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Image generated with ChatGPT for illustration purposes. Paying more than the board says is one of the oldest complaints visitors bring home from Korea, and in 2026 the government changed the penalty for restaurants. Since September 1, an eatery, café or bakery that has no visible price list, or that takes more money than its own list shows, is closed for five days the first time inspectors confirm it. A repeat costs ten days and a third case twenty. Before the change, a first case ended with an order to fix the problem and nothing more. The step comes from a broader package announced on February 25 at a national tourism meeting. That plan also promised seasonal price caps declared in advance by hotels and guesthouses, faster license suspensions for taxi drivers who overcharge, and removal from gift-voucher schemes for businesses that are penalised. On the pages I checked on October 31, only the restaurant rule had actually been written into law; the others were still listed as plans....
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AREX Express Train 2026: 56 Runs a Day From Oct 23, Times, Fares
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Image generated with Gemini 3.1 Flash Image for illustration purposes.
The Airport Railroad (AREX) added four express trains a day between Incheon International Airport and Seoul Station from Thursday, October 23, 2026. The operator's release gives the reason in one number: between 11:00 and 18:00 the express ran at an average seat occupancy of 85.3%, and in September the 3 p.m. trains from the airport to Seoul Station were 98.7% full.
This page sets out the timetable as AREX published it, what a ticket costs, when the last trains leave, and what to do if you land after them. It covers the airport railroad only. For long-distance trains and buses from Seoul, see the station-to-station guide in the Getting Around room.
What changed on October 23
I read through the release on AREX's corporate site, posted on October 21 and stating that the company announced the change on October 19. The figures in it are these:
Item
Before Oct 23
From Oct 23, 2026
Express trains per day (both directions)
52
56
Extra trains
Not applicable
2 each way, between 11:00 and 18:00
Average interval, 11:00 to 18:00
39 minutes
35 minutes
Extra seats per day
Not applicable
960
All-stop (general) trains
Count not stated
Departure times partly changed
The release also says that 79.8% of express passengers last year were foreigners, and links the change to a transport ministry plan for visitors who switch to KTX at Seoul Station. It does not list which departures are new.
The express timetable, every train
AREX's express timetable page shows a weekday table and a holiday table. I compared the two row by row on October 24 and they are identical: 28 trains in each direction, 56 in all, which matches the new count in the release.
From Terminal 2
From Terminal 1
Arrives Seoul Station
Leaves Seoul Station
Arrives Terminal 1
Arrives Terminal 2
05:16
05:24
06:07
06:00
06:43
06:51
06:00
06:08
06:51
06:45
07:28
07:36
06:30
06:38
07:21
07:20
08:03
08:11
07:05
07:13
07:56
08:06
08:49
08:57
08:10
08:18
09:01
08:51
09:34
09:42
08:47
08:55
09:38
09:25
10:08
10:16
09:20
09:28
10:11
10:00
10:43
10:51
10:00
10:08
10:51
10:35
11:18
11:26
10:30
10:38
11:21
11:15
11:58
12:06
11:05
11:13
11:56
11:45
12:28
12:36
11:40
11:48
12:31
12:20
13:03
13:11
12:20
12:28
13:11
12:55
13:38
13:46
12:50
12:58
13:41
13:35
14:18
14:26
13:25
13:33
14:16
14:05
14:48
14:56
14:00
14:08
14:51
14:40
15:23
15:31
14:40
14:48
15:31
15:14
15:57
16:05
15:15
15:23
16:06
15:54
16:37
16:45
15:45
15:53
16:36
16:30
17:13
17:21
16:20
16:28
17:11
17:00
17:43
17:51
17:00
17:08
17:51
17:38
18:21
18:29
17:36
17:44
18:27
18:15
18:58
19:06
18:10
18:18
19:01
18:58
19:41
19:49
18:49
18:57
19:40
19:32
20:15
20:23
19:25
19:33
20:16
20:10
20:53
21:01
20:11
20:19
21:02
20:40
21:23
21:31
20:55
21:03
21:46
21:30
22:13
22:21
21:50
21:58
22:41
22:20
23:03
23:11
22:40
22:48
23:31
23:00
23:43
23:51
I counted the departures in the 11:00 to 18:00 window: 12 each way, which works out to the 35-minute average the release gives. The gaps are widest in the evening. From Terminal 2 there is no express between 20:55 and 21:50, and from Seoul Station none between 21:30 and 22:20, so a late arrival can easily mean a 50-minute wait.
