How to get to South Korea: air tickets and other details. We are planning a trip to Seoul, the capital of South Korea

If you judge the cost of living in South Korea only by the price of the Gangnam Style bullet trains, it is easy to assume that it is an expensive country. Actually this is not true. Here you can easily live on 30-40 dollars a day, if you adhere to one rule - live the way the Koreans live.

Any old Korean remembers that the only food at that time was a spicy broth with green onions and soybean sprouts. Now the country is somewhere in the middle between Western luxury and the poverty of Southeast Asia.

If funds allow, there are many luxury hotels, fish restaurants and imported products at your service. A limited budget, of course, will not allow you to book apartments with a jacuzzi, massage chairs and aromatic steam rooms, but you can get acquainted with the local culture without breaking the bank.

Food

In August 2012, a newspaper reported that an elderly Korean couple refused to pay for a side dish at a Taiwanese restaurant because it was not customary in Korea. Indeed, in any Korean restaurant they will bring an additional small plate of rice or other food to your order. Most bars will serve a bowl of popcorn or nuts with your drinks, as you are not supposed to drink without eating.

Almost any soup will come with a second pot filled with a dozen ingredients, and it will cost about $4-6. If you like spice, try Kimchijjigae (stew) or Tabu Jjigae (meat with tofu). They go with cabbage, green onions and egg whites.

For dinner, they most often offer “bibimbap” - salad laid out on rice ($5), or sushi with meat and vegetables ($2). Rice and seaweed are sometimes wrapped in an omelette.

"bibimbap"

They can also grill meat, but only for company.

Food is also bought on the streets, but it is not as popular as in China or Thailand. Street vendors sell egg cakes in red spicy sauce (tteokbokki), fish cake, skewers in broth (oddeng) and spring onion pancakes with sliced ​​octopus (pajeon). It costs about $2 at any tent.

street food

street food

And for some unknown reason, Koreans love waffles and eat them on the street all the time (a dollar apiece).

Overnight

If you don't mind sleeping on a tatami mat next to other people, it will cost you $6-$10. These public baths are called jjimjilbang.

High-quality SPA salons are more expensive, but both expensive and cheap establishments provide towels, bathrobes and lockers for things.

In motels, a double room costs $50 per night. Most have a king-size bed, ceiling mirrors and a free juice bar.

Transport

Trains labeled "KTX" are some of the world's fastest bullet trains, reaching speeds of up to 350 km/h. They can cross the entire country from south to north in 3 hours. A one-way ticket costs $57.

A 6-hour trip from Seoul to Busan on the Mugunghwa train costs $24. This train stops in rural areas.

Not the best option is Semaul, a ticket for which costs $42, and the journey takes just over four hours. You won't save time or money here.
Every city has a bus station, from where buses depart strictly according to schedule to major cities. settlements. You can get from Seoul to Busan on very bumpy roads in 5 hours, and it will cost $20.
It is better to walk around the city. But if you want to get acquainted with intracity transport, then there are only 3 options - bus, metro and taxi.
A taxi ride will cost no more than $7, partly because taxi drivers in South Korea do not cheat like in other countries. The bus routes are quite confusing, but the cost is $1, and the trip between small towns will cost $3.
The Seoul Metro is a real labyrinth, but if you are used to understanding subway maps of big cities, you won’t get lost here either.

Inefficient and expensive modes of transport include bicycle, plane and ferry.
Bicycles are not at all popular here, unlike other Asian countries. They are expensive to rent and dangerous to drive.
Korea is too small a country to fly on planes, especially since a ticket from Seoul to Busan costs $80 one way. In addition, you will have to spend another $20 on travel from the airport, because it is an hour's drive from the city. Ferries depart from large coastal cities to all the islands, as well as China and Japan, but the cost of the trip is almost the same as by plane, and it takes much longer.

Attractions

Several old temples and fortresses, towers in Seoul and Busan - that's all that South Korea has to offer tourists. The best way to get to know Korea is to simply walk along the alleys of the cities, get acquainted with the local way of life and be sure to climb one of the mountain peaks. There are more than 500 mountains in Korea. The largest are Hallasan on Jeju Island, Jirisan in the south, and Seoraksan in the north.

Their height is 1700 meters, so such an excursion will take a whole day. On the way, you will probably find a temple where you are allowed in for free and where you are allowed to take photographs.
The most famous temples in the country are Pomosa (Busan), Bonjeunsa (Seoul), Bulguksa (Cheonju).

