Way to Thak Tatopani, Myagdi and Badhare Bhir near Ghansa, Mustang, Nepal

 

Getting there and around Seoul

Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online. An alternative to walking and the subway is provided by the Seoul City Tour Bus. Taxis are inexpensive and don’t expect a tip, but finding an available one can take time.

Local transport

Taxi

Regular taxis are a good deal and are cheaper than the bus or subway for three people making a short trip. Regular taxis (ilban) cost W1900 for the first 2km and then W100 for every 144m or 41 seconds afterwards. A 20% surcharge is payable between midnight and 4am. Deluxe taxis (mobeom) are black with a yellow stripe and cost W4500 for the first 3km and then W200 for every 205m or 50 seconds, and don’t have a late-night surcharge. There are plans to drop these fixed prices in 2006 and if this happens taxis will charge varying prices.
Few drivers can speak English, but some taxis have a free interpretation service - you speak on the phone in English to an interpreter who then talks to the taxi driver in Korean. Writing your destination down can help as most Koreans are better at understanding written rather than spoken English. Writing your destination in hangeul (Korean phonetic alphabet) would be even better. All taxis have meters, but on the Incheon airport route passengers must pay the road toll on top of the meter charge. Tipping is not a Korean custom and is not necessary.

 

Bus & tram

Local

It is easier and usually quicker to travel around Seoul by subway, but the city has a comprehensive and reasonably priced bus system (414 5005; www.bus.go.kr) that operates from 5.30am to midnight, although buses run on a few routes until 2am. Some bus stops have some bus route maps in English. Most buses have their major destinations written in English on the outside and they usually have a taped announcement of the names of each stop in English, but hardly any bus drivers understand English. What were they all doing during their English lessons at school?

Long-distance express red buses to the outer suburbs cost W1400, while green buses that link subways within a district and blue buses to outer suburbs cost W800, and yellow short-haul buses that circle small districts are W500. The bus number indicates which district or districts the bus travels around or between - thus blue bus No 261 starts in zone 2, and goes to zone 6 via Line 1. Pay with a T-money prepaid card (the card costs W1500 and can be bought, charged and recharged at any subway station ticket office) and tickets cost W100 less and transfers are free, or at least cheaper. Put your card to the screen as you exit as well as when you get on a bus.

Long distance

Reasonably priced long-distance buses speed to just about every small town in South Korea. Most major roads have a special bus lane that reduces delays due to heavy traffic. Buses are so frequent that it’s not necessary to buy a ticket in advance, except perhaps on holidays and weekends. Superior-class buses have more leg room but cost 50% more than ordinary buses. Night-time buses that travel after 10pm have a 10% surcharge and are generally superior class. Buses go to far more places than the trains, but are not as comfortable or safe, so trains are the better option for travelling long distances to major cities.

The Seoul Express Bus Terminal (www.kobus.co.kr; subway Line 3 or 7 to Express Bus Terminal, Exit 1 or 7) is in two separate buildings:

Gyeongbu-Gumi-Yeongdong Terminal (535 4151; subway Exit 1) serves mainly the eastern region and has a tourist information centre (535 4151; 9am-5pm), a pharmacy, a post office and lots of shops and restaurants. Downstairs are bars, more restaurants and a sauna. On the nine floors above are countless stalls selling fabrics, bedding and clothes as well as flowers (3rd floor; 1am-1pm). Sample express/deluxe bus fares include Busan (W19, 300/28, 800), Gyeongju (W16, 300/24, 200), Sokcho (W13, 900/20, 500), Daegu (W13, 600/20, 100), Daejeon (W7600/11, 200) and Gongju (W5800/6300).

Honam Terminal (6282 0600; subway Exit 7) This smart and new terminal serves the southwestern region. Sample express/deluxe fares include Mokpo (W16, 400/24, 400), Gwangju (W14, 100/20, 900) and Jeonju (W10, 200/15, 000). This terminal is linked to the popular Central City Mall.

Other bus terminals:

Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (455 3161; subway Line 2 to Gangbyeon, Exit 3) Serves the eastern part of the country and big cities elsewhere. Sample fares include Everland (W2200), Icheon (W3500), Chuncheon (W7000), Daejeon (W8300), Danyang (W11, 700), Daegu (W13, 700), Gyeongju (W19, 000) and Busan (W19, 400).

Nambu Bus Terminal (521 8550; subway Line 3 to Nambu Bus Terminal, Exit 5) Has services south of Seoul such as Daecheon Beach (W8700).

Sinchon Bus Terminal (324 0611; subway Line 2 to Sinchon, Exit 7) Has services to Ganghwado, a historical island northwest of Seoul.


Read more:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-korea/seoul/transport/getting-there-around#ixzz2o6CV05Pc