Incheon Airport to Hongdae by Train: Take the BLUE One, Not the Orange One
Full of bibimbap, Mia turned to me and asked, “Okay, how do we actually get to Hongdae?”
Easy, we take the train. But there’s one mistake I see first-timers make all the time, and it can send you straight past Hongdae. So let me walk you through it the way I walked her through it.
▶ Tap the picture to watch the 40-second short on YouTube
1. Follow the train signs from the food street
From the B1 food street in Terminal 1, just follow the signs with the little train on them. You’ll hop on a moving walkway (Mia loved this) and it drops you at the Transportation Center. The station hall is right there, still on B1.
2. Grab some cash if you need it
There’s a bank right in the station hall, so you can exchange money before you go through the gates. Mia swapped her Canadian dollars there. I stood a few steps away and studied the ceiling, as you do.
3. Top up your T-money card
Find the kiosk, tap English, then Top up, and pop your cash in. Mia put in ₩10,000, which is plenty for this ride.
4. This is the important bit: BLUE, not ORANGE
The gates split into two colours, and this is where people go wrong:
- Blue is the all-stop train. It stops at Hongik University (that’s Hongdae). Just tap your T-money and go.
- Orange is the Express. It goes non-stop to Seoul Station, needs a separate ticket, and does not stop at Hongdae.
I made Mia repeat it like a mantra. “Blue, blue, blue… got it.”
5. Down to the platform
The platform is three floors down, on B4, and the escalator is long. Like, really long. The ride to Hongdae takes about 50 minutes, so grab a window seat. You’ll cross the sea on a huge bridge, pass trees doing their autumn thing, and catch the Han River as you come into Seoul. It’s honestly a lovely first look at Korea.
6. Hop off at Hongik University
Listen out for “This stop is Hongik University,” tap out at the gates, and you’re in Hongdae! Then comes the real question every visitor asks: “Okay… which exit?” That one’s in the next episode.
Going straight to Seoul Station instead? Take the ORANGE Express
Now, if you’re not heading to Hongdae and just want to get into central Seoul fast, the orange Express train (직통열차, jik-tong-yeol-cha) is your friend. Here’s the lowdown.
My own top-down sketch, simplified from the official Incheon Airport map. Not to scale, so always follow the signs on site.
| Where to buy | Express Customer Center (직통열차 고객안내센터, jik-tong-yeol-cha go-gae-gan-nae-sen-teo) or the Express ticket machines, B1 Transportation Center |
|---|---|
| How to pay | Cash or card (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, UnionPay). T-money doesn’t work for the Express |
| Fare | Adults ₩13,000 · Kids (6 to 12) ₩9,500 |
| To Seoul Station | About 43 minutes, non-stop |
| Hours (weekday, from T1) | First train 05:24 · Last train 22:48 · roughly every 40 minutes |
| Seats | All reserved. Your carriage and seat number are on the ticket |
| Follow this colour | ORANGE signs and gates (west side of the station hall) |
Where do I buy the ticket?
Down on B1 in the Transportation Center, at the Express Customer Center (직통열차 고객안내센터, jik-tong-yeol-cha go-gae-gan-nae-sen-teo) or the Express ticket machines next to it. They’re on the opposite side of the station hall from the blue gates, so just follow the orange signs that say “Express”. Heads-up: your T-money card won’t get you through these gates. The Express needs its own ticket.
Can I pay by card?
Yep. The machines take cash or card, and foreign cards like Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners and UnionPay all work. You can also book online or in the AREX app and just scan the QR code at the gate.
How much, and how long?
It’s ₩13,000 for adults and ₩9,500 for kids (6 to 12), and it gets you to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes, non-stop. Partner sites sometimes sell it a little cheaper online, so have a quick look before you go.
What time does it run?
On the weekday timetable, the first Express leaves Terminal 1 at 05:24 and the last one at 22:48, roughly every 40 minutes. The full Express timetable is further down this post.
Do I get a seat?
You do, and it’s yours. Every seat on the Express is reserved, so your carriage and seat number are printed on the ticket. There’s space for big suitcases too. Just be on the platform at least 3 minutes before it leaves.
Handy Korean for the Express
- 직통열차 어디서 타요? (jik-tong-yeol-cha eo-di-seo ta-yo?) = Where do I catch the Express?
- 서울역 한 장 주세요 (seo-ul-lyeok han jang ju-se-yo) = One ticket to Seoul Station, please
- 카드 돼요? (ka-deu dwae-yo?) = Can I pay by card?
- 제 자리 어디예요? (je ja-ri eo-di-ye-yo?) = Where’s my seat?
