Where you have landed
Gimpo (김포국제공항) is in Gangseo-gu, in western Seoul — inside Seoul, so journeys to many city destinations are shorter than from Incheon. It was Seoul's main international airport until Incheon opened in 2001, and it kept the domestic network plus a short-haul international one: Tokyo Haneda, Osaka Kansai, Shanghai Hongqiao, Beijing (Capital and Daxing), Taipei Songshan and Taoyuan, and Kaohsiung. Check the airport code on your actual booking, especially when comparing flights to Seoul.
The international terminal and the domestic terminal are separate buildings, and the subway station sits between and beneath them. From the international terminal you exit on level 1; from the domestic terminal you take the escalator down on the west side of level 1.
Into the city: five railways, one station
Gimpo International Airport station (김포공항역) is one of the biggest interchanges in Seoul, and it is underneath you.
| Line | Colour | Goes where | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AREX (공항철도) | blue | Seoul Station, via DMC, Hongdae, Gongdeok | central Seoul, and Incheon Airport |
| Line 5 (5호선) | purple | Yeouido, Gwanghwamun, Jongno 3-ga, Dongdaemun, Wangsimni | the historic centre, north of the river |
| Line 9 (9호선) | gold | Yeouido, Express Bus Terminal, Sinnonhyeon, Bongeunsa | Gangnam |
| Gimpo Goldline (김포골드라인) | — | Gimpo city, Janggi, Gurae | Gimpo satellite towns |
| Seohae Line (서해선) | — | Bucheon, Sosa, Siheung, Ansan | south-west Gyeonggi |
For Seoul Station, Hongdae (the nightlife and student district around Hongik University) or Gongdeok, take AREX. It is the same railway that runs to Incheon, and Gimpo is a stop on it. Adult fares from the operator's own table:
| To | Fare |
|---|---|
| Digital Media City (디지털미디어시티) | ₩1,650 |
| Hongik University (홍대입구) | ₩1,650 |
| Gongdeok (공덕) | ₩1,750 |
| Seoul Station (서울역) | ₩1,750 |
| Incheon Airport Terminal 1 | ₩4,350 |
| Incheon Airport Terminal 2 | ₩4,950 |
Journey time to Seoul Station is about 22 minutes. The AREX Express does not stop at Gimpo: the AREX Express runs non-stop between Incheon and Seoul Station and does not open its doors here. Use the AREX all-stop service for this journey and keep luggage clear of doors and aisles.
For Gangnam, take the Line 9 express (급행). It runs from Gimpo Airport without a change and reaches the Sinnonhyeon area in about 35 minutes. From Incheon, you can change to Line 9 at Gimpo Airport or another suitable interchange. Choose 급행 (express) only if it stops at your destination. Use 일반 (all-stop) for stations the express skips.
Fares on Lines 5 and 9 are ordinary Seoul Metro fares — under ₩2,000 for almost anywhere in the city — and both accept a Tmoney (Korea's nationwide rechargeable transit card) or another supported transit card at the gate.
The airport also runs a free airport circulation bus (공항순환버스) around the site, 06:00–23:00 between the passenger and cargo terminals and 08:00–23:00 for the passenger terminals only, at 12–25 minute intervals. It boards at stand 5 on the right outside international gate 1, and stand 8 on the left outside domestic gate 4. That is for moving around the airport, not for getting into the city.
Taxis, with the airport's own fare table
Gimpo publishes a fare for every major destination, as an estimate for planning. Actual metered fares depend on the route, traffic and applicable surcharges.
| Destination | Time | Standard (일반) | Deluxe (모범) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hongik University (홍익대학교) | 40 min | ₩15,000 | ₩27,000 |
| Myeongdong (central Seoul's main shopping street, and its cosmetics district) (Lotte Hotel Seoul) | 50 min | ₩20,000 | ₩36,000 |
| Seoul City Hall (Plaza Hotel) | 60 min | ₩22,000 | ₩40,000 |
| Samcheong-dong (삼청동) | 60 min | ₩23,000 | ₩42,000 |
| Dongdaemun (동대문역) | 70 min | ₩26,000 | ₩47,000 |
| Gangnam (강남역) | 60 min | ₩28,000 | ₩50,000 |
| Jamsil (Lotte Hotel Jamsil, 잠실롯데호텔) | 60 min | ₩28,000 | ₩50,000 |
| Ilsan (Daehwa Station, 대화역) | 45 min | ₩18,000 | ₩27,000 |
| Incheon International Airport | 40 min | ₩45,000 incl. tolls | ₩70,000 |
The tariff behind those numbers: a standard taxi starts at ₩4,800 for the first 1.6 km, then ₩100 per 131 m or ₩100 per 30 seconds. A deluxe or large taxi starts at ₩7,000 for the first 3 km, then ₩200 per 151 m or ₩200 per 36 seconds. For the listed Seoul taxi service, the late-night surcharges are: 20% from 22:00 to 23:00, 40% from 23:00 to 02:00, 20% from 02:00 to 04:00 for a standard taxi, and a flat 20% from 22:00 to 04:00 for a deluxe.
Gimpo's joint operating zone — set by Article 8 of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Directive No. 1333, “Guidelines on Taxi System Operating Standards” (국토교통부 훈령 제1333호 「택시제도 운영기준에 관한 업무처리요령」 제8조) — covers Seoul, Gwangmyeong, Incheon, Bucheon, Gimpo and Goyang. Go anywhere in that list and there is no out-of-area surcharge; go beyond it and 20% is added.
Follow the airport’s taxi signs. The listed pre-booked pickup area is on level 2 of the international terminal, near door 1; the ordinary rank is on level 1. The domestic-terminal rank is listed opposite doors 4–6 on level 1.
Landing late: the last train is 00:16
The last AREX train toward Seoul Station leaves Gimpo Airport at 00:16, with a final 00:34 service that terminates at Digital Media City. The first is at 05:42. That is about forty minutes later than the last train from Incheon, and because Gimpo is already in Seoul, a taxi from here to a central hotel is ₩20,000-odd rather than ₩70,000 — but the actual cost depends on your destination, vehicle and surcharges.
Lines 5 and 9 run to their own last trains, generally between 23:30 and 00:30 depending on direction.
Connecting to Incheon
The two airports are on the same railway, so the connection is direct — but it takes about 38 minutes to Incheon Terminal 1 and 44 to Terminal 2 on the all-stop train, at ₩4,350 and ₩4,950. A taxi is ₩45,000 including tolls and about 40 minutes.
Two things make this harder than the times suggest. First, the AREX Express does not stop at Gimpo, so there is no fast option — the all-stop is the only train. Second, if your Incheon flight leaves from Terminal 2 you must ride past Terminal 1, and if you get the terminals wrong you are looking at the shuttle bus on top. Confirm the required connection time with your airline. Include immigration, baggage collection, the airport transfer and the onward flight’s check-in deadline; the train journey alone is not the total transfer time.
