Seoul Station guide

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

Seoul Station is South Korea's busiest rail hub, and it does three jobs at once: it's the terminus for KTX and SRT high-speed trains from across the country, the in-town endpoint of the AREX airport line, and a major subway interchange. The layers stack vertically rather than sprawling sideways, so once you know which floor you need, it's a fast and logical station to move through. Here's how it fits together.

Layout: three levels, one building

Seoul Station is built as a single modern complex above and around the older, preserved 1925 station building (now a cultural space rather than a working terminal). The concourse level at street level holds ticket offices, shops and the main entrances. KTX and general intercity trains depart from platforms below the concourse, reached by escalators and clearly signed in English and Korean. The AREX airport line and subway lines 1 and 4 run on separate lower levels again, deeper underground, connected to the main concourse by dedicated corridors. Because everything sits under one roof, transfers between KTX, the subway and the airport line are all walkable without going back outside — genuinely one of the more convenient big-city interchanges anywhere in Asia.

KTX and SRT departures

Seoul Station is the main northern terminus for KTX, Korea's high-speed network, with frequent departures south to Busan, Daejeon, Daegu and beyond, and connections that fan out across most of the country from there. A separate high-speed operator, SRT, runs some of the same routes but from a different Seoul terminal (SRT Suseo Station, well south of the centre), so it's worth checking which station your ticket actually names rather than assuming SRT and KTX share a platform — they don't. KTX seats are reserved, and while standing tickets are sold once trains are full, turning up without a reservation on a popular departure, especially around Korean holidays like Chuseok and Lunar New Year, is a real risk. Our Korea's KTX guide covers booking, classes and how the network fits together, our wider South Korea by train guide puts Seoul Station's role in the national network in context, and if you're heading onward, our Seoul to Busan route guide compares KTX against flying and the coach. If your trip continues by sea from Busan, our ferries in South Korea guide covers island and international crossings.

AREX: the airport link, express or all-stop

Seoul Station is also the city terminus of AREX, the Airport Railroad Express to Incheon International Airport, and it runs two distinct services worth telling apart. The express train runs non-stop between Seoul Station and the airport, is noticeably quicker, and includes reserved seating and extra luggage space, aimed squarely at travellers with bags and flights to catch. The all-stop train calls at intermediate stations including Gimpo Airport and several central Seoul stops, takes longer, but costs a good deal less and runs like an ordinary metro line rather than an airport shuttle — a T-money card works for it just like any subway journey, whereas the express train is bought as a separate ticket. Which one to choose comes down to how much you value the extra speed and guaranteed seating against the lower fare of the all-stop service.

T-money and the subway

South Korea's contactless transport card, T-money, is the easiest way to move around Seoul once you're off the high-speed network: it works on buses, the subway and the AREX all-stop train, and is sold and topped up at convenience stores and station machines throughout the city. Seoul Station itself sits on subway Line 1 (the dark-blue line, running the length of the city and beyond) and Line 4 (light blue), making it a genuine interchange rather than a single-line stop — useful if your hotel is elsewhere in the city and you need to continue by subway rather than taxi. Our T-money card guide covers buying, topping up and using it across Korea's transport network.

Luggage storage

Coin lockers are available at several points around the station, including near the KTX platforms and the AREX concourse, and are generally straightforward to use with cash or a card. If lockers are full or your bags are oversized, the shopping complex attached to the station (see below) also offers short-term luggage storage, which can be a useful backup, particularly if you're spending a few hours in Seoul between a KTX arrival and a flight, or vice versa.

Lotte Mart and shopping before your train

Directly connected to the station is a large retail complex, including a branch of Lotte Mart, useful for last-minute souvenirs, snacks for a KTX journey, or picking up essentials without leaving the building. It's a genuinely practical stop if you're catching a train soon and want travel food that's better than a station kiosk sandwich, and it's one of the more convenient places in Seoul to buy Korean specialities to take home, without needing a separate trip into the city.

Changing trains here

Moving between KTX and the subway is a short, well-signed walk within the same building, and rarely takes more than a few minutes even accounting for escalators and ticket gates. The connection that needs more care is KTX to AREX (or vice versa) if you're combining a long-distance train with a flight: budget real time for the walk between concourses plus check-in or ticket queues, and don't assume the "one building" convenience means a two-minute dash is realistic with luggage during busy periods. If you're arriving in Korea and this is your first stop, our guide to South Korea's K-ETA covers the entry requirements worth sorting out before you fly.

Frequently asked questions

Is Seoul Station the same station for KTX and SRT trains?

No. KTX departs from Seoul Station in the city centre, while SRT — a separate high-speed operator running some of the same routes — uses SRT Suseo Station further south. Check which one your ticket names.

What's the difference between the AREX express and all-stop trains?

The express train runs non-stop between Seoul Station and Incheon Airport with reserved seating and extra luggage space, and is faster. The all-stop train calls at several stations including Gimpo Airport, takes longer, but is cheaper and accepts T-money like an ordinary subway ride.

Which subway lines connect at Seoul Station?

Line 1 and Line 4 both stop at Seoul Station, making it a genuine subway interchange as well as the KTX and AREX terminus.

Where can I store luggage at Seoul Station?

Coin lockers are available near the KTX platforms and AREX concourse, and the attached shopping complex also offers short-term luggage storage as a backup option.