Seoul is a million-plus city, the capital of the Republic of Korea. More than ten million Koreans live in it. Of course, it is difficult to imagine that the population of such a city can do without the subway.
Subway in Seoul
Seoul Metro is one of the largest and busiest in the world; it connects not only stations within the city, but also suburban routes. In recent years, builders have connected several towns closest to Seoul with subway lines. Several new stations and metro lines open annually.
Why is the metro in Seoul the most popular form of transport?
Traveling around the city only by land transport is simply impossible, so any tourist should take courage and go down to Seoul metro, the scheme of which at first sight can inspire a sense of horror for every traveler. After all, it is almost impossible for a foreigner to learn the names of the stations in Korean.
Seoul Metro looks like a huge octopus, stretching out its tentacles in all directions from the city. In the eyes begins to dazzle with the abundance of stations and lines. But in fact, this subway is one of the most comfortable in the world. All stations that are announced during the trip in Korean are always duplicated in English. Also, all inscriptions at numerous metro stations are duplicated.
Despite the fact that the Seoul metro has fifteen exits, the tourist will easily navigate the stations, thanks to signs and light displays translated into several languages.
There is cellular communication in the subway, and each station is equipped with small cafes and vending machines selling coffee, pastries and other simple snacks.
It is the subway that allows you to quickly get to the station or airport. It will be enough for the tourist to know the station at which he must get off and carefully observe the light displays inside the cars.
Seoul Metro is one of the safest in the world. There are a lot of police officers at the stations, and along the walls there are assault rifles with gas masks.
Metro scheme in Russian: is this possible?
The Seoul metro scheme seems complicated only at first glance. To understand it, it takes a little skill and patience, but it's worth it, just planning a trip to Korea. So the tourist will have more time to navigate in the intricacies called "Seoul Metro". The scheme in Russian is quite often found in the shops of the city. Many Koreans even produce bilingual underground circuits, while others spell out station names in Russian to make it easier for Russian tourists to pronounce their destination.
How to understand Seoul metro map?
First of all, you need to pay attention to the fact that each line indicated on the map has its own color. There are only nine lines, but they connect more than one thousand stations of the city and the suburbs. Each station has its own specific number, which greatly facilitates tourists working with the metro scheme. In order to move to another branch, you need to find a transfer station. They are always at the intersection of two desired branches and are marked with the corresponding color. All signs at the stations are made in the color of the metro line, so it will be very difficult to get confused.
By going into the subway, a tourist can purchase a scheme on almost every square centimeter. They are sold in shops, cars and cafes. Large subway maps hang on the walls of the stations, and an interactive map of Seoul's metro will even allow the tourist to determine the shortest route between the two stations.
In many cases, the inscriptions on the diagram are so clear that they do not require additional translation from Korean.
Seoul landmarks with metro stations
Many tourists traveling in Seoul seek to see as many attractions as possible in a short period of time. Therefore, you need to know the metro stations closest to the main historical monuments:
Seoul TV Tower. Every traveler wants to see this miracle of Korean engineering. The nearest metro stations are Changmuro and Itaewon.
Mendon Street. This is the most famous street of Seoul. Here you can buy a variety of souvenirs and make more meaningful purchases. There is virtually no product that would not be sold on Mendon Street. The nearest station is called Mendon, it is located on a blue branch.
Seoul Zoo. Every tourist wants to visit this huge park, which has become home to thousands of different animals. The nearest metro station is also located on the blue line and is called the Seoul Big Park.
Amusement park "Lotte Word". This is the largest indoor park not only in Seoul, but throughout Korea. The station closest to the park is called Jamsil.
"Olympic Park". To visit Seoul means to visit the Olympic Park. It is worth it to spend an entire daylight viewing. Near it is the metro station of the same name, it is based on a purple branch.
Museum of war. Tourists do not always get to this Seoul attraction, but if there is at least one free day, then you should save it for exploring the museum. The nearest metro station is called Jamsil and is located at the intersection of two lines.
Carried away by exploring the many attractions of the capital of the Republic of Korea, do not forget that the subway does not work around the clock.
Seoul Metro: opening hours
Many tourists worry about the working hours of the metro. Keep in mind that on working days the subway opens its doors at half past five in the morning and ends work at one in the morning. On weekends, Seoul subway starts working just as early, but the last train stops at exactly midnight. It is worth knowing that the interval of train traffic is usually no more than six minutes. This is enough to ensure uninterrupted transportation of passengers.
Seoul Metro is recognized as the best by many world experts, so when traveling in Korea, be sure to take the opportunity to carefully study it.