My First Time To Seoul Station on the Korean Subway

Today I would like to share my first subway trip in Korea which is also the first time I ever went to Seoul Station and in matter of fact Seoul alone.

Getting to the Subway Station (Geumchon Station)

At the time time I was living in a small apartment in Geumchon which is a district in Paju. I had been living in Korea for about two weeks at this point and had explored Geumchon and was ready for a new adventure. It was mid-September so I could get by with just a t-shirt and shorts. I had decided to go to Seoul and was going to take the subway. I had searched the internet about Geumchon Station and the path to the station from my apartment. I had no cellphone or wifi outside of my apartment, they only piece of technology I had was a brand new tablet so I screen captured the maps and set out on my journey. I lived on the fourth floor in my apartment building which had an elevator but I never used it as the stairs were faster and I wouldn't have to wait for the elevator to reach my floor.

Geumchon in September 2013 was not like Geumchon today there were no western fast food places or any thing that resembled my home in Canada. The main attraction in Geumchon at this point were maybe PC bangs and small coffee shops both of which had ups and downs. Outside of my apartment were just residential buildings with bars and convenience stores on the first level followed by apartments on the floors above.

I exited my apartment and turned north and walked half a block north and crossed a major road. The road lead to Geumchon rotary which was like Geumchon's downtown but after I crossed the road I walked in the opposite way which was the way to the subway station. The buildings along the road were small businesses and there was a playschool too along the road. The view walking down the road was actually quite beautiful a mountain could be seen in the distance and the side walk had some inclines and declines that had some unique Korean engineering designs. I walked down the road until I reached a cross road at which point I followed the side walk right around the street. At this point the subway station wasn't quite visible yet but after a few more minutes walking down the sidewalk I could see the big electronic billboard advertising the newest electronics and other Korean products.

Geumchon station is an above ground subway station. It is a marvelous site to see as it looks like a giant tube above the Korean countryside. The entrance to the station is on ground level and it is covered in widows and multiple doors that all lead to the lower area. At the time on escalator was broken and only a small clothing store was in the lower level of the station.

Before I entered the subway station I grabbed a coffee and donut from a famous chain across from Geumchon Station and after I finished my breakfast I waited at the intersection and proceeded to the station when it was safe. I walked up to the glass doors and entered the station.

Geumchon Station to Seoul Station 

I as I entered the station I noticed that the downward escalator was broken but at this time it didn't matter. I rode the upward escalator to the second level of the station. Everything was new and exciting it was the first time I was in a subway station in my life. where I am from there are no subway stations and the bus stations are totally different then Korean style stations. I took it all in a young twenty three year old about to go on the subway and ride to one of the biggest cities in the world alone with almost no knowledge of the local language. To be honest I was a little scared but my adventurous nature came through and I walked through the station taking it in. The station was almost bare on the inside just a small Korean convenience store on the side with bathrooms and the ticket terminal. 

I walked up to the terminal and  tried to look up my destination Seoul Station. Lucky for me there was a button that allowed for the terminal to change to English. After I found Seoul station I tried to get my ticket but I couldn't and at this time I pushed the button for assistance. A young Korean man who seemed to be younger than me asked me in English where I was going and he entered the information and took my money and deposited it into the machine and gave me my single subway pass card. I walked to the subway gate that was for Seoul Station and the gates opened when I pressed my single ticket card against the reader. After the gate I turned left and seen again two escalators both working. I took the upward escalator to the next level.

This was where the subway tracks were. There were two sets of tracks but one set of tracks had a line of chain link over each entrance. The tracks were about about six feet lower than the platform that stretched the length of the train. The subway platform also had two sets of yellow lines with raised points. There were signs that said stay behind the yellow line and wait for the train to stop before going closer. I walked down the platform passing some Korean snack machines and small instant coffee machines. As I walked down the platform I seen a bench and sat down alone on the bench. It was a sunny day and there were electronic signs that said where the train was and how long the train was. I studied the entrance to the train carts. There was openings where I assumed the trains entrances were and the rest of the platform was blocked off by a fence with horizontal steel poles.

Waiting on the bench seemed exciting to me as I was going on the biggest adventure in Korea so far. The warm morning sun shown down on me in the open roof area while I waited for the train to arrive. Other people came to the platform and all of a sudden I heard a jingle that lasted for five seconds and said the train bound for Gongdeok is approaching. Everyone lined up to the designated areas and waited for the train to arrive. I was confused but stood up and waited for the train to arrive. The train arrived and it was fairly long and looked almost empty. The doors opened and I entered the subway.

The train car had about five people in it and I sat near the door and had the whole bench to myself. The subway doors closed and it started to move. My excitement and adrenaline was starting to reach an all time high. Everything was new the air conditioner was on and the subway car was nice and cool. I watched the buildings in Geumchon go by and actually could almost see my apartment from the subway car. The train rolled on to the next stop Geumneung and the doors opened and more people entered the train but it was still fairly empty. The train had a lcd screen over the door and I watched it as changed through its programmed slides. The train was for Gongdeok but I was going to Seoul station. I kept looking out the window and watched the small Korean farms and mountains appear and disappear.

I had been on the subway for about ten minutes when I reached the station Unjeong which was still awhile from my destination but I noticed a big lake park outside of this station and decided to explore it later. As the train moved on I seen familiar fast food restaurants and western stores. Geumchon was small and didn't have these but I now knew that adventures would await as I discover new areas of Korea and gain confidence to ride buses and taxis. After awhile I reached Daegok which had a transfer to Ogeum or Daewha. At this point I decided that I would get off at the next station and wait for the train to Seoul Station to arrive at that station. The stations name was Neunggok.

I got off the train at Neunggok and sat on a bench and waited for a train to arrive. The station seemed smaller than Geumchon and the tracks were not protected by any fences or guards. Only the yellow line separated the subway train from the passengers. The scenery here was beautiful though the way I was facing was unblocked and I could see mountains and farms in the distance. While the area behind me was city and small skyscrapers. The area behind me looked to be older and seemed to have character and a authentic feel of the past. It was a nice countryside village. After waiting awhile here people again started to come. I asked a lady if the train for Seoul Station comes here and she said yes.

I sat and waited until I heard the jingle again but this time it said the train for Seoul Station is arriving. I waited for the train to stop and I entered the train. At this point the train car was about half full and I sat on the bench beside a steel bar. I continued to watch the Korean countryside and small villages in between. After sometime had passed I noticed the countryside completely disappeared and taller and taller skyscrapers were appearing. I was now in Seoul and the train car at this point was full and people were standing. As each station passed the subway started to go underground for awhile then reemerge above ground.

Finally when the train was above ground a new jingle started to play and a voice in Korean came on the intercom once it was finished a English voice came on and said this is Seoul Station the last station please take all your belongings and exit the train. I waited for the train to enter the station and then I stood up. Most of the people had already left the car when I made it to the exit. I was at Seoul Station at last. There were numerous tracks but the subway arrived on the last track. The walk to the gate was short and I seen a familiar gate terminal. I pushed my card against the terminal reader and went through the gates.

I was in Seoul......