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 hard to imagine that the population of such a city can do without the subway.
Seoul Subway
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 also connected several towns closest to Seoul with subway lines. Several new stations and metro lines open every year.
Why is the Seoul subway the most popular form of transportation?
It is simply impossible to travel around the city only by land transport, so any tourist should take the courage to go down to the Seoul subway, the scheme of which at first sight can inspire a sense of horror to every traveler. After all, it is almost impossible for a foreigner to learn the names of stations in Korean.
Seoul Subway looks like a huge octopus, stretching its tentacles in all directions from the city. In the eyes begins to dazzle from 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,always dubbed in English. All inscriptions at numerous metro stations are also duplicated.
Despite the fact that the Seoul subway has fifteen exits, the tourist can easily find his way around the stations, thanks to signs and light boards translated into several languages.
The subway has cellular service, 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 train station or airport. It will be enough for a tourist to know the station at which he must get off and carefully observe the light panels inside the cars.
Seoul Subway is one of the safest in the world. There are a lot of police officers at the stations, and along the walls there are machine guns with gas masks for emergencies.
Metro map in Russian: is it possible?
The Seoul subway map seems complicated only at first glance. It will take a little skill and patience to figure it out, but it's worth doing it while still planning a trip to Korea. So the tourist will have more time to navigate the intricacies called "Seoul Metro". The scheme in Russian is quite common in the shops of the city. Many Koreans even produce subway maps in two languages, while others write station names in Russian letters to make it easier for tourists from Russia to pronounce their destination.
How to understand the Seoul subway map?
BFirst 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 makes it much easier for tourists to work with the metro map. In order to get to another branch, you need to find a transfer station. They are always located at the intersection of the two desired branches and are marked with the corresponding color. All station signs are made in the color of the metro line, so it will be very difficult to get confused.
By entering the subway, a tourist can purchase a scheme on almost every square centimeter. They are sold in shops, wagons and cafes. Large subway maps hang on the walls of the stations, and an interactive Seoul subway map 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 attractions with subway stations
Many tourists traveling around Seoul strive to see as many sights as possible in a short period of time. Therefore, you need to know the nearest metro stations to the main historical monuments:
Seoul TV Tower. Every traveler wants to see this miracle of Korean engineering. The nearest subway stations are Changmuro and Itaewon.
Myeongdong Street. This is the most famous street in Seoul. Here you can buy a variety of souvenirs and make more meaningful purchases. There is practically no product that would not be sold on Mendong Street. The nearest station is called "Myeongdong" and is located on the blue line.
Seoul Zoo. Every tourist dreams of visiting this huge park, which has become home to thousands of different animals. The nearest subway station is also on the Blue Line and is called Seoul Grand Park.
Lotte Ward amusement park. This is the largest indoor park not only in Seoul, but in all of Korea. The station closest to the park is Jamsil.
"Olympic Park". To visit Seoul means to visit the "Olympic Park". It is worth spending a whole day to see. Near it is the metro station of the same name, it is based on the purple line.
War Museum. Tourists do not always get to this Seoul attraction, but if you have at least one free day, then you should save it for visiting the museum. The nearest metro station is called "Jamsil" and is located at the intersection of two lines.
Fast with exploring the many sights of the capital of the Republic of Korea, do not forget that the subway does not work around the clock.
Seoul Subway Opening Hours
Many tourists are worried about the operation of the subway. Keep in mind that on weekdays the metro opens its doors at half past five in the morning and finishes work at one in the morning. Seoul subway starts on weekendswork just as early, but the last train stops exactly at midnight. It is worth knowing that the interval of trains is usually no more than six minutes. This is enough to ensure the smooth transportation of passengers.
Seoul Metro is recognized as the best by many experts in the world, so when traveling in Korea, be sure to take the chance to thoroughly explore it.