Seoul Metropolitan Subway: clean, punctual, and scary
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008Subways in Korea.
The Seoul Metropolitan Subway is a thing of beauty. It’s quick, efficient, and cheap. The subway itself also divided into three separate but similar entities: Seoul Metro, Korail, and SMRT (Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit corporation). Where have I heard of SMRT before?
Our diligent 현우 has posted a nice introduction to to Seoul’s subways in this forum post. Note the loudspeaker - each stop is announced in both English and Korean. It is very foreigner friendly in that regard. The air conditioning doesn’t hurt, either 
1000 원 buys you up to 6 miles worth of track and 100 원 for every additional 3 miles. Not bad. Actually that’s more than not bad - that’s a great deal. Remember the post about the size of Korea? We’re not talking more than a little more than 230 square miles for the whole city with the majority of stops located nearby each other. So we’re talking a cheap ride no doubt. Buy a 10 dollar card and call it a day.
The card that I am referring to is non other than the T money card. These nifty little guys really make you feel like you’re paying for your subway ticket electronically…wait…well that’s exactly what they do. Okay so their novelty wears off quick. But not for me. In my case, I almost was so excited by the convenience of them that I was tempted to swipe them twice.
Hey what do you want from me? Texas has a lot of limestone so it’s not like they’re going to build any subways in the Lone Star State anytime soon so just let me swipe my card twice in peace.
Oh and T Money almost begs to be scanned twice - Seoul Metro gives you a 100원 discount if you use the card instead of a paper ticket. I especially like the T Money card’s tap n’ go way of paying. Just tap your wallet or purse on the magnetic reader located on thew top of the turnstile machine, wait for the beep, read your remaining balance, and you’re goo to go. Except I always end up losing my card or have another card already in my wallet that interferes with the subway card in the first place. But that’s just me.
Speaking of which, there are ticket booths available for paper ticket purchases, card refills, and for general directions. Not that you’ll need them - all signs are in English and Korean. But fear not - you will find Seoulites sometimes even checking the subway map prior to swiping their card. I also like how the ticket booth guys will let elderly people and those who are down on their luck through a special entrance gate for no charge from time to time (like a rain-soaked, broke American who slaughters Korean pronunciation and who also just happen to have left his T Money card on the bench at the last stop where he got lost and frustrated but not frustrated enough to not buy two rolls of 김밥 and then wonder how much it would cost to buy some fruit from that lady but he couldn’t remember the word for the specific type of fruit she was selling so he just asked 과자 얼마예요? but then later realized that 과일 is fruit and 과자 is cookie so then he felt kind of validated when the vendor giggled at him).
But unfortunately, it’s not all bells and whistles for the operators of the trains. Several news articles and TV specials will make you wonder why don’t they raise the fee so as to support these hard-working employees.
As far as being punctual, I don’t have any numbers to support this claim but here goes anyway: Seoul’s subway is the best subway in the whole universe and way better than anyone else’s subway. Bam.
Now as far as the scary aspect - let me explain. Drinking and driving isn’t as big of a concern in Korea compared to America. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that Korea has safer streets - because they don’t. But as far as traveling to and from the bar, the majority of people use public transportation be it bus, taxi, or subway. So, the scary aspect isn’t the same as someone stalking you - it’s more like a creepy drunk person within arms length of you. I mean, drunk people got to get home somehow, you know?
Although it can get cramped as all get out, there are several times when it’s also creepily empty at times. Either way, all things considered, it is clean and quite useful. Foreigners need not fear the subway - it’s well-lit, heavily used, and moderately well-maintained with minimal breakdowns.
Now, subway social culture - who should stand and who should sit - that’s a whole nother can of worms.
Thoughts?
Posted by Matthew in Travels in Korea, How Koreans Do It |
November 18th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Entertaining post. I’m definitely looking forward to using the subway when I get to Seoul.
November 18th, 2008 at 5:59 am
There’s subway in the city I live. When a Korean girl that we got to know studied here, she was really surprised at the low standard of our subway. Up until about two years ago, most trains were made in the 1960s, but now they’ve finally upgraded most of them. She was also surprised that, outside the rush hours, there’s usually no problem finding a seat. XD The transportation system in Korea far surpasses ours. ^^
November 18th, 2008 at 6:19 am
When my husband and I went to Korea last summer we enjoyed it very much. I was so impressed with the subway system, it made it so easy to get around and explore. I’ve used the N.Y.C. subway and what a difference! I felt so much safer using the Korean one! This entry brings back fond memories.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:29 am
I thought by scary… you were going to mention pushy 아주마’s. haha. Great post Matt! Korea’s subway is great. Just wish there were express trains!
November 18th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
ㅎㅎ yeah Keith, pushy 아주마’s are everyone - that’s a blog entry itself - scary enough for a Halloween costume…
But, I think I’m the only one who thinks it’s kind of cute when an older woman pushes me. Kind of hard to explain but when it happens I seem to have this cheesy grin on my face.
Now, an older man? not so cute.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
I believe the fare for elderly and disabled is always free (white ticket).
November 19th, 2008 at 3:12 am
whenever i see pictures or hear stories about the subway in seoul, i am very jealous. the subway here in nyc is ridiculous.. very very dirty, unorganized, and never running properly (or on time).. i’m used to it now, so i don’t mind it too much.. but even the tube in london is nicer than the subway here (and they also have a card similar to the t-money cards called “oyster”).
i can hardly wait to check out the subway in korea (:
November 19th, 2008 at 6:00 am
the busan tube is the best. korean, japanese and chinese announcements!
