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Voykit pocket guide · South Korea
Gimpo
김포
Skip Gimpo as a base: it is a Seoul suburb with one royal tomb and a canal. Come only for Aegibong's North Korea view or a Goldline stop near GMP.
Gimpo sits between the Han River and the Yellow Sea, west of Seoul, and most travellers only ever see its airport. The city itself is a fast-growing suburb of new apartment blocks around Hangang New Town, with a small set of real sights: a Joseon royal tomb, a canal district at Laveniche, and the Aegibong Peace Eco Park on the North Korean border. One full day covers it; a night is only worth it if you have an early GMP flight.
- Country
- South Korea
- Local name
- 김포
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (monsoon rain, humid), Jan (cold, windy)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- KRW
- Money
- Cards work almost everywhere, including taxis, convenience stores and many market stalls; carry ₩30,000–50,000 in cash for street food, small markets and temple donations.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₩50,000–80,000 excl. bed · Mid ₩80,000–140,000 excl. bed · High ₩140,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs at airport arrivals; a passport is required, and data-only plans are cheapest.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Korea Travel Hotline (24 h, English) 1330
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 60 Hz · Round two-pin European plugs fit; US and UK plugs need an adapter, and US-only appliances need a converter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and cafés: No tip; a service charge appears only in top hotels.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Hotel porter: Not expected; ₩1,000–2,000 in luxury hotels if you want.; Private guide or driver: Not expected; ₩10,000–20,000 or a meal is a thank-you.
- Water
- Officially safe from the tap; most people drink filtered water, and restaurants serve it free. Bottles cost ₩800–1,500 at convenience stores.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in every subway station; paper goes in the toilet in new buildings, in the bin where a sign asks. Bidets are common.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ₩4,000–7,000 |
| Noodle soup or rice bowl | ₩8,000–13,000 |
| Beer: draught / convenience-store can | ₩5,000–8,000 / ₩2,500–4,000 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | ₩8,000–11,000 |
| Subway or Goldline ride | ₩1,400–2,000 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₩15,000–30,000 |
| Jangneung Royal Tomb entry | ₩1,000 (check) |
| Aegibong Peace Eco Park entry | ₩3,000 adults (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GMP · Gimpo International Airport
- On the Seoul/Gimpo border; Gimpo Goldline light rail runs from the airport station into the city. Domestic and short-haul international flights only.
- ICN · Incheon International Airport
- Main long-haul gateway; reach Gimpo via AREX to Gimpo Airport then the Goldline.
Typical fares
- GMP Airport → Gurae, Goldline
- about ₩1,500, about 20 min (check)
- Taxi Gurae → Gimpo city centre
- ₩8,000–12,000
- Goldline GMP → Yangchon, end to end
- about ₩1,800, about 30 min (check)
Get around
The Gimpo Goldline light rail links Yangchon in the west to Gimpo International Airport in the east, passing Gurae, Janggi and the Laveniche canal; it connects to Seoul Lines 5 and 9 and AREX at the airport. Local blue and green buses reach Daemyeong Port and Aegibong where the rail does not. Pay with a T-money or Cashbee card for transfer discounts. Taxis are easy near stations; use the Kakao T app as few drivers speak English.
See and do
Known for
- Aegibong Peace Eco Park and the Han River estuary
- Jangneung Royal Tomb
- Laveniche canal district
- Gimpo International Airport (GMP)
- Gimpo Geumsal rice
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Seoul | Gimpo Goldline to Gimpo Airport, then Seoul Line 5 or 9 | About 1–1.5 h |
| Incheon | Goldline to Geomdan Oryu, then Incheon Metro Line 2 | About 1–1.5 h |
| Suwon | Bus or rail via Seoul; no direct line | 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Gurae-dong and Janggi-dong (Hangang New Town)
- New apartments, cafés and the Laveniche canal; Goldline stations Gurae and Janggi. Best for a night before a GMP flight.
- Pungmu-dong
- Modernised district with malls and cafés; Goldline access and the closest Gimpo district to Seoul.
- Geolpo-dong
- City hall, stadium and main bus transfer points; practical rather than scenic.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하세요annyeonghaseyo |
| Thank you | 감사합니다gamsahamnida |
| This one, please | 이거 주세요igeo juseyo |
| How much is it? | 얼마예요?eolmayeyo |
| Can I pay by card? | 카드로 돼요?kadeuro dwaeyo |
| Where is the toilet? | 화장실이 어디예요?hwajangsiri eodiyeyo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A slight bow with a 'annyeonghaseyo'; handshake with the right hand, left hand touching the right forearm; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses with people you have just met
- Age and rank: Expect to be asked your age; it sets how people speak to you. Let the eldest sit and start first; avoid: Calling older people by their given name
- Handing things: Two hands for money, cards, gifts and drinks; avoid: Passing things with one hand to older people
- Subway: Quiet voices, bags off seats, queue at the marked lines; avoid: Priority and pink pregnancy seats, even when empty
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or a boxed gift; refuse once before accepting; avoid: Writing names in red ink — it is used for the dead
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees; bow at the main hall; avoid: Stepping on thresholds; loud talk; pointing at Buddha statues
- Numbers: Know that 4 is unlucky; buildings may show F instead of a fourth floor; avoid: Giving gifts in sets of four
- Sensitive topics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Comparing Korea with Japan or China casually; jokes about the North, the Japanese colonial era, or plastic surgery
Scams and watch-outs
- Aegibong is a border area: bring your passport, expect an access check, and check current opening rules before you go.
- Late-night taxi fares rise sharply after 22:00–23:00.
- July and August bring the heaviest rain of the year; plