Korean Air Skypass - Long stopover at ICN

Not sure if this is the right place for this post, so mods please feel free to move it to wherever is more appropriate.
I have a 12 hour stopover at ICN coming up in August. What can I do? Will i have time to go into Seoul? If so, do I need a visa for that? (UK passport). How are the business lounge facilities for that length of stopover (I'm on KE)?
Thanks for any advice.

No visa required.

Take airport limousine bus to Myeong-Dong or Itaewon (sort of downtown). You don't want to spend 12 hours in a lounge.

if you are arriving on weekday, you will spend a lot of time in traffice.

be prepared to sit in the bus 2+hr oneway to downtown seoul

if you are arriving 6am-7am weekday, forget about the bus. eastbound traffic from gimpo is terrible in morning hour. I recommend to take a bus to SEL (gimpo airport) then take a subway to downtown


if you are arriving on sunday.. take an airport bus (1hr to downtown or gangnam area)

http://www.airport.kr/airport/traffic/bus/busList.iia?flag=E

bus number over 6000 = 8000 korean won one way (USD 7)

take a look at this

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asia-460/

Thanks a lot for all the info people. Much appreciated. I will indeed be arriving on a weekday early morning. Looks like the Gimpo airport, then subway solution will be the one I take.

Hyatt Airport, I think, has a casino, where you can spend some time. With 12 hours, going back and forth the city might just cause you to be tired without anything fun.

One other option which hasnt been mentioned is to go visit incheon downtown. Now, i have to say incheon downtown is NOT much and very small but u can still get a glimps of korea's suburbial kind of city. Its got restaurants and salons and marts. Very korean.

What I did last time once I got there was (had 8 hrs)

Went to hair salon and got hair cut and blow dry.
Had lunch in one of the local joint. Clean and very tasty not to mention inexpensive.
Goto lotte mart and look at all things local.
Goto karaoke bar and sang for 1hr and half :o
came back

To get there, take the metro train located in the basement (very easy) get off at the 2nd station.

What I did last time once I got there was (had 8 hrs)

Went to hair salon and got hair cut and blow dry.
Had lunch in one of the local joint. Clean and very tasty not to mention inexpensive.
Goto lotte mart and look at all things local.
Goto karaoke bar and sang for 1hr and half :o
came back

To get there, take the metro train located in the basement (very easy) get off at the 2nd station.


Excellent!! Sounds like a winner. thanks for the info somuchtosee

I may be a little biased but if you're going to be in ICN, I would stomach some traffic and go into Seoul. It is, after all, one of the world's largest cities.

The touristy areas are, for the most part, English-friendly... the public transit is clean, and the city has lots to do (culture/art in insa-dong, historical buildings like gyeongbokgung (kind of far from the airport though), public markets like dongdaemun, rodeo drive-like shopping at... rodeo drive). At the very least you can stop by a mall and pick up one of those Korea-only MP3 players. Who knows, you may like it enough to go back and visit for real.

Yes, traffic is a pain. But don't you want to see for yourself if the fuss is worth it?

Yes, traffic is a pain. But don't you want to see for yourself if the fuss is worth it?

I have actually already visited Seoul and indeed Korea a couple of times from back when I lived in Japan (admittedly 20 years or so ago so things have surely changed... hence the post). The principal worry this time is not being bored during a long airport stopover.;)

almost forgot,


I did hear there is a place in icn aport where you can play some golf. Also, on basement, you can get glasses. Doctor on site and hundreds of frames to choose from. It only took mine 30 minutes and it is one of the best. Its kind of funny. I have been needing a new pair of glasses but I have been so busy MRing. haha. Its so fitting that I get my perscription at the airport.

I have done the 12 hour layover at ICN before. My preference is to get a room at the in terminal hotel - Walkerhill - (air side) and sleep part of the day. You can get the hotel for 6 hours or 12 hours. You do not even exit immigration or customs. KE holds your luggage during transfer (you can not retrieve).

If you want to exit - then likely stay at the Hyatt at the airport.

Ate at the BC lounge during the day - but slept in the hotel. The hotel is only a couple of hundred feet away. Hyatt caters food at the KE BC lounge.

In Seoul 4 months ago for a couple of days. I am not sure it is worth it to go all the way into town for just a few hours. I did not find the shopping all that great or anything I wanted to buy.

Also, on basement, you can get glasses. Doctor on site and hundreds of frames to choose from. It only took mine 30 minutes and it is one of the best. Its kind of funny. I have been needing a new pair of glasses but I have been so busy MRing. haha. Its so fitting that I get my perscription at the airport.

