Living In Seoul: The Airport Limousine Bus

"Welcome to Korea!"

That's what the overhead screen read as I walked out from the arrival gate. After passing under that 'welcome' sign, it was pretty much a mad dash to the main terminal. Why? Because everyone wanted to get in line at the Immigration counter as soon as possible, considering the hundreds of other foreign tourists arriving at the same time. And usually, for faster processing, the Immigration officers open up more lines to process foreigners if there were no long lines at the counters processing locals.

For foreigners living in Korea (on selected visa types), there's actually a very short cut through the Immigration check: the Smart Entry Service. This Smart Entry Service allows one to pass through Immigration using biometrics and facial recognition, instead of having to line up in front of an Immigration officer. 

(My ube-jam colored suitcase with real, yummy ube jam inside waiting for the Hannam-dong bus 6010)

                           (A bus ticket vending machine)

But after Immigration, I had to quickly drag my heavy luggage from the baggage carousel to the airport bus stop in order to catch the next trip. I usually had to be quick, just waving my 'Customs Declaration' questionnaire through the Customs officer, declaring nothing but my independence. Or at times, my innocence. Ha-ha-ha!

And finding myself standing at the airport bus stop always gave me some relief realizing that this would be the last leg of my journey. With tired legs and an almost empty stomach, I was just a bus ride away from home!

          (People waiting for their buses at Incheon Airport)

            (Bus markers at the airport limousine bus stop
                             at Incheon Airport)

If it's your first time in Korea, your hotel should advise you which gate number you should wait for your airport bus number. And next to the bus stops, there are ticket vending machines from which you can buy your bus tickets. Also make sure you put your luggage right next to the bus marker so that the bus-stop staff would know there's a passenger awaiting for that specific bus number.

And on my last trip back to Korea last month, I was surprised that my Airport Bus 6010 has finally installed a 'stop button', just like what they have in all transport buses in Seoul. It's that red button overhead that you need to press if you're getting off at the next bus stop.

                                       

                           (The red stop button overhead)

     (Somebody is getting off at the next stop when it's lighted)


I am glad they installed this, too, in airport limousine buses because you usually have to advise the bus driver that you're actually alighting at the next stop. Last January, on my return from my Christmas vacation in the Philippines when the 'stop buttons' weren't installed yet, the bus driver almost missed my Hannam-dong bus stop even after I told him earlier.

I have always appreciated these airport buses. They make living in Seoul, or Korea for that matter, easier and convenient. Now, with these 'stop buttons'  they even made it more convenient for me; I don't have to scream: "Ajussi! Yeogi-yo!"

(My luggage at the airport bus stop next to....garbage bags dumped by Hannam-dong residents)

EXO And Their Fans @ Incheon!

(The Philippine flag and other nations' flying with the summer      breeze at the entrance of Incheon International Airport)


Summer time in Korea is always about vacation. And last July 4, I joined thousands of locals (other international passengers) in flying out of the Incheon International Airport for a break. It's always a good habit to get to the airport hours before one's flight to avoid the rush. Earlier that day, I already checked in online for my flight so I could queue up at the express lane and wouldn't worry about spending much time surrendering my luggage; I just needed to make time for the security check and Immigration.

("Flying To The Future' sculpture at 

 Incheon International Airport)

But when I alighted from my airport limousine bus, my attention was momentarily distracted by some passengers running outside the building. I thought they must have been very late that they had to sprint to catch their flight. I then realized there was something wrong with the picture: these 'passengers' didn't have any bag or luggage; they were all girls, of the same age and...they had cameras! 

And being someone who's always on the look-out for a good shot, I knew that these girls weren't running to catch a flight.  They were after a celebrity catching a flight! Ha-ha-ha!

      (I would have wanted to do the 'x'-marks-the-spot 
                                 thing on EXO.)

                    (No one wants to cross the street)

As I continued to push my trolley to enter the building, a few more teenage girls ran past me. While most of them were dashing towards another gate, there was one chubby girl with a light-blue hair (yes, I think it was blue!), had a big camera, and was walking slowly while catching her breath. I asked her who was she running after; she just ignored me. I guess she was so focused on her objective and didn't want to be distracted. 

And from where I was standing, I could see what the running was all about: from the far side of the entrance were a few boys (one I think had a blonde hair) waiting to cross the street and from the other side were a lot of girls waiting for those boys to cross the street! I had to take a picture. The scene looked funny: the group of boys stood at one side waiting to cross, while the girls with cameras eagerly awaiting for those boys to cross over, but definitely not wanting to get closer to their idols by stepping into lane, lest they want to be run over by an airport limousine bus that just dropped off passengers, charging them KRW15,000 each. Ha-ha-ha!

The scene screamed (pun intended!) k-pop boy band and their devoted fans!

                            (Fans and paparazzi)

                             (Fans running after EXO)

I just took a couple of photos of them and then headed to my check-in counter. But when I entered the building, the chaos inside was more like a k-pop concert crowd...without the singing and dancing! Even though I was a good distance away from that chaos, I could hear the raised voices of the security guards. And as I was passing by an information desk, I had to ask the Korean lady at the counter what was the commotion all about. She just said two syllables: eks-oh. 

Oh. It's EXO!  Finally, I found out who's actually causing these girls to run around the airport. 

(Fans dispersing. EXO must have gotten inside already.)

