as it is more convenient for them to go to the airport after dropping off heavy baggage first,” said an AREX official.

AREX also offers special services for its passengers. Its “Mom’s Care Service” is available to people older than 70, moms with two or more children and the physically challenged. Employees will assist them in every step of the departure procedure; helping them get on and off the express train and seeing them off when they arrive at the exclusive airport departure passageway.

Useful tips for using the AREX

Passengers who convert currencies at Seoul Station City Airport Terminal will receive benefits such as the cheapest transaction fees and discounts on express train tickets.

Woori Bank Currency Exchange Center, at the entrance of the terminal, boasts the “cheapest exchange fees in Korea.” Until Sept. 17, it is offering lower commission on currency exchange and will provide an extra discount of 1,100 won (for up to 5 people) to set the ticket price of the express train at 6,900 won.

AREX passengers can also receive discounts at Lotte Duty Free of 5,000 won when spending more than $50, or 10,000 won when spending $100 or more.