WOW now THAT is an interesting piece of information... I've been putting off going to the optician's for ages now due to lack of time and my arms are no longer long enough to let me read comfortably... I might just stroll down to the basement. :)

BTW when you say basement you mean in the airport itself don't you? Airside?

Thanks everyone for the information above...

I will also be transiting through ICN this month, and will have a long layoff, I arrive around mid-night and leave in the morning 9am. Does anyone know the info about airport hotels, how much do they cost? and how can reserve? any advices would be greatly appreciated! :)

Also, do you know if the lounge is open 24hr? I am AZ Skyteam Gold, and flying with AF/KAL.

Many thanks! :rolleyes:

Here is the link for the Incheon Airport Transit Hotel by Walkerhill. Rates are quoted on the page for the room types. Hotel is airside - you do not claim your bags - so you need to carry on what you need.

https://www.airgardenhotel.com/english/index.php

The Hyatt Regency outside the airport is more expensive. www.hyatt.com

The KE lounges are not open all night. They open around 5am.

WOW now THAT is an interesting piece of information... I've been putting off going to the optician's for ages now due to lack of time and my arms are no longer long enough to let me read comfortably... I might just stroll down to the basement. :)

BTW when you say basement you mean in the airport itself don't you? Airside?

Actually, that's one of the other great facets of Korean culture - cheap eyeglasses. One of my friends gets a couple pairs every time she goes.

I have done the 12 hour layover at ICN before. My preference is to get a room at the in terminal hotel - Walkerhill - (air side) and sleep part of the day. You can get the hotel for 6 hours or 12 hours. You do not even exit immigration or customs. KE holds your luggage during transfer (you can not retrieve).

If you want to exit - then likely stay at the Hyatt at the airport.

Ate at the BC lounge during the day - but slept in the hotel. The hotel is only a couple of hundred feet away. Hyatt caters food at the KL BC lounge.

In Seoul 4 months ago for a couple of days. I am not sure it is worth it to go all the way into town for just a few hours. I did not find the shopping all that great or anything I wanted to buy.


KL = KLM
No KLM lounge at ICN.
KE = Korean Air



WOW now THAT is an interesting piece of information... I've been putting off going to the optician's for ages now due to lack of time and my arms are no longer long enough to let me read comfortably... I might just stroll down to the basement. :)

BTW when you say basement you mean in the airport itself don't you? Airside?


Must be landside. Nothing in the airside basement except for the shuttle train.



Actually, that's one of the other great facets of Korean culture - cheap eyeglasses. One of my friends gets a couple pairs every time she goes.


While getting eyeglasses in S.Korea can be considered cheap because they do not charge for prescriptions, eyeglasses themselves are not really priced cheap. If you have a prescription, you can get eyeglasses cheaper online in the U.S. than offline in S.Korea.

Well, this is your lucky day then. Since you have so much time on hand, get a pair or two. I got both regular and sunglasses. :D

Yes, its inside the airport. However, you do need to clear customs. Once you clear custom and get out (still inside airport), you are on the first floor. From there, just take the escalators or elevator to basement. The basement has a lot of other things incl. convenient stores, cafeteria originally created for the employees but open to everyone, small hospital and local banks.

Two words of warning:

1. I may or may not have seen the sign of store closure. But I can not recall. I was in and out so quick, didnt pay attention if or when. But I wouldn't be surprised if they were. Honestly, how many people get eye exam and perscription glasses at the airport except for super lazy and efficient people like me? :p

2. If you speak only the english, I can not gurantee the opticians english skills. As you know, thorough eye exam, needs communication between u and the Dr. Its basic communication such as "which one is clearer? #1 or #2? Read the chart -that sort of basics but need to communicate non the less.



WOW now THAT is an interesting piece of information... I've been putting off going to the optician's for ages now due to lack of time and my arms are no longer long enough to let me read comfortably... I might just stroll down to the basement. :)

BTW when you say basement you mean in the airport itself don't you? Airside?

They maybe inexpensive and affordable but NOT cheap by any means. I've had glasses made in US. Its no better. Infact, glasses I've gotten in korea lasts far longer than pair made in US.



Actually, that's one of the other great facets of Korean culture - cheap eyeglasses. One of my friends gets a couple pairs every time she goes.

Don't mean to be rude and jump in here but your thread came up when I was looking at a question I have.

Can someone tell me how to actually book a stopover on the korean air website? I get the long transit while connecting bit, but how can I book a 2 day stay for example?? :confused: