Sunday 23 January 2011

The Airport Railroad: The Shortest Distance Between Incheon Airport and Seoul Station

If the Greek mathematician Euclid said that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, I say: the shortest distance between the Incheon International 
Airport and the Seoul Station is...the Korail Airport Railroad! Ha-ha-ha!


After reading about the opening of the new express train of the Korail Airport Railroad in the news while I was having my vacacion grande in the Philippines, I thought of taking it when I finally fly back to the freezing temperatures of Seoul.


And I did!
So, when I finally arrived in South Korea (and after being welcomed by the Korean Immigration, Customs and the winter weather), I dragged my luggage and my weary legs from the arrival area down to B1 of the Incheon International, and followed the directions to the express train terminal while adjusting to the sub-zero temperatures along the way.
Not knowing how to buy a train ticket, I asked a Korail lady attendant to assist this tired traveller through the ticket machine, which gobbled up my 13,300 Korean won and spat out a ticket in return!
Finally holding the prized ticket, I passed through the turnstile, went down through the escalator, which temporarily turned into a conveyor belt with my heavy luggage (half of which contained hopia and the other half dried mangoes), and on to the platform.
                                
Downstairs, another lady assistant welcomed me...to an empty train!  The car's all mine! Ha-ha-ha!
Too bad, it was already dark when I planed in. I would have enjoyed the sceneries along the way. Instead, I just amused myself with the city lights, silhouettes of buildings and bridges, and my smart phone (the train has wi-fi!).
I will definitely ride this express train again as the other alternative, the airport limousine bus, is sometimes bumpy and gets stuck in the traffic. And if that doesn't annoy you, the irritating comedy programs on the bus TV will. Ha-ha-ha!
Well, the ride was smooth and non-stop. 


And thanks to Korail, the distance between two points took only... 43 minutes!
After getting off at the Seoul Station, I then took two elevators out of the building, dragging my heavy luggage  for the last time until I heard myself screaming...


"Ajussi! Tekshi!"

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