Some charge an entrance fee, but you can spend the whole day there. Queens - temple complex, which is hidden between the mountains in the center of the country near Danyane. There are unrivaled views of the mountainous landscape and very few foreign tourists. There is no dress code, so don't worry about shorts or skirts. Only at the entrance, as in all Buddhist temples, you need to take off your shoes.

Every coastal city has several sandy beaches. Haeundae Beach in Busan is the busiest. During the summer months, you won’t even see sand here between the red and yellow umbrellas standing right next to each other.

Haeundae Beach

Food markets in South Korea are cleaner than others Asian countries. There are also flea markets where clothes are sold at very low prices, but, unfortunately, in small sizes. In Seoul and others major cities there are electronics markets.

Koreans love holidays very much. Almost every weekend there is some kind of festival: the festival of lanterns (Jinju), pontomime (Chungcheon), fireflies (Muju), etc.

Fish holidays are celebrated, and each species has its own day (in Busan it is a mackerel holiday, in Inje it is a smelt holiday).
Busan hosts rock festivals and also hosts Asia's largest international film festival. Ticket prices are much lower compared to similar events in Western countries.

To spend less money in South Korea, it is better to move away from big cities, especially since the most beautiful scenery can be seen on outlying islands.
Calculating your budget is easy, since one US dollar is approximately 1,000 Korean won. If the cost of housing is indicated in dollars, then simply add three zeros. This will be the price in local currency.

Korea is one of the most safe countries in the world: none large quantity thefts, no drug addicts, no robberies, and public morality is so developed and strong that it is almost impossible to hear rudeness addressed to you.

If you decide to go to South Korea, namely in , decide on specific dates in advance, because the cost of the flight will depend on them, and not on how far in advance you buy plane tickets. The cheapest tickets to South Korea are, and.

If we talk about transport in Seoul, then to rent a car you will need an international license book - Russian plastic is not suitable. All public transport and orange taxi (state) is paid for by the T-money system - plastic card, on which money is deposited through the terminal.

Everything is like in Russia - you put your card on the turnstile, it tells you the remaining balance, and you move on.

The subway is quiet and calm inside the cars, but no one waits for people to get off and gets on right away, so be prepared to jostle a lot and for a long time. If you live in Moscow and think that this will not surprise you, you are mistaken, in Korea everything is much tougher.

In the subway and on the streets there are corrugated yellow paths - landmarks for the blind. In Seoul, everything is quite well equipped for people with disabilities, so if you or your relatives were afraid to face the problem of the inability of Korean streets, then feel free to brush aside all fears.

Money. Don't count on credit cards- they are accepted, but rarely and reluctantly: Koreans love cash very much. Therefore, exchange part of the money immediately at the airport, and the rest in banks. When you go to stores, pay attention to the price tags. If they are not there, the price of the product is most likely greatly inflated, and you will not be able to negotiate.

If you smoke, take a supply of cigarettes with you because Koreans hardly smoke and it can be difficult to buy cigarettes.

Before the trip, you need to remember about the traditional greeting - you need to bow slightly. Koreans also prefer to bow rather than say “thank you” as a form of gratitude. Direct eye contact, by the way, can be regarded as a threat and disrespect. You can also shake hands, but there is a special ritual in this too: both the right and left hands are presented and shaken, although preference is given to the right - the left hand is placed under the right. If this rule is not followed, the impression will be that you are a very uncultured person and far from polite.

If it turns out that you will be drinking with one of the Koreans, you should never fill your glass - pour it for others, not for yourself.

Since we're talking about alcohol, it's worth mentioning food. The meal cannot begin until the oldest person in age sits down at the table. When choosing food, don't think that in Seoul they cook only dogs and insects, you can find completely normal European cuisine there, but the food is often spicier than we are used to. Also, not all cafes and restaurants offer tea, but they always bring water for free. But be prepared for the fact that in some restaurants and cafes they wash plates right on the road, and you watch all this.

A tourist can stay in Korea without obtaining a visa for a maximum of two months. In 2020, the price of such a visa was $125 if you had a hotel reservation, and $195 if you did not have a reservation. The visa processing time is 7 working days. The price increases for urgent visa processing within 3 days.

Itaewon Foreigners Street in South Korea

If you wish to stay longer long term, Korea requires you to register with the local migration service. For longer stays additional permits are required.

There is a visa type F-2, which is the essence of a residence permit in a form that is quite familiar to us. It turns out in several ways. The simplest is to enter into a marriage with a Korean citizen: to obtain a residence permit, you must submit certain documents, including a marriage certificate.

