Incheon is a sprawling city without a distinct geographical centre. The older section of the city lies near the entrance to the port, below Jayu (Freedom) Park. Since the 1960s, a newer part of town - of a predominantly business and commercial nature - has sprung up near the post office and is steadily marching southeast. Land reclamation has altered the cityscape to the extent that the former islands of Wolmido and Sowolmido are now connected to the mainland, and the harbour is virtually enclosed. Munhak Stadium is 6.5km (4mi) inland from the post office, 2.5km (1.5mi) south of the city hall.
Getting There and Away
Most major international airlines fly into Incheon International Airport, and the two Korean airlines, Asiana Airlines and Korean Air, fly both domestic and international routes. The departure tax on international flights is around US$10 and must be paid in won. For domestic flights an airport tax of US$3 is usually included in the price of the ticket.
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The fastest way to travel from Seoul to Incheon is by subway Line 1. Trains depart Seoul every four minutes from 5.10am to 11.30pm (US$0.70, 50 minutes).
Plenty of daily bus services to the country’s other major centres depart from the Incheon bus terminal (tel 032-430 7100). There are six Busan services daily (US$12.50, just over six hours), eight Daegu services (US$9, five hours) and services to Daejon leave every 30 minutes (US$5, three hours).
A Korea-Japan Through-Ticket covers train travel through the two countries and a ferry crossing between Busan and Shimonoseki. For more information and reservations call Hong-ik Travel Agency (tel 02-717 1002). There's also a 20-day Korea-China Through-Ticket, which offers discounted fares on certain trains in Korea and China, and a ferry crossing between Incheon in Korea and Tianjin in China. Boats from Incheon also go to Shanghai, Qingdao, Weihai, Dalian and Dandong in China.
Getting Around
Incheon International Airport is 15km (10mi) west of Incheon. Buses run between the airport and the city centre from 5.30am to 10.30pm, at approximately 15-minute intervals. A taxi to or from the airport takes 60 minutes and costs around US$23.
Incheon is linked to downtown Seoul by subway (50 minutes). It can be confusing: by the time the Seoul subway reaches Incheon, it’s no longer considered a subway, it’s a KNR train. Incheon also has a local subway line, which stops at useful places like city hall, Munhak Stadium and the Incheon bus terminal. The two subway lines intersect at massive Bupyeong station.
Getting To And From The Stadium
The subway is absolutely the best means of getting to the stadium, as express buses don’t pass Munhak directly. Catch the Incheon subway service at Bupyeong station in the direction of Dongmak and get off at Munhak Stadium (Exit No 1). The stadium is a five-minute walk from the subway station. It’s a 40-minute trip by car from Incheon International Airport, and an hour-long trip by limousine bus from Gimpo airport (domestic). If you’re driving to the stadium from Incheon International Airport, take the Incheon International Highway to Jang-su, then turn off onto the Keong-in No 2 Highway.
