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My experience getting from the plane to my APT in Daejeon

My experience getting from the plane to my APT in Daejeon

Old Aug 12, 2020, 3:24 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 14
My experience getting from the plane to my APT in Daejeon

First, I am married to a Korean citizen and we have an apartment in Daejeon, a few hours south of Seoul. I flew into ICN from DFW (AA281).
First, before you leave you have to sign an agreement form saying that you understand that you may have to pay for government quarantine if they send you there once you arrive. Once you arrive and deplane, there are people to guide you every step of the way. They are all in full body gear. In my case, I had my temperature taken and had a copy of my marriage certificate, our 'family document' and my address and wife's contact details printed out in Korean. This got me through the first gate. Second was another document check, from which they phoned my wife, who (thankfully) stated that indeed she knew me and that I had a room (my home office) in which to quarantine. They let me through at that point. Keep in mind that I have a resident card but even if I did not have one, I was told that because I had family here I would have been able to quarantine there regardless.
I reported no symptoms and did not have to have a virus test at the airport.
Everyone boarded a bus to Kuang-myung station in Seoul, where I stood in line and told them 'Daejeon' and was given a KTX ticket. At that point I had to pay also for the bus ticket, and the total in my case (bus from airport and then train to Daejeon) was W33200 (less than $30). The bullet train's 2x2 seating was such that everyone had an empty seat next to them. There were seats assigned but it wasn't necessary to sit in your numbered seat as long as the number of people allowed onto the car equaled the number of seats. Bags were everywhere and so everyone just took a seat where they ended up once they let everyone on the train. I couldn't have reached my assigned seat if I tried with all the big bags in the aisle. They don't fit between the seats. Some people put them on the seat next to them but they were in the minority.
The train was fast and comfortable. At Daejeon Station, everyone off the special KTX train was guided by further employees in full body gear, pied-piper style and through regular travelers/commuters, to a white-tented bus stop outside the station. There were special buses to take people being thus guided from the airport to their places of residence. These buses are free. Because I live on the 'edge of town' in Daejeon, I was the last one off the bus. He dropped me off right in front of my APT and not at the bus stop. It took 45 minutes and in such a large city that's not bad.
At that point I was unaccompanied. I walked to my APT building, arrived there and went up the elevator (which had plastic sheeting taped over the buttons - same for my code entry keypad to gain access to the building). My wife must have heard the elevator and she had the door open.
On my first full day here, I was required to go have a COVID test, which I did. It was near the world cup stadium in Daejeon - and it was a drive-through test. From home to there and back home took about 40 minutes. All I had to do was roll down the window. I was in the back seat. My wife drove. Other than that I have the health app running on my phone (it does use battery power!) and I am not to leave my office (!) for two weeks. I also have to do a 'self-check' on the app twice a day (10 am and 5 pm) and we received disposable thermometers, hand wipes, and two large bottles of hand sanitizer. My wife also tells me that we'll get regular food deliveries (rice, raman, etc). If I leave my phone sitting, a message comes up and reports that my phone has been stationary for too long and that a report has been sent to the person in charge (whoever that is - around here it's my wife). They also called my wife upon my arrival. I should get my test results later today but even upon a negative result I am still quarantined for 13 more days.
health1au is offline  
Old Aug 18, 2020, 9:01 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Somewhere in Y class
Programs: OZ D+ Lifetime
Posts: 1,174
Nice report. It took me approximately 2 hours from when the plane landed at ICN to finally step outside the airport. How long did it take you?

Just be aware that the local health authority will come and do a surprise visit during your 14 day quarantine.
nme7 is offline  

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