Sample visa to visit South Korea

For the first time, the right to long-term stay in the country is issued for three years. After the expiration of the established period, it is necessary to determine whether to extend this visa or immediately apply for an F-5 visa, which is permanent residence.

Another option for obtaining a residence permit in 2020 is quite vague - a residence permit is granted to foreigners who have lived in Korea for quite a long time and have made a significant contribution to the life of the country.

This path can be called difficult due to the fact that there are no clear criteria by which to evaluate the contribution to the development of the country.

Another method, not widespread, but still a good option. We are talking about “professional migration” or residence permit for specialists. The F-2 visa can be issued to foreigners living and working in Korea on a specific visa type (engineers, master's students, professors, etc.). To apply for a residence permit, you just need to score the required number of points out of the maximum - 120. The minimum threshold is 80 points.

This is what an ID card looks like in South Korea

No one gives a guarantee of obtaining a residence permit, but if you pass the minimum threshold, the chances increase. If you still receive this type of visa, then you will be issued an F-5 visa, which provides the opportunity to live in the country. After a certain time, you can. The advantage of this method is that a professional who has received an F-2 visa can bring his family to Korea using the same visa.
After a year, the visa can be extended, but it is important to show that the company is profitable and provides jobs for Koreans. Otherwise, there is a high probability of visa refusal.
The advantage of this method is that in 2020 the market in the country is not saturated and there is no need to open extremely expensive production facilities; you can open, for example, an inexpensive restaurant.

Traveling abroad on your own is a doubly exciting experience. There will be no guide or tour organizer nearby, wherever you go, you can only rely on yourself and your travel companion. What is it like to travel to South Korea on your own? Do you want to know about tickets, accommodation, attractions and features of this country? Then our material is for you.

Now the whole world is watching the events unfolding on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea continues to test its nuclear weapons, trying to prove to the whole world, in particular the United States, that it is better not to touch them. In turn, the United States is already threatening the “northerners” not only with sanctions, but also with war. South Korea, as always, finds itself caught between two fires. What is happening during such a tense period in this country and how is life for the population?

The VK Press correspondent cast aside all fears and doubts and went to Seoul to relax. How was it? Read on.

Preparing for independent travel to Korea

I have wanted to visit South Korea for a long time. The land of morning freshness, as it is called, attracted not only its culture and traditions, but also its level of development. Just think, in half a century it was able to transform from an agricultural region destroyed by the Japanese occupation and civil war into a prosperous high-tech state. The republic’s economic breakthrough even received its own name, “The Miracle on the Han River.”

We began preparing for our trip to this extraordinary country with the most important step - buying plane tickets. It is better to do this two to three months before the trip to make it cheaper. We flew with a transfer in Moscow. Four flights (Krasnodar - Moscow, Moscow - Seoul and back) cost one person 40 thousand rubles. It is convenient to search for suitable tickets on the Skyscanner website.

The treasured ticket to Seoul.

After purchasing tickets, you can safely proceed to booking accommodation, in our case it was a hostel. There are many booking sites, I usually choose Booking, Roomguru and Trivago are also quite popular. Double room in a Seoul hostel for two weeks cost almost 24 thousand rubles. It is better to print out your flight tickets and reservations in advance so that you can provide them on the spot.

The next step for a tourist is usually to apply for a visa, but in this case it is not needed. Our countries have entered into an agreement under which Russians can stay in South Korea without a visa for three months.

What to take with you on a trip to Korea

For many, packing a suitcase becomes a real headache. To understand what things are needed and how much, we carefully studied the weather forecast, thought about what would be comfortable for walking the streets and visiting attractions. Be sure to take a comfortable pair of sneakers with you or go straight away in them to save space. If we talk about the climate of South Korea, it reminded me of Kuban. At the end of September it was hot, in October it got a little colder and I had to put on a sweatshirt over my T-shirt.

Don't forget the first aid kit. In Korea, it is not so easy to buy the necessary medications; usually even the simplest cold medicine requires a prescription. Also take care of insurance, because medicine in Korea is very expensive.

The question of how much and in what form to take money, we decided this way - a little cash in dollars and on a card. Upon arrival at Seoul airport, dollars can be exchanged for local currency.

The rest of your luggage depends on individual preferences; the only thing you definitely need to pack is deodorant. In Korea, there is a very small selection of these products, since local residents do not use them due to the characteristics of their body.

Road to Seoul

The path to the Land of Morning Freshness began at Pashkovsky Airport in Krasnodar. After two hours in the sky, we had a six-hour layover in Moscow.

The flight to Seoul took 8.5 hours. The flight was operated by a Korean airline Korean Air, which impressed with the high level of service and caring attitude of the staff towards passengers.

And so we arrived at International airport Incheon, which is located in the city of the same name, 70 km from the capital of South Korea. For several years in a row he has been recognized as one of the best in the world. The airport building is beautiful and modern. Waiting for you inside convenient location zones of passport and customs control, baggage claim. There are signs in English everywhere.

At passport control, passengers are divided into two streams - Korean citizens and foreigners. Each guest from abroad has their retina and fingerprints scanned using a special device to be entered into the database. The automated system itself will tell you what to do. And don't worry about the language - the device also speaks Russian.

After receiving your luggage, the most interesting part begins - the quest “Find your hostel in an unfamiliar city.” To begin with, we exchanged some currency. The rate at the airport was good, although the best one was found in the Myeongdong area. Local money is called won. According to the exchange rate, 1000 won is equal to approximately 50 rubles.

There are different ways to get to Seoul from Incheon: taxi, bus, subway and express. Cheapest and convenient option- metro. In order not to look for change every time for tickets, buy transport card T-money, which is sold in special machines and top it up in the terminal by selecting the “Reloading the transit card” function. A trip to Seoul by subway costs an average of five thousand won.

Speaking of the metro. At first it is confusing with its complexity, many passages, turns, escalators, steps and exits. But over time you get used to it. The main thing is to carefully look at the colors of the branches, and in the direction of which station you need to go.

Subway stops are announced in four languages: Korean, Chinese, Japanese and English. Information is also broadcast on special screens. This helps a lot when you couldn't hear the name of the station.

Sights and just beautiful places Seoul

Having reached the hostel, you want to quickly unpack your things, relax a little and go see the city. What is a must-see in the capital of South Korea?

History and Korean architecture buffs will love Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Traditional Village.

It is also worth visiting Gwanghwamun Square, where monuments to the most revered and famous historical figures of the country are erected - King Sejong, thanks to whom the Korean alphabet appeared, and General Yi Sun-sin, a national hero.

Be sure to rent a hanbok, a traditional Korean costume. Five hours of rent cost 10 thousand won per person, that is, only 500 rubles. The plus is that entry to Gyeongbokgung Palace is free for visitors wearing hanbok; others will have to pay three thousand won.

If you're craving something more modern and high-tech, visit Dongdaemun Design Plaza. This is a complex of exhibition buildings that look like spaceships with an adjacent park. It was built according to the design of the talented British architect of Iraqi origin Zaha Hadid, whose works are known throughout the world due to the boldness of their forms.

With the onset of darkness it is especially beautiful there, as the buildings and installations in the form of a meadow of flowers turn on.

At the beginning of 2017, another ultra-modern building opened in Seoul - the Lotte World Tower. Its height is 555 meters (123 floors). Today this is the most tall building in South Korea.

The tower has Seoul Sky - observation floors with transparent floor areas. It is especially breathtaking on the site, where the floor suddenly becomes transparent after you stand on it. A ticket to Seoul Sky is not cheap - 26 thousand won, but it's worth it. The capital of South Korea is mesmerizing from a bird's eye view.

For a relaxing holiday on earth, we chose parks. During the warmer months, Oido is ideal next to the Han River, which divides Seoul into northern and southern parts. Right there you can buy a bedding and have a picnic, admiring the river, motor ships passing by and kites flying into the sky. This type of vacation is very popular among Koreans.

It is also worth visiting another city novelty - Seoullo Park 7017. It is an overpass, which was blocked by decision of the authorities and turned into a green area. This is a serious decision for the improvement of the city. In Seoul, they try to use every free plot for landscaping; plants even appear on the roofs of buildings.

If we talk about atypical attractions, then it is worth paying attention to Korean universities. The university buildings are very beautiful, made in European style, sometimes it even seems that you are somewhere in Germany or England. During our trip, we were able to visit four universities in Seoul: Ewha, Yongse, Hankuk and Gyeonghee. Each of them amazes with its vast territory, beautiful buildings and unusual landscape.

Ewha is one of the largest and most famous universities in the city, and it is also the largest women's university in the world. Yense is one of the three most prestigious higher educational institutions in Korea. Hankuk University of Foreign Studies is known all over the world, as it is the third university in the world in terms of the number of languages ​​studied at the university - there are 45 of them. And Gyeonghee is famous for its beautiful campus, on the territory of which there are buildings in the Gothic style.

