Where to Stay in Seoul: Choosing a Neighborhood

For a first trip, stay in Myeongdong or near Seoul Station. That puts you north of the river, near the palaces and the main shopping streets, on the AREX train or an airport limousine bus with no change. If you are going out at night, stay in Hongdae, which is on both the AREX all-stop train and Line 2. Insadong and Jongno are for palaces and old Seoul. Gangnam suits a trip built around the south side of the river. Seongsu is for cafés and design shops, Itaewon for international food and bars, and Dongdaemun for shopping late. Whichever area you pick, the station matters more than the district. Book within a short walk of a station on two or more lines, or of one that a limousine route from the airport stops at.

Fares, journey times and where each bus leaves from are in Incheon Airport to Seoul.

Where should I stay on a first trip to Seoul?

Stay in Myeongdong or around Seoul Station. Myeongdong is one of the city’s main shopping districts, with two main streets, one starting from Myeongdong Station on Line 4 and the other from Lotte Department Store on Euljiro (Euljiro 1-ga Station, Line 2). Line 2 alone runs to Gangnam, Hongik Univ., Seongsu and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park without a change.

From the airport, Airport Limousine’s 6001 and 6015 stop in Myeong-dong, and the 6701 runs via City Hall and Gwanghwamun. The AREX ends at Seoul Station, where the airport’s route map lists the KTX, Lines 1 and 4 and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line. Staying near Seoul Station makes sense if you plan a KTX day trip to Busan or an early train. The streets, exits and evening food stalls are covered in the Myeongdong guide.

Where should I stay in Seoul for nightlife?

Stay in Hongdae, the area around Hongik University, known for indie music, busking and crowds from the moment you leave Hongik University Station on Line 2. It is also the easiest nightlife area to reach from the airport: the AREX all-stop train reaches Hongik Univ. 58 minutes after leaving Terminal 2, and the station is also on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line. Airport Limousine’s 6002 runs to Hongdae by day, and from about midnight the airport night bus N6002 stops in Hongdae on its way to Dongdaemun.

Itaewon is the other choice: among foreigners it is often called the most popular area for bars and clubs after Hongdae, with pubs, wine bars and clubs. It is on Line 6 only (Itaewon and Noksapyeong stations), so from the airport take the AREX all-stop to Gongdeok and change to Line 6 there.

The subway runs from about 5:30 a.m. until midnight. If you stay out later than that, staying in the area where you go out saves you a taxi home.

Where should I stay for palaces and traditional Seoul?

Stay in Insadong or elsewhere in Jongno. Insadong is a 700-metre street of Korean handicrafts, traditional tea and temple food, and the nearest stations are Anguk on Line 3 (exit 6), Jongno 3-ga on Lines 1, 3 and 5 (exit 5) and Jonggak on Line 1 (exit 11). Jongno-gu is also where you find hanok homestays, where you stay with a family in a traditional Korean house.

If your hanok stay is inside Bukchon’s Red Zone, you may go in and out after 5 p.m. with your booking confirmation, but not sightsee there; the rules are in Bukchon’s visiting hours.

Is Gangnam a good area to stay in Seoul?

Yes, if most of your plans are south of the Han River. Gangnam Station is on Line 2 and the Sinbundang Line, and the area is a hub of fashion, beauty shops and offices, with an underground shopping centre beneath Gangnam-daero. From the airport, Seoul Airport Limousine’s 6009 and 6020 stop at Gangnam Station, the 6703 runs to Gangnam and COEX, and the night bus N6000 runs to Gangnam Express Bus Terminal after midnight.

The drawback for a first trip is distance. The palaces, Insadong, Myeongdong and Hongdae are all north of the river, so most sightseeing days start with a longer subway ride. Line 2 links Gangnam Station to Euljiro 1-ga (for Myeongdong) and Hongik Univ. directly.

Is Seongsu a good place to stay?

Seongsu suits a trip built around cafés, flagship stores and design. Once a district of factories and small workshops, Seongsu now sets its brick warehouses and former shoe workshops beside cafés, concept stores, beauty experiences and galleries. Seongsu Station is on Line 2, and Seoul Forest Station on the Suin-Bundang Line serves the park side of the neighborhood.

Seongsu has no AREX station. From the airport, Airport Limousine’s 6013 runs via Konkuk Univ. Station to Seongsu; by train, take the AREX to Hongik Univ. and change to Line 2, which runs through to Seongsu without another change.

Is Itaewon a good base for international food or halal food?

Yes. Itaewon has restaurants from all over the world, the Seoul Central Mosque and a number of halal food stores, and shops selling clothes in sizes that are hard to find elsewhere in Korea. How to find halal restaurants anywhere in the city is in Halal food in Seoul. Being on Line 6 alone makes it slower for the rest of the city. Most trips to Myeongdong, Gangnam or the palaces need one change.

Is Dongdaemun a good place to stay?

Dongdaemun suits shoppers and anyone who keeps late hours. Visit Seoul counts 26 shopping malls and about 30,000 specialty shops around Dongdaemun Gate, and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station is on Lines 2, 4 and 5, three lines in one station. Airport Limousine’s 6001 and 6002 and the 6702 stop at Dongdaemun, and two night buses, N6002 and N6701 (to Dongdaemun Design Plaza), run from about midnight. Which malls stay open until when is in Dongdaemun shopping hours.

What should I check about a hotel’s location before booking?

Check three things on the map before you book:

• The walk to the station. Look up the nearest station and exit number, then the walking distance from that exit. “Near Gangnam” can mean a long walk from Gangnam Station.
• The lines at that station. A station on two or more lines (Seoul Station, Jongno 3-ga, Dongdaemun History & Culture Park, Hongik Univ.) cuts the changes you make every day. How to read line colours and station numbers is in the subway guide.
• The airport stop. If you are arriving with large bags, a hotel near an AREX station or a limousine stop saves you carrying luggage through subway changes. Seoul Metro’s T-Luggage service delivers bags between subway stations and the airport on the same day, with staffed counters at Seoul Station (between exits 1 and 2), Hongik University Station (the AREX connecting passage) and Myeongdong Station (inside exits 1, 9 and 10).

Check walking times in Naver Map, which gives walking routes in Korea where Google Maps falls short.

Steve OH edits Seoulpin. Steve runs Standardpin, a Seoul-based web studio that also builds websites for clinics; that work has no effect on whether or how any clinic appears here. Articles are drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed and reviewed by Steve before publishing. How we work