November 19th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I miss Seoul subway!
I always take a subway >_
November 20th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I wanted to paste a picture of the Singapore subway (we call it the MRT) but couldn’t do it. Anyway it looks very much like the Seoul one. And we have our equivalent of T-money which works in exactly the same way. There are even people who don’t bother to take their wallets out and instead lug the whole bag up to the reader to be scanned - which always makes me laugh. I think maybe Singapore studied the Seoul system and implemented it here :
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November 20th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I ride the subway several times per week here in DC, and I’ve got to say that I prefer the one in Seoul. The seats in the DC Metro are arranged perpendicular to the train in sets of two on either side of the car, with a narrow aisle in between. It makes for a lot of wasted space, and should you get a seat your knees will be jammed up against the back of the seat in front of you because the rows are close together. The Seoul subway has wide open spaces so that people can pack onto the train at rush hour. Even should the car be packed to capacity, Seoulites are free to walk through the door on either side to the next car to even out the pressure. This is verboten on the DC Metro, as only emergency personnel are allowed to pass from one car to another, so you often have crowded cars in the middle of the train with plenty of empty seats just in the next car. It all seems very inefficient to me…
November 21st, 2008 at 6:14 am
Great post! I admit you had me at the “turn of phrase” title, and then you sealed the deal with the “I am so smart! S-M-R-T” reference.
There’s so much one can talk about with regards to the Seoul subway, such that it can fit under any of the three adjectives. I think something “scary” that happens every now and then is on a packed train, suddenly some older guy will start prosletyzing in Korea: basically, a long speech that I mostly couldn’t understand, but something about how friends will leave you and betray you, and only God’s word is enduring. He talked for about five minutes, and then abruptly stopped. After scanning the non-plussed faces around me, I couldn’t be sure if it had actually happened or not.
Like Jeff, I was also pleasantly surprised when I discovered that moving between train cars is allowed, and even encouraged if it can take the pressure off a car. In Toronto, moving between train cars is strictly verboten.
November 21st, 2008 at 10:53 am
David does have a point - but I felt that even though the 부산 subway system was even more clean than Seoul system, the tracks were inconveniently shaped. It seemed I had to transfer a few times in lieu of traveling as the crow flies. Maybe that was just my experience and in all fairness, it was only for a few days.
Jeff - I had never thought of seat direction before but you are totally right. Isn’t there another American subway that faces the same direction? Detroit? Chicago? Also, I had never thought that moving between cars would even be considered taboo. Anyone know why moving between cars would be considered a no-no?
Daniel - hey that’s how I roll. BTW, you painted an all-too-familiar scene - especially the five minute monologue! Classic!
November 21st, 2008 at 3:42 pm
yeah, why should moving between cars be forbidden? Sounds totally nonsensical to me… In our Singapore subway, there aren’t even doors between cars, so you can move freely.
November 21st, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Moving between the cars–
It’s not only efficient, but it can allow you to easily escape to another car from a pack of obnoxious middle schoolers, or that scary public orator. To the hyper security conscious Metro Transit Police, this ability to easily move from one car to another is not desirable, as it would prevent them from easily isolating and containing any riders that are breaking the law. It’s also a matter of design. The passageway between cars on the DC Metro is mostly open to the air, so you could fall off and get run over by the train if you weren’t careful. Our subway cars are manufactured in Italy, so maybe you can’t walk between cars in Rome either.
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:16 am
Yeah, the Seoul subway cars are designed like traditional trains– and in fact, many of the lines that run underground through Seoul (most notably the light blue one, #5) also run above ground in the countryside, and are effectively “traditional trains.” So, like in a regular train where you can change cars to go to the dining car or what-have-you, you can do the same on a Seoul subway car.
I don’t know where Toronto’s subway trains are manufactured, but like the DC Metro, the passageway between cars is open air, and therefore dangerous if one isn’t careful. In fact, up until recently subway operators were allowed to move between cars while in motion, but nowadays not even they are allowed to move between cars– unless there’s an emergency, of course.
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I was in Seoul 4 weeks ago. When I met one of my uncles he asked me what I liked the best about the city. My immediate answer was the subway system! Cheap and it goes practically anywhere I want to go. I only wish that I had one of those T-money cards to make it easier. Although I have to admit, I thought it was fun how the gate sucked up my little paper ticket and spit it out the other side.
Where do you get those T-money cards anyway? I don’t think they sell them at the ticket counter.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:36 am
You can get a T-Money card at most convenience stores. Many stations have some sort of convenience store in them, so you can buy one there. My card cost me 2500 Won.
November 28th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I hate to take the MRT (Singaporean-style for subway) anyway. It’s always so crowded and honestly, you don’t really have to worry about falling down because you won’t even have the space to. Haha.
I’d rather take buses and switch buses if necessary than to take the train.
November 28th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I was stationed at Cp Walker in daegu about a year ago and had to go to Camp Jackson which is in Uijongbu about once every few months. I learned which subway car went out there and after that I never took a taxi or bus in Seoul again! I loved the subway, especially the guy that sold suction cups for holding umbrellas. He would stick one to the glass on the door then hang his box on it while giing his sales pitch!
May 18th, 2009 at 3:43 am
I live in Toronto. Toronto has a very slow and expensive subway system. It usually delayed by a signal problem,…… I never had a that kind of problem in Seoul before, but it’s a monthly events in Toronto. I miss the subway system in Seoul.