Food and drink in South Korea

Koreans love to eat delicious food. We can say that in the Land of Morning Freshness there is a “cult of food”, that is, wherever you go, there will be food everywhere.

In Seoul, you can find street food everywhere. It is quite high in calories and not particularly healthy, but it is very cheap.

A separate topic is spicy food. It is better to ask when ordering that the dish is not too spicy. And if a Korean tells you that it will be spicy, it’s better not to even try it. Believe me, the feeling that your stomach is literally being eaten away by spice is not the most pleasant.

What is the real must-try food on the streets of Seoul? First of all, teokbokki is a kind of rice flour dumpling in a spicy sauce. In Korea, like other Asian countries, rice is the king of everything. Therefore, it is eaten not only in its usual form, but also ground into flour, from which noodles and dough for confectionery are prepared.

We also really liked omuk - fish flour cakes. They are sold on skewers. You can take a paper cup and pour yourself the broth in which the omuk was cooked for free, it is also very tasty and will warm you up perfectly if it’s cool outside.

As for desserts, we liked the punoppan fish-shaped pies with a sweet red bean filling. Speaking of red beans... They are a traditional filling for most Korean desserts, so don't be surprised. The taste is unusual, but it’s worth trying and you won’t be able to put it down.

Hotteok are flatbreads that are fried in oil. We tried it filled with sugar and sunflower seeds. Very hot and sweet.

In the summer, you should definitely order bingsu - crushed ice or frozen milk with the addition of berries, fruits, chocolate, cream, and various syrups. We were able to try it with mango, apple and cream cheese. It’s a little expensive (from 1.3 thousand rubles), but one serving is enough for two, three, or even four people.

You can't visit Korea without trying traditional dishes like gimbap and pipimpap. Everyone knows Japanese rolls; kimbap is also a roll, but only Korean. Usually a sheet of nori seaweed is taken, a layer of rice on top and a variety of fillings - ham, omelette, pickled radish, cucumber, carrots, tuna. Then all this is rolled into a roll and cut into small pieces. Kimbap can be bought not only in street food stalls, but also in stores like 7-Eleven, GS25, CU. Price from 1.8 to 3.5 thousand won (100–170 rubles).

The traditional version of pipimpap consists of rice, which is topped with chopped vegetables, pieces of meat, mushrooms, spicy paste and fried eggs. The ingredients are mixed right before eating. Not far from our hostel we found a cafe that specialized in making pipimpaps. I liked it best with chicken and teriyaki sauce. I was also pleased with the price - five thousand won (about 250 rubles). By the way, in Korea, the main course is always served with several appetizers. Usually this is kimchi - spicy pickled cabbage and radish, seaweed, bean sprouts.

Another feature of Koreans that attracted attention was that they drink cold drinks at any time of the year, even in winter. The cafe serves simply ice water, and the most popular coffee in Korea is iced Americano. It even happened that in one cafe we ​​asked for a normal hot cappuccino, but they told us: “Sorry, we only have iced Americano.”

Shopping in Seoul: where to go shopping

It is difficult to imagine a trip to any country without shopping. Where is the best place to go for shopping in Seoul?

Several areas are suitable for this - the tourist paradise of Myeongdong, the traditional souvenir market of Insadong and the student district of Hongdae, where young people from all over Seoul gather. It’s worth saying right away that of these three, Mendon is the most expensive. This area is very popular among foreigners, so prices are often inflated. But it’s still worth a visit to Myeongdong, if only for the eight-story Daiso store, where you can buy everything from ballpoint pens and spoons to products for dogs and gardening.

For cosmetics and clothes, you need to go to Hongdae. Prices here are lower, since the area is considered a student area. You can find both branded items and mass market items. By the way, Honda is loved not only for shopping, but also for its special creative atmosphere. In the evenings, young people perform here at various venues. They play on musical instruments, sing and dance, gathering a crowd of passers-by around them.

But traditional souvenirs and gifts can be bought on Insadong. I noticed that all the souvenirs, without exception, were made in Korea, which is confirmed by the words Made in Korea (instead of the usual Made in China). Here you will find incredibly beautiful cards, bookmarks, keychains, magnets, figurines, fans, dishes, writing utensils, hanboks and much more.

Attitude of Koreans towards foreigners

Any person likes it when his country is respected and his culture is interesting. Koreans have become more open to others in recent years. They are very friendly towards foreigners, at least towards Europeans (Russians for them are also residents of Europe). Passers-by often greeted us, asked where we were from, gave us compliments, and showed us our class. In general, a girl with light eyes and light brown hair will definitely not be ignored.

