Arrival
by
Air:
Korea
is
connected
by
air
to
every
major
capital
in
the
world,
either
through
direct
flights
or
by
connecting
flights
from
major
international
airports
in
East
Asia.
About
37
international
airlines
maintain
regular
flight
services,
with
over
1,500
flights
into
and
out
of
Korea
every
week.
Korea
has
eight
international
airports:
Incheon
International
Airport,
which
opened
in
March
2001,
and
Gimpo for
Seoul,
Gimhae for
Busan,
Jeju,
Cheongju,
Daegu,
Yangyang and
Gwangju.
Gimhae
and
Jeju
operate
direct
flights
to
and
from
Tokyo,
Fukuoka,
Nagoya
and
Osaka
in
Japan.
|
|
Incheon
International Airport |
Korean
Air
Lines
(KAL),
the
larger
of
Korea's
two
national
flag
carriers,
has
opened
new
routes
between
Seoul
and
destinations
in
Europe,
America
and
the
Middle
East.
For
the
convenience
of
departing
passengers,
the
Korea
City
Air
Terminal
(KCAT) is
in
Seoul's
Gangnam
business
district
next
to
the
Korea
World
Trade
Center
in
Samseong-dong.
It
provides
check-in
service
and
passport
clearance.
Nonstop
limousine
buses
make
the
roughly
60-minute
commute
between
Incheon
International
Airport
and
KCAT
every
10
to
20
minutes.
Another
KCAT
opened
recently
at
Gimpo
International
Airport.
Special
airport
buses and
city
buses
leave
from
various
points
in
Seoul
every
15
minutes
from
5:00
a.m.
to
10:30
p.m.,
and
are
less
expensive
alternatives
to
the
KAL
Limousine
Bus line
which
connects
Incheon
International
Airport
with
19
major
hotels
in
Seoul.
Since
1963,
Seoul
has
been
included
in
the
round-the-world
air
schedule
approved
by
the
International
Air
Transport
Association
(IATA).
This
enables
any
passenger
on
a
round-the-world
ticket
to
visit
Korea
at
no
additional
charge.
Arrival
by
Ferry:
|
Pukwan
Ferry's Seonghee plies between
Busan and Japan's Shimonoseki |
|
Various
steamship lines provide passenger
service to Korea. Among those
from the American West Coast
are Waterman Steamship, American
Pioneer, Pacific Far East, Pacific
Orient Express, State Marine
and United States Lines. Several
companies, such as the BuGwan
Ferry, Korea Ferry and Korea
Marine Express, provide regular
ferry services linking Busan
and Jejudo Island with the Japanese
ports of Shimonoseki, Kobe and
Hakata. Another ferry line plies
between Incheon and the Chinese
ports of Tianjin and Weihai. |
Temporary
entry
for
private
cars
is
allowed
for
passengers
arriving
by
ferry,
providing
that
drivers
obtain
the
proper
documentation.
General
Information:
Tourist
information
and
assistance
are
available
at
all
major
tourist
sites,
airports
and
Korea
Tourism
Organization's Tourist
Information
Centers.
These
KTO
centers
are
open
everyday
from
9
a.m.
to
6
p.m.
The
KTO
also
runs
a
tourist
information
site
at
www.tour2korea.com.
Since
a
quarter
of
the
population
tends
to
travel
to
hometowns
or
other
destinations
during
traditional
holidays,
make
sure
to
book
tickets
well
in
advance
if
your
trip
coincides
with
these
times.
The
busiest
travel
times
are
summer
vacation
(the
last
week
of
July
through
the
third
week
of
August)
and
the
three-day
national
holidays
Seollal
(Lunar
New
Year's)
and
Chuseok
(the
15th
day
of
the
eighth
month
by
the
lunar
calendar).
During
national
holidays,
offices
and
banks
are
closed,
whereas
palaces,
museums,
most
restaurants,
markets,
department
stores,
cinemas
and
amusement
facilities
are
usually
open.
A
variety
of
local
events,
festivals
and
special
performances
such
as
sandaenori (mask
dances),
nongak (farmers'
music)
and
samulnori (percussion
quartets)
are
held
in
many
locations.
Reservations
for
hotels
in
any
part
of
the
country
can
be
made
in
Seoul
through
travel
agencies.
Foreign
tourists
can
get
instant
assistance
by
dialing
1330
anywhere
in
Korea.
Guided
Tour
Services:
Various
travel
agencies
offer
guided
tours
around
Seoul's
scenic
attractions
and
historic
sites.
A
wide
variety
of
tours
are
available,
including
morning,
afternoon
and
night
tours
as
well
as
nationwide
tours
lasting
a
week
or
more.
Currency:
Korea's
currency
is
the
won,
which
comes
in
1,000,
5,000
and
10,000
won
bills,
and
10,
50,
100
and
500
won
coins.
Generally,
banks
are
open
between
09:30-16:30
Monday
through
Friday.
Automated
teller
machines
are
in
operation
24
hours
a
day.
Most
larger
stores,
hotels
and
restaurants
in
Korea
will
accept
major
international
credit
cards.
However,
it
is
advisable
to
carry
some
cash,
since
many
smaller
establishments
and
stores
may
not
have
credit
card
processing
equipment.
Visas:
Most
tourists
may
visit
Korea
for
15
days
without
a
visa,
but
a
verified
return
trip
ticket
is
required.
Some
nationals
may
stay
for
longer
periods,
one
to
six
months,
without
visas,
provided
they
do
not
engage
in
paid
work
while
in
Korea.
Visitors
planning
to
work
or
reside
in
Korea
for
longer
periods
are
required
to
obtain
a
visa
before
entry
and
an
alien
registration
card
at
a
local
immigration
office
within
90
days
of
arrival.
(The
government-sponsored
website
www.korea.net has
links
to
more-detailed
information.)
Animal
and
Plant
Quarantine:
All
imported
animals,
plants
and
their
products
are
subject
to
quarantine
at
airports
and
ports
of
arrival
at
the
time
of
entry.