Airport express train popular with foreigners

Tourists use the Incheon Airport Railroad Express which links Seoul Station and Incheon International Airport. A group fare discount program for the express service has gained popularity among foreign visitors. / Courtesy of Korail Airport Railroad

By Kim Rahn

A discount program for users of the Incheon Airport Railroad Express, or AREX, is gaining popularity among foreign travelers.

The Korail Airport Railroad service runs between Seoul Station downtown and Incheon International Airport.

There are nine stops between the two stations, but the authority operates a non-stop, express service, which takes 43 minutes.

The express fare is 8,000 won ($7.40) and 3,950 won for the all-stop service.

Since April, groups of four or more have been able to buy tickets at a 25 percent discount for the express train, reducing the fare to 6,000 won.

The railway authority said the discount program was widely known among foreign travelers, with 53 percent of purchasers being from overseas.

“Many tourists check information on various discounts in their destination countries before traveling,” an official said. “We believe overseas promotion through the AREX websites and blogs in foreign languages has been effective.”

The websites and blogs are in English, Chinese and Japanese.

The discount program is available through the end of the year.

The railroad authority recently installed toilets on the express train, and opened lounges exclusively for express passengers at Seoul and Incheon stations.

Express train passengers can check in and go through immigration at the city airport terminal at Seoul Station, avoiding queues at the Incheon airport. Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Jeju Air offer the service.