Express or all-stop train
Both lines run on the same track. The express goes non-stop and has reserved seats; the all-stop train (일반열차) calls at 12 stations and links with the subway at 8 of them, including Hongik University, Gongdeok and Gimpo Airport. AREX lists these times and fares on its express and all-stop fare pages:
Express
All-stop
Seoul Station to Terminal 1
43 min
59 min (2 to 6 min longer on part of the runs)
Seoul Station to Terminal 2
51 min
66 min (2 to 6 min longer on part of the runs)
Adult fare to Terminal 1
₩13,000
₩4,750 by transit card
Adult fare to Terminal 2
₩13,000
₩5,350 by transit card
Child fare
₩9,500 (ages 6 to 12)
Half of the adult extra fare on a ₩550 base
Seats
Reserved
First come, standing at busy times
Ticket
Bought before boarding
T-money or other transit card, or a single-use card
The express page also prints a "regular fare" of ₩18,500 to Terminal 1 and ₩19,100 to Terminal 2 next to the ₩13,000 price; the ₩13,000 is what the page states as the adult fare as of this check. A single-use card on the all-stop line costs ₩100 more than the card fare plus a ₩500 deposit, returned at the machine at your destination.
The all-stop train is the better choice if your hotel is near Hongik University, Gongdeok or Magongnaru, since the express only stops at Seoul Station. The express wins if you have big bags, are going on by KTX from Seoul Station, or want to use the check-in counter below.
First and last trains
The express table above covers the express. For the all-stop line I read the station timetables on AREX's site for Seoul Station and both terminals, which mark each train's final stop:
Train
First
Last
Express, Terminal 2 to Seoul Station
05:16
22:40
Express, Seoul Station to Terminal 2
06:00
23:00
All-stop, Terminal 2 to Seoul Station
05:08
23:32 (23:38 from Terminal 1)
All-stop, Seoul Station to Terminal 2
05:20
23:40
Watch the train's destination late at night. A 23:50 departure from Terminal 2 stops short of Seoul Station, and the 23:50 and 24:00 trains from Seoul Station go only as far as Geomam, not to the airport.
Checking in at Seoul Station
An express ticket gets you into the City Airport Terminal on the second basement floor of AREX's Seoul Station, where you can check in, drop bags and clear departure immigration on the day of an international flight from Incheon. You then use a separate departure lane on the airport's third floor.
Item
Detail on AREX's page
Who can use it
Express ticket holders; scan the ticket QR code at the gate
Check-in hours
05:20 to 19:00, last check-in 18:50
Immigration hours
05:30 to 19:00
Deadline
3 hours before departure for Terminal 1 flights, 3 hours 20 minutes for Terminal 2
Not accepted
Ticket purchase, fragile sports gear, instruments, bags longer than 150 cm
The page's own example: for a 17:00 flight, check-in closes at 14:00 for Terminal 1 and 13:40 for Terminal 2. Airlines are shown as logos, and for most of them the page excludes flights to the Americas, including Guam and Saipan, so confirm with your airline first. If you are flying out on Thursday, November 19, note that flights pause during the Suneung listening test; our Suneung Day guide has the times.
Delays during the work-to-rule action
AREX's union began a work-to-rule action on October 12. The company's release of October 13 says it is monitoring trains and crowding, and that a headquarters led by the president would take over if the action turned into a strike. A passenger notice of October 14 says all-stop trains may run late and asks riders to leave extra time. Neither notice mentions the express, and neither gives an end date. If you have a tight flight, take an earlier train than you think you need.
Landing after the last train
Four Seoul late-night buses leave Terminal 1 from just before midnight until close to 5 a.m. The figures below come from the Incheon Airport Seoul late-night bus page, which notes that the information is for reference and that times vary with road conditions.
Route
Goes to
First and last from Terminal 1
Adult fare
N6000
Songjeong Stn, Yeomchang Stn, Gangnam Express Bus Terminal
00:10 to 04:20
₩17,000
N6002
Hongdae, Dongdaemun, Cheongnyangni
00:00 to 04:40
₩17,000
N6701
Mapo Stn, Seoul Station, Euljiro, Dongdaemun Design Plaza
23:50 to 04:40
₩18,000
N6703
Seorae Village, COEX, Jamsil, Gwangnaru Stn
23:40 to 04:50
₩18,000
Tickets are sold at ticket booths and machines, and for N6701 and N6703 also in the Tmoney GO app. Staff and discount tickets are not accepted.
