Arriving at ICN 6pm, leaving next day at 10:00am. If I go into Seoul will I need a visa or any other documentation other than a passport? Flying OZ. F/C. Any suggestions would be appreciated on spending 16 hours. I have a hotel reservation at the I/C Coex which is cancellble. Thanks

No, you will not neet a Visa if you are US Citizen. Landing at 6 pm, clearing immigration and picking up luggage at 7pm, taxi $60 or limobus (Comfortable - $13) takes 1 1/2 hours so you arrive at IC Coex at 8:30pm. The hotel is in the far South side of the city in a major business district. Lots of restaurants, general shopping but at that time of night not much chance on doing anything really interesting. Now the problem is that the reverse timetable is also true --- for a 10am flight, you should be at the airport by 8:30 and you MUST leave the hotel not later than 6:15-6:30am. If you do choose to come into the city, take the City Air Terminal Limo-bus into Kangnam and it will terminate 1 block from the hotel. (my apartment is right next door to the IC Coex) Pick up the limobus at stop 10B outside the Incheon airport.

If this does not seem worthwhile to you (It does not to me - at all) then you might consider booking at the nice new Incheon Hyatt at the airport and just relax.

Going into town and fighting the hideous traffic congestion inSeoul is just plain unpleasant unless you really want to get into the city.

bb

there's also a comfy 'transit hotel' at ICN that's like $40/6hrs (pay in blocks), and while small, had a TV, shower and fully staffed front desk for wake up calls and such.

That may also be a good alternative....

Thanks to all for the advice. ^

You didn't mention whether you've been to Korea before but I would infer not. In a similar situation I'd probably take advantage of whatever opportunity there was to see something more of a new country than just the airport. Yes, it's a slow trip on the KAL limo bus in the early evening, but you will see something of Seoul, even if that's nothing more than the traffic, the river, the two dozen or so bridges over it, the COEX IC (one of my favorite hotels in Asia), and the incredible mall underneath it, with scores of places to eat.

By the way, there are two limo bus options: one that stops at half a dozen or so hotels in the Kangnam area, of which the COEX IC is the last, and another that goes direct to the City Air Terminal (KCAT), but entails a walk of 5-to-10 minutes from the terminal to the hotel. And also by the way, you can check in for your departing OZ flight at KCAT next morning.

Thanks for this information. I must try it some time.

If you are looking for suggestion on what to do for 16 hours in Seoul, I suggest looking at Business Traveler's "in 4 hours" series and United Airlines Hemispheres magazine destination spotlight series. When transiting or doing short-stays I have found those two sources to be helpful in pointing me in the right direction.

I find the airport area depressing, so I'd go downtown despite the long trip from the city to Incheon. Unless you know that you just want to sleep in Seoul, do some shopping, go for a stroll, or even get drunk in Itaewon.

Do keep in mind that Korea will be quite cold in the winter. One thing I have always wanted to do is take a bus tour of the DMZ between North & South Korea. Apparently, the tours are relatively inexpensive and do not take terribly long (<5 hrs, IIRC). From what I read in a travel magazine, its a one-of-a-kind experience - right down to seeing the "typical North Korean city" which was mocked-up right across the border.

Hustle from the plane, immigration can be slow.

I finally took that tour a year or two ago. It's fascinating, and a little unsettling, to know that the two countries are still technically at war, and have been on constant alert since the armistice was signed 52 years ago. The most interesting part of the trip for me was the tour of one of the tunnels that the North dug under the border in preparation for a mass land invasion.

Similar situation....here's what the Westin suggested for me later this month...

* Seoul city tour bus trip :

Night course ( 19:50,20:00 dep.)

no need to book, ticket can be purchased on the bus

you will visit and see Seoul tower and night view of Seoul

* Sanchon (performance and dinner) :

temple food in Insadong(antique street)

* Shopping at Dongdaemun market

Fashion market which open till 4 a.m.

How did you enjoy this tour ?

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