ICN 7-hour Layover Ideas
Aug 26, 2019, 8:26 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 92
ICN 7-hour Layover Ideas
My itinerary TPE-ICN-SEA gives me a seven hour layover at ICN, which for me means maybe three or four hours of free time depending on much time I feel like I need for getting to the departure gate. Is leaving the terminal for some kind of quick tour feasible? Is there anything near ICN worth seeing? Alternatively, are there any sections of the airport itself worth visiting? Since I'm flying first class I'll also have some or all of the lounges available.
Aug 26, 2019, 9:03 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 539
The airport offers transit tours. It’s a convenient way to see the city. When I went it was free but not sure if they’ve changed that. Also the lounges at ICN are nothing special so don’t allot too much time for them.
https://www.airport.kr/ap_cnt/en/trn...tour/trtour.do
https://www.airport.kr/ap_cnt/en/trn...tour/trtour.do
Aug 28, 2019, 9:27 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Programs: KE Skypass Morning Calm Member, OZ Club
Posts: 2,352
The most important details: your arrival and departure time?
There is no fast track at ICN airport (Koreans complained for "equal treatment for all" so it was removed). Your 7 hrs is really 4 hrs - 1 hr into Seoul each way (take the train, avoid traffic to be 100% safe). Then of course you need to arrive at the airport with enough time, account for any delays coming in from TPE....
IMO the transit tours are not that great - they go to some weird places. The lounges aren't that bad - at the least you can get a free shower, go to the Korean Cultural Experience Center, have a good meal, easy. If you're flying KE and it's T2 - that's a new, nice terminal.
There is no fast track at ICN airport (Koreans complained for "equal treatment for all" so it was removed). Your 7 hrs is really 4 hrs - 1 hr into Seoul each way (take the train, avoid traffic to be 100% safe). Then of course you need to arrive at the airport with enough time, account for any delays coming in from TPE....
IMO the transit tours are not that great - they go to some weird places. The lounges aren't that bad - at the least you can get a free shower, go to the Korean Cultural Experience Center, have a good meal, easy. If you're flying KE and it's T2 - that's a new, nice terminal.
Aug 31, 2019, 2:33 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
IMO the transit tours are not that great - they go to some weird places. The lounges aren't that bad - at the least you can get a free shower, go to the Korean Cultural Experience Center, have a good meal, easy. If you're flying KE and it's T2 - that's a new, nice terminal.
Thanks.
Aug 31, 2019, 2:42 pm
#5
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If your flights are both KE, then it's all T2 and no need to transit to T2. You should be able to check your bags through with no need to retrieve them at ICN except possibly if you're connecting to a domestic flight and must clear customs at ICN, but IIRC KE doesn't offer J on its domestic flights.
There are rumors of a landside palace to check bags in T2 but I don't know the details.
Unfortunately the train and monorail are close to T1 and the free land side airport buses seem to waste a lot of time. The same might be true for the subway line to the city, although the buses to hotels seems to serve both T1 and T2.
There are rumors of a landside palace to check bags in T2 but I don't know the details.
Unfortunately the train and monorail are close to T1 and the free land side airport buses seem to waste a lot of time. The same might be true for the subway line to the city, although the buses to hotels seems to serve both T1 and T2.
Sep 1, 2019, 8:30 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Programs: KE Skypass Morning Calm Member, OZ Club
Posts: 2,352
2) They really frown upon leaving the airport as a transit passenger. Like it's a whole process and hoops and stuff and they just don't like to do it.
3) What do you mean leave luggage? Like carry on? There is a service called SAFEX in the train terminal of T2 that can store bags temporarily.
Without knowing your times, I would recommend you just enter Korea, drop bags at SAFEX, take the train into Seoul from T2 (avoid traffic jams), do what you want - then train back.
Sep 1, 2019, 1:26 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
Thanks. Last two posts have been very helpful.
Mostly, I wanted to see if it would be possible to shower/shave and have a change of clothes before heading to town for a lunch or maybe dinner with an old classmate. And, at the same time, leave my luggage at a locker within T2 or the lounge (which I think I saw last time, but can't remember).
Mostly, I wanted to see if it would be possible to shower/shave and have a change of clothes before heading to town for a lunch or maybe dinner with an old classmate. And, at the same time, leave my luggage at a locker within T2 or the lounge (which I think I saw last time, but can't remember).
Sep 2, 2019, 8:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Programs: KE Skypass Morning Calm Member, OZ Club
Posts: 2,352
As I said before, you CAN get out, but remember: the lounge is not an arrivals loung...you have to transfer securiy and enter airside.....and there's no "proper exit from airside then...... so prepare for a whole bunch of extra steps to ask for assistance and staff to guide you out of the airport.
Also yes, there are lockers in the lounge but without knowing what time of day - how full they are will of course vary.
Also yes, there are lockers in the lounge but without knowing what time of day - how full they are will of course vary.
Sep 4, 2019, 8:05 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
As I said before, you CAN get out, but remember: the lounge is not an arrivals loung...you have to transfer securiy and enter airside.....and there's no "proper exit from airside then...... so prepare for a whole bunch of extra steps to ask for assistance and staff to guide you out of the airport