Arriving from abroad, you will have filed the arrival card before reaching the train; our e-Arrival Card guide explains the 3-day window, and the K-ETA page tracks the exemption for 2027 trips.
Before you go
Use the express if you are changing to a KTX at Seoul Station or checking in there; use the all-stop train for Hongik University, Gongdeok or Magongnaru.
Read the destination on the platform screen after 23:30, because the latest all-stop runs in both directions include trains that stop short.
Save the timetable above or a screenshot of AREX's page; the gap between evening expresses is up to 55 minutes.
Click through to AREX's notices on the day you travel while the union action lasts.
FAQ
What time is the last AREX express train from Incheon Airport to Seoul? 22:40 from Terminal 2 and 22:48 from Terminal 1, arriving at Seoul Station at 23:31. After that, the last all-stop train that reaches Seoul Station leaves Terminal 2 at 23:32.
How much is the AREX express train in 2026? ₩13,000 for an adult and ₩9,500 for a child aged 6 to 12, as listed on AREX's express page on October 24, 2026.
How many AREX express trains run a day now? 56 trains a day from October 23, 2026, 28 in each direction. Between 11:00 and 18:00 a train leaves about every 35 minutes; in the evening the gap reaches 50 to 55 minutes.
Do I need to book the AREX express in advance? You need a ticket before boarding, from the customer centres at Seoul Station (B2) or the transportation centres of Terminals 1 and 2 (B1), or online. Seats are reserved, so the busy afternoon trains can fill.
Can I check in for my flight at Seoul Station? Yes, with an express ticket, from 05:20 to 18:50, for international flights leaving Incheon the same day. Check-in closes 3 hours before a Terminal 1 departure and 3 hours 20 minutes before a Terminal 2 departure.
Is the AREX all-stop train cheaper than the express? Yes. Seoul Station to Terminal 1 costs ₩4,750 by transit card and takes about 59 minutes, against ₩13,000 and 43 minutes on the express.
What we could not confirm
Which four departures are the new ones. The release gives the window, not the times, and we did not find the pre-change table on AREX's site.
How long the ₩13,000 express fare will stay below the ₩18,500 and ₩19,100 "regular fare" printed beside it.
The express ticket refund and change rules; we did not open the passenger terms for this page.
An English version of the timetable page. The AREX passenger site we checked showed Korean pages only.
When the union action will end, or whether it will affect the express.
AI 일러스트 · AI-generated illustration (background scene, not the museum's real gallery). Card facts: museum.go.kr Image generated with Canva Magic Media (background scene) for illustration purposes. Last checked: 2026-10-26 · Sources: NMK viewing hours · NMK reservations and ticketing · Notice of closures, Aug 26, 2026 · Central Asia Gallery closure notice · Directions · Parking · National Museum of Korea, English home and exhibition list · Current exhibitions (Korean) · Upcoming special exhibitions (Korean) · Kunsthaus Zürich exhibition page (Korean) · What changed recently: The Korean Table closed on Sunday, October 25, after three free days; it no longer appears on the museum's current-exhibitions list. The next paid show is Birth of Modern Art from the Kunsthaus Zürich collection, November 27, 2026 to April 18, 2027, with early-bird tickets at 12,000 won on sale since October 13. The Dunhuang manuscripts opened in the Central Asia Gallery on October 23.
AI 일러스트 · AI-generated illustration (background scene). Card facts: hangeul.go.kr · much.go.kr · sejongpac.or.kr Image generated with Canva Magic Media (background scene) for illustration purposes. Last checked: 2026-10-21 (exhibition page, host museum and Sejong Story page opened again) · Sources: Ministry of Culture, October 6 press release on the ceremony · National Hangeul Museum, Hangul Hanmadang notice · National Hangeul Museum, closure notice · National Hangeul Museum, 2026 Year of Hangeul · 100th-anniversary exhibition page · National Museum of Korean Contemporary History · Sejong Center, Sejong Story visitor information · Ministry of the Interior, 2025 Hangul Day ceremony notice · Gwanghwamun Square event calendar · Korea AeroSpace Administration, 2026 calendar notice · What changed recently: the exhibition opened on October 2 and its page still gives February 9, 2027 as the last day, with the same hours and closure days; this update adds the page's rule that...
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