As we walked around the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace wearing hanboks, a man approached us. When he found out that we were from Russia, he started talking about Putin. In general terms, we realized that our president is very good because he does not give in to the Japanese (apparently he meant our steadfastness on the issue of the Kuril Islands).

We did not receive any aggression, rude words or sidelong glances in Korea. Russians are treated really well. By the way, Koreans believe that the most beautiful women live in Ukraine and Russia.

Even though Korea is a country where people experience a lot of stress due to intense competition in school and work (hence the high suicide rate), you won't see a gloomy expression on its people's faces. Everywhere you are greeted with warm smiles and friendliness. Believe me, if you open your soul to Korea, it will happily do the same for you.

Seoul is the capital of South Korea, a city of the future and a place where it is good for both local residents and tourists. Europeans, including Russians, are treated differently here. Any Korean will help a lost tourist to the best of his ability and will be smiling and friendly. Respect and maximum sympathy local residents pleasantly surprises the average domestic citizen, who is not accustomed to such a reaction. True, there are difficulties in communications: for full knowledge English language The majority of the local population is not worth calculating. However, everything here makes for a wonderful holiday.

Flight

If you decide to visit South Korea, namely, the city of the future - Seoul, then first you need to decide on the date of your trip and the nuances of the flight. Whether to buy a ticket six months before the expected date of travel or a month does not matter. The low cost of a flight depends on the specific dates of departure and return. The average cost of an economy class ticket per person there and back is 35,000 rubles ($1,100). But if, for example, you extend the duration of your trip to Korea by one day before the originally intended departure and, accordingly, fly a couple of days later, then the price of the flight will drop to 25,000 rubles ($760), thereby you can save up to 300 on the flight $.

In this case, you will not be able to save on the total cost of the trip, because you will have to spend money on additional accommodation, food, etc. However, it is always better to see and visit more than with a shorter trip and spend the same amount.

Convenient search for cheap air tickets offers Skyscanner service. And yes, there are apps for iOS, Android or Windows Phone.

In my case, a round-trip ticket cost about 26,000 rubles ($800) from Emirates Airlines. Before booking a ticket on the company’s website, you can independently choose your landing location, the desired menu from a variety of dishes, etc. The flight took place on an Airbus A380 aircraft with a 3-4-3 seat configuration. Each passenger had a comfortable folding seat and his own 9-inch display for watching modern films in a variety of languages, including Russian. In addition, you can simply listen to music or play games. The flight took 17 hours with one transfer in Dubai. You shouldn’t be upset about lost time due to a transfer, because, for example, Dubai has the largest Duty Free in the world, which operates around the clock. So, save your money.

Getting around the city

Upon arrival in Seoul, you can order a taxi directly at the airport. Passenger transportation services are provided by taxi drivers with special certificates and guaranteed knowledge of English. A taxi is relatively cheap: for an hour's ride across the city we only had to pay $40.

The Seoul metro is a different story. Understanding the metro map is not easy, so it’s better to plan your route in advance in a quiet and peaceful place, rather than on the go. Although the Seoul metro is radically different from the Moscow metro for the better: there are no queues, crowds of people or similar chaos. Everything is as clear as possible, if, of course, you know your destination in advance. To get from one destination to another you have to overcome a huge number of stations and repeatedly change from one line to another, so it is often much more convenient and faster to use by land transport or even on foot.

To travel by metro you need a travel card, which must contain a certain amount of money in advance. The fare varies depending on the distance of the trip. When you enter the metro, the minimum cost of the trip is debited from the card, and if you only want to travel a short distance, no more money will be debited from your card when you exit. If you had to travel a lot, then when you exit the subway, the amount of the actual distance traveled will be additionally debited from the card in excess of the minimum travel fare, which, by the way, is 1050 won, which is equal to approximately 1 dollar (1100 won).

Accommodation

In any modern capital there is a huge selection of places to stay. Seoul is no exception. To focus on the city and your travel experience and not spend a lot of money on accommodation, I recommend choosing hostels, of which there are plenty in Seoul. On average, a night's stay in a hostel for one person will cost about $20. During our trip to Seoul, we stayed in two hostels. And in each of them there are many free places, so if for some reason you don’t like the room, you can move right on the spot to a completely empty 4-bed room next door. The environment in hostels is always more than comfortable: everywhere is clean and tidy, there is free Wi-Fi or even desktop computers for guests. There are no surprises in this regard.

In the next part I will talk about interesting places Seoul.