Epic thread to find in the KR forum!

So my question is... which Costco is the easiest to access from ICN. Will have a layover of about 12 hours and want to stock up on some tasty treats. Will be coming from FUK so I'll have some tasty Japanese treats already- but want some Korean ones too. Oh and what special korean items should I pick up (shelf-stable, have a 30 hour DXB stopover heading back stateside)

I just checked Naver Maps. The closest is in Ilsan. It's roughly one hour away.

You need to go to Door 8 and take bus number 3300 at Platform 8A. This bus is a "red bus," not a airport limo bus. The red bus is an express bus that's white, white, well red numbers and a roof. Sometimes, they can also be a dark orange color (these came first haha).

Once on bus 3300, it's like 2,250 KRW. Pay with cash or T-Money. Exact price, I can't ever remember because I just pay with my T-money card. T-Money is usually 100-200W cheaper.

I've never been to this Costco, so I'm going to do this based on Street View.

You take it three stops to Baek Seok Dong stop (pronounced Beck Sok Dawng). It's a bus lane in the middle of the street. On your left you will see a nine-story or so apartment complex.

When you get off the bus, you need to be on the side of the street walking against traffic (it's coming towards you). Or, in greater detail - step left off the bus. When you get to the redlight at the bus stop island, go to your left towards the apartment complex. Then turn right when you get out of the cross walk.

You'll walk one block and see a giant store Home Plus diagonal right and Hotel California directly ahead. Turn left at this intersection (stay on your side of the block, don't cross). Costco is one or two (small) blocks ahead on your left.

It's not hard, I'm just trying to be incredibly detailed as A) you have no idea where you're going and B) probably won't have a phone. I would try and use other stores you see along the way, but the small shops change all the time. That Home Plus is still guaranteed to be there.

That being said, if you get lost off the bus, just say KO SEUH TEUH KO. They drag it out exactly like you think they would. Co Suh Tuh Co. As it's their hood, someone should know.

Also, for this bus, you will pay on the bus (not at a ticket window).

Also, when coming back, you want to take the same bus, but in the OTHER direction you came from.

Thanks for the detailed instructions mikesaidyes!

Now to manage lugging 100 lbs of goods onto said bus :o

And possibly visit other parts of Seoul too- hard when one wants to check lots of stuff home. Perhaps I go shopping, return to ICN and return to town? Although this takes a lot of transit time- is there a good central station with sizable cheap(ish) lockers?

And as I had an issue with this in Tokyo and Costco, what is the frequency of bus 3300? It sounds like its nonstop which is nice.

It'd be very annoying to go to Costco there, return to the airport and return to town. Ilsan is in Northwest Seoul suburbs. The bus runs every 20-30 or so and it is a faster bus (just three stops airport to costco).

But, if you went to costco, went back to the airport, that'd take a minimum of two hours, so realistically three to pad yourself. Then another hour to get into Seoul and another hour back to Seoul by train.

When you're in Seoul, just go to Lotte Mart at Seoul Station. It's a big Wal Mart/Target esque type store. All the same stuff you get at Costco, you can get there (in much more manageable sizes).

All subway stations have lockers, but their location, number and availability of course, vary.

Thanks for the tips. I'll figure it out somehow- wish ICN had in-town checkin like HKG ;)

As for Costco... I'm committed to visiting :D Haven't been to one in Korea yet.

I thought that depending on your airline you could check your bags in at Seoul Station?

It seems some can...just not the one I'm flying :( [EK]

http://www.calt.co.kr/common/common....0102&AIRLINE=1

For the record, I have not been to a Costco in Korea since 2006. But I was pretty impressed at that time on just how much it was like a SoCal Costco, except for the layout. At all the US locations I've ever shopped, they sprawl. Huge warehouse stores, all on one level, huge parking lot. In Korea, that's not feasible. They go up, they go underground, and it was my sense that Costco was pretty crowded compared to what I would normally expect. Of course, I avoid Costco here in the states like the plague on weekends.

Ilsan Costco looks like I would expect.

Yes, Costco is the wild west. To be honest, maybe other Koreans can help me out, but I don't know WHAT you will buy that's really that wild there. You can get much wilder, more Korean stuff at Lotte Mart or Home Plus or emart. And those are everywhere and much easier to use. Like Lotte Mart at Seoul Station.

Are you looking for the Korean equivalent of Japanese beer munchies? When you think of tasty treats, what do you think of?

Not that you asked, but for me personally, from Korea I always like to get "squid rings." I stumbled on these in the Choongbu Market more than 20 years ago, and have been a fan ever since. They look like this:

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v47/38...quid_rings.jpg

One of my go-to beer snacks. When they are fresh, and properly seasoned, they are very tasty.

This gives me some hope. But I must ask: any of you Seoul-based expats seen any Stone beer, specifically, Stone's Go To IPA in Korea?

It's probably too much to hope for, but one never knows... last year I was pleasantly surprised to find Stone Ruination in Washington D.C. of all places.

Here in the states, most people use Amex/Costco card as membership cards.

Overseas, some Costco staffs are not used to the Amex/Costco card and some can't use it because it's not chipped and the membership number is very small. So I always bring the white Costco membership card with me when I travel/stay overseas. The white Costco membership card is universal. But I have to pay with local contracted CC or cash.

If you don't have a white Costco membership card, go to Costco customer service desk before your trip and get one for free.

Last time I visited SK, I checked in at Gangnam (Asiana). Does your airline allow that?

Fukuoka has a Costco as well...

But if you wanna do Korean Costco then definitely goto the Ilsan one from Incheon airport. The closest and one of the bigger ones in the Seoul/Gyeonggi area. It's tucked in behind the main road from Baekseok dong bus stop. Cross the road, walk about half a block and turn right or just follow all the cars going to the Big Red parking sign!