So, if you were one of those girls chasing after EXO (not sure if it was EXO-K or EXO-M?) that evening I am sure you were able to catch a glimpse of your favorite boy-band, or even have their photo. But I wondered: did you have to drive down to Incheon, or did you take train or the airport bus, too? If these fans were from Seoul, the drive or a ride to Incheon International Airport is about an hour, and the bus costs about KRW15,000 (that's what I paid), and the subway costs about KRW 3,300. And that's just one-way. But I guess, being fans, these girls couldn't care less about the cost or the classes they skipped at school. All they wanted was to see their favorite boy band in person, take their photos and wish them bon voyage on their flight out of the country. After all, concert tickets would cost more, and the seat would have been a kilometer away from the stage. Here at Incheon, it's almost free and your idol is just a scream away.

When I was done entrusting my luggage to the nice Korean lady at the counter, everything seemed to have quieted down. EXO must have already entered the security check gate as their fans started to disperse. 

From then on, everything seemed normal again. Just passengers, luggage and plane tickets. 

                  (Fans going up the food courts to get a 
                                last glimpse of EXO)

The Airport Limousine Bus: The Most Convenient Way From Point 'H' To Point 'I'!

From Point Hannam-dong to Point Incheon Airport, that is!

            (The bus stop going to the airport in front of Jamba Juice)

The airport limousine buses have always been the most convenient mode of transport going to  and coming from the Incheon Airport. Well, there's the airport taxi, but it's more expensive. And there's also the Korail Airport Railroad, which is convenient if you're near Seoul Station, or any other stations where it stops.

Before, my problem was that the nearest airport bus stop was far from my Hannam-dong apartment. The nearest one ever was by the Hannam Franciscan Church, just opposite the Soonchunhyang Bus stop by the Hannam Village. I remember I dragged my heavy luggage one winter afternoon to that bus stop for about ten minutes, which seemed like a work-out considering that I had to cross the street, go up and down the inclined sidewalks with bumpy surfaces, and with my handcarried bag on my shoulder.

                       (A sight to behold! Finally, taking the bus for the 
                        first time from Hannam-dong!)

But that bus stop had been scrapped for a couple of years now, and I returned to taking a cab from Hannam-dong to Itaewon to get to the bus stop by the IP Boutique Hotel. I decided then that a couple of thousands of Korean won would spare me from breaking my back on my way to the airport. Ha-ha-ha! It just wasn't worth it to have a work-out on the streets of Hannam-dong while not in my gym clothes.

                        (Brochures in the airport bus)

So, you can just imagine when one Monday morning, last spring, when I saw a new airport bus stop, right almost at my doorstep! What a surprise! An airport bus stop just across the street!  Right next to the Jamba Juice bus stop where I also take my bus going to Itaewon! How convenient!

But I wondered, after all these years, why only now? 

Oh well. I couldn't complain anymore, could I?  The bus going to the airport is across the street, while the bus stop coming from the airport is even closer! I don't even have to cross the street when I come home!  

And last month on my trip to Manila, I was able to finally use the bus stop! On that day, I happily dragged my heavy luggage from my home, crossed the street and after a few steps, I was there!  And I wasn't the only one waiting for a bus, actually. There were two other  people waiting, too. The time schedule when the bus is expected to arrive is displayed on the stop marker, and if you want to get the real time, you can actually SMS a number. But I didn't have to do that; I knew it would arrive on time. And it did!

As I expected, it only took about an hour from Hannam-dong to the Incheon International Aiport.

And when I returned to Korea after a week of vacation, I took the same Airport Bus No. 6010 going back to Hannam-dong in Seoul.

 (A digital welcome screen at the arrival gate at the airport.                              The Philippine flag represents the country 
                              where the flight originated.)


Going back to Seoul would have taken about an hour, too, but tonight was the night of the Yeouido Fireworks Festival. And the ajussi who was manning the bus stop was blurting about 'Yeouido, Yeouido', which I surmised that because of the humongous traffic caused by the festival, the bus had to reroute to avoid getting stuck somewhere.

(I brought my own in-flight meal: Jamaican beef patties and sapin-sapin! I just bought iced soda at the plane.)

                       (Arriving passengers waiting for their luggage 
                                          at the carousel)

   (Reunited with my luggage containing dried mangoes for 
        Korean friends, and tablea tsokolate, dulce gatas, piayas, frozen brazo de mercedes and a lot more... for me!

With the rerouting, it took us about 90 minutes to reach Hannam-dong, about 30 minutes more than it would have taken without the nasty traffic that night. The bus wandered through Mapo-gu, by the Yonsei Severance Hospital, through the Gyeongbuk Palace, Angkuk Station and finally through Myeong-dong, and arriving in Hannam-dong after going through the Namsan Tunnel. Although I was amused with the late-night joy ride-slash-city-tour, some passengers complained about the delay. Or maybe, they were just very hungry and were eager to get home.

                     (Waiting for the Airport Bus 6010 at Gate 13A)

 But being comfortably seated in the bus, I could not complain. After all, this was supposed to be the most convenient mode of transport for me going back. I wasn't hungry yet, even though it was about 10PM. I had a Jamaican patty on the plane topped with Dolor's kakanin as my dessert. And there were more inside my handcarried bag. Ha-ha-ha!

 

                           (Inside the comfortable bus.)

And when the bus finally arrived at my bus stop, right in front of the Liberty Haus in Hannam-dong, it just took about three minutes for me to reach my door step, and I could finally say I was home again in Seoul. 

I am flying home again in December, and will definitely take the same Airport Bus 6010 again. And when I return, for sure, there'll be Jamaican patties and some kakainin, or maybe even some ube jam, in my handcarried bag again.