They said it couldn’t be done, but Incheon Airport, opened more than four years ago, ranks as possibly the most modern and convenient in Asia. Its long horseshoe terminal, spacious and rarely overcrowded, now serves more than 50 passenger airlines accounting for nearly 500 take-offs and landings a day, and “limousine” buses whisk you to stops throughout Seoul in anywhere from one to 1.5 hours. (Express buses go from the airport to most major cities elsewhere in the country.)

The airport is an engineering marvel, built on reclaimed land linking two islands, defying the legendary high tides of Incheon. Plans exist for another three runways and a cluster of luxury hotels, apartment blocks and shopping centers in varying degrees of construction. They’re all part of the vision of Incheon as a hub, not only a port of entry into the Seoul metropolitan region and the rest of Korea, but also a transit point for destinations throughout Asia. A single beautiful bridge links the mainland to the airport, but plans are afoot for two more bridges, and a railroad is due to open in two years linking Incheon to Gimpo, the major domestic airport, much closer to Seoul.

Don’t overlook Gimpo, half the distance to Seoul, for flying into Korea—you can reach Gimpo from Haneda, Tokyo’s domestic airport (located right in the city, as opposed to Narita International Airport, two hours away), vastly slashing travel time between Tokyo and Seoul. To travel from Gimpo to downtown, you have a choice of buses or a subway line. A final note: If you’re coming on a quick business trip, rent a cell phone at either Incheon or Gimpo. The price, when you return it before leaving, will be much lower than you’d pay your hotel—that is, if you’re not staying in an executive-floor room that provides the mobile with the high price of the room.

Getting Around

Rushing from one place to another is a daunting proposition for newcomers. While Seoul’s transport system takes getting used to, frequent visitors soon discover some basic rules. If your business is anywhere from COEX, the huge exhibition center, to Apkujeong, the flossy district of high-fashion boutiques, upscale restaurants and nightclubs, stay “south of the river.” Otherwise, you’ll spend altogether too much time in traffic jams, if you go by taxi, or battling through a crowded subway system. But if you’re “north of the river” and have to venture south of the river, plunge into the subway.

Beginning with line number one, which runs all the way to Incheon via City Hall and Seoul Station, the capital has built one of the world’s largest, most efficient networks in little more than 30 years. Subway maps in English are available, and you’ll save time as well as money by hopping aboard. A trip from north of the river around to COEX, for instance, may take 45 minutes by subway—and upwards of an hour by taxi.

Buses are also plentiful, but it may prove frustrating to determine where to get the one you want. Few foreigners take them—which is a pity, since the bus system is convenient and comfortable if you have the time and energy to figure it out.