AREX timetables: save this one
Good news: subway and airport train timetables in Korea barely change. There’s a weekday timetable and a weekend/holiday one, and for AREX even the first and last trains are the same on both. So this is worth a screenshot.
| Train | From | First | Last | How often |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-stop (BLUE) | Terminal 1 → Hongik Univ. (Hongdae) → Seoul Station | 05:14 | 23:38 (the 23:56 only goes as far as Geomam, so skip it) | About every 5 to 12 minutes |
| All-stop (BLUE) | Hongik Univ. (Hongdae) → Incheon Airport T1 & T2 | 05:28 | 23:48 (the 23:58 and 00:08 stop at Geomam, not the airport) | About every 5 to 12 minutes |
| Express (ORANGE) | Terminal 1 → Seoul Station, non-stop | 05:24 | 22:48 | About every 40 minutes (gaps vary from 25 to 65) |
| Express (ORANGE) | Seoul Station → Terminal 1 | 06:00 | 23:00 | About every 40 minutes (gaps vary from 25 to 65) |
| Leaves Terminal 1 | Arrives Seoul Station | Leaves Seoul Station | Arrives Terminal 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05:24 | 06:07 | 06:00 | 06:43 |
| 06:08 | 06:51 | 06:45 | 07:28 |
| 06:38 | 07:21 | 07:20 | 08:03 |
| 07:13 | 07:56 | 08:06 | 08:49 |
| 08:18 | 09:01 | 08:55 | 09:38 |
| 09:06 | 09:49 | 09:45 | 10:28 |
| 09:38 | 10:21 | 10:20 | 11:03 |
| 10:18 | 11:01 | 10:56 | 11:39 |
| 10:58 | 11:41 | 11:35 | 12:18 |
| 11:38 | 12:21 | 12:10 | 12:53 |
| 12:18 | 13:01 | 12:50 | 13:33 |
| 12:53 | 13:36 | 13:30 | 14:13 |
| 13:28 | 14:11 | 14:10 | 14:53 |
| 14:08 | 14:51 | 14:50 | 15:33 |
| 14:48 | 15:31 | 15:30 | 16:13 |
| 15:28 | 16:11 | 16:10 | 16:53 |
| 16:08 | 16:51 | 16:50 | 17:33 |
| 16:48 | 17:31 | 17:25 | 18:08 |
| 17:28 | 18:11 | 18:00 | 18:43 |
| 18:18 | 19:01 | 18:55 | 19:38 |
| 18:43 | 19:26 | 19:36 | 20:19 |
| 19:23 | 20:06 | 20:10 | 20:53 |
| 20:13 | 20:56 | 20:45 | 21:28 |
| 21:03 | 21:46 | 21:30 | 22:13 |
| 21:58 | 22:41 | 22:20 | 23:03 |
| 22:48 | 23:31 | 23:00 | 23:43 |
From Terminal 2, Express trains leave 8 minutes earlier; going to Terminal 2, they arrive 8 minutes later.
Missed the last train? The night bus N6002 runs from Terminal 1 to Hongdae.
| Where to catch it | Leaves Terminal 1 at |
|---|---|
| T1, 1F arrivals, bus stop 6A | 00:00 · 00:30 · 01:00 · 01:40 · 04:00 · 04:40 (no buses between 01:40 and 04:00) |
Source: the official AREX timetables (airportrailroad.com) and airport.kr, checked October 2026. Give them a quick look before you travel, just in case.
A little Korean to take with you
- 홍대 가요? (hong-dae ga-yo?) = Does this go to Hongdae?
- 잠시만요 (jam-si-man-yo) = Excuse me (squeezing past)
- 여기서 내려요 (yeo-gi-seo nae-ryeo-yo) = I’m getting off here
- Follow the train signs from the B1 food street
- BLUE = all-stop (Hongdae) · ORANGE = Express, skips Hongdae
- Top up T-money at the kiosk (English menu)
- Express to Seoul Station: orange gates, a separate ticket (card or cash), ₩13,000 adult (₩9,500 child), ~43 min, reserved seats
- All-stop from T1: first 05:14, last 23:38 · Express from T1: first 05:24, last 22:48
- After midnight: night bus N6002 to Hongdae, T1 stop 6A
Quick heads-up: I double-checked the details in October 2026, but airports love to move things around, so give it a quick look when you get there (or on airport.kr). And if something’s changed, tell me in the comments and I’ll fix it!
This post is part of my little comic series First Day in Korea, where I help my friend Mia from Canada through her very first day here. You can catch the full episodes as Shorts on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram (@experiencekorea.jay).
Take care, and 또 만나요! (tto man-na-yo, “see you again!”)
Jay
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