Incheon to Gimpo

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated October 2026 · 5 min read

Incheon (ICN) and Gimpo (GMP) are Seoul's two airports, and unlike many multi-airport cities, transferring between them is genuinely easy: a fast expressway, a shared rail line and frequent buses all cover the relatively short distance well. The main thing to get right is which train service to take — only one of them actually calls at both airports.

The AREX all-stop train: the only direct rail link

Incheon and Gimpo sit on the same AREX (Airport Railroad Express) line, operated by Korail, but AREX actually runs two different services on the same tracks, and only one of them is useful for this journey. The nonstop Express runs directly from Incheon to Seoul Station and skips every intermediate stop, including Gimpo. The All-Stop service calls at every station along the route — Gimpo International Airport among them — making it the only train that connects the two airports directly.

Journey time on the All-Stop service between Incheon and Gimpo is around 30–45 minutes, depending on which Incheon terminal you start from (Terminal 2 adds a few minutes over Terminal 1). Trains run frequently through the day, tickets are inexpensive and bought at station machines that accept foreign cards, and no reservation is needed. If your onward flight is from Gimpo, double-check the platform display or ask staff to confirm you are boarding an All-Stop service and not the Express, since both use the same station on parts of the route.

Limousine bus between the airports

Several operators run airport limousine coaches directly between Incheon and Gimpo, departing from bays outside the arrivals halls at both airports. These buses use the Incheon International Airport Expressway, a fast dedicated road, and cover the distance in around 30–40 minutes in normal traffic, with departures roughly every 15–30 minutes throughout the day. Fares are modest — a little more than the AREX but still low by international standards — and the bus is a comfortable option if you would rather not carry luggage through a train interchange.

Taxi: quick but not necessarily faster

A taxi covers the same expressway route in around 40 minutes under normal conditions — broadly comparable to the bus and train, since all three use fast, direct roads or rail rather than crawling through central Seoul. The advantage of a taxi is going door to door without waiting for a scheduled departure; the trade-off, as with any taxi, is a higher fare than either public option. Regular metered taxis and English-speaking "deluxe" taxis are both readily available at the ranks outside arrivals at each airport.

Why Gimpo matters for this route

Gimpo mainly handles domestic flights to destinations such as Busan and Jeju, along with a handful of short-haul international routes to nearby cities including Tokyo Haneda, Osaka, Beijing and Shanghai. That mix means a lot of travellers using this transfer are connecting from a long-haul international arrival at Incheon onto a short regional hop from Gimpo, rather than starting or ending their trip in Seoul itself — which is exactly the situation where getting the timing right matters most.

How long to allow for the connection

This is one of the more reliable airport-to-airport transfers covered on this site — short distance, a dedicated expressway, and a direct train that actually stops at both ends. Even so, build in a proper margin:

• AREX All-Stop train: allow the 30–45 minute journey plus time to confirm you are on the right service and to find the platform, especially if you are arriving at Terminal 2.
• Limousine bus or taxi: allow 40–60 minutes to cover the expressway journey plus boarding time, a little more during Seoul's rush hours.

If you are arriving internationally at Incheon and continuing to a domestic or short-haul flight from Gimpo, add time for immigration and baggage reclaim before you even start the transfer — on a first visit this step alone often takes longer than the transfer between the two airports.

If your flights are on separate tickets

Incheon and Gimpo are run independently, so a same-day switch between them on two separately booked tickets is a self-transfer rather than a single connecting itinerary — no airline is obliged to rebook you if the first flight runs late. The transfer itself is short and reliable by the standards of this kind of journey, which makes a same-day plan more realistic here than at many other two-airport cities, but it is still worth reading our guide to self-transfer flights and the risks involved and checking minimum connection times explained before you commit to a tight gap. If you are combining this with a wider regional trip, our East Asia entry requirements guide covers what to check before you travel.

Which should you choose?

The AREX All-Stop train is the sensible default for most travellers: cheap, frequent, and immune to road traffic. Take the limousine bus if you would rather avoid a train interchange with heavy luggage, and a taxi if you are travelling as a group, arriving late at night, or simply want to go straight from one arrivals hall to the other without waiting for a scheduled departure. For getting into central Seoul rather than between the airports, see our Incheon Airport to Seoul guide, and if your onward journey continues by rail, our Seoul Station guide covers platforms, connections and luggage storage.

Frequently asked questions

Which AREX train stops at both Incheon and Gimpo airports?

Only the All-Stop service. The nonstop Express train runs directly from Incheon to Seoul Station and skips every intermediate station, including Gimpo, so you must board an All-Stop service for this journey.

How long does the transfer between Incheon and Gimpo take?

Around 30–45 minutes by the AREX All-Stop train, 30–40 minutes by limousine bus, or about 40 minutes by taxi, all using a fast, direct expressway or dedicated rail line.

Why would I need to transfer between Incheon and Gimpo?

Gimpo mainly serves domestic flights and a small number of short-haul international routes to nearby cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing and Shanghai, so travellers often connect from a long-haul arrival at Incheon onto one of these onward flights from Gimpo.

How much time should I allow if my flights are on separate tickets?

The transfer itself is short and reliable, but allow time for immigration and baggage reclaim if arriving internationally, plus a working margin — a gap of two to three hours between flights is a reasonable minimum if the two tickets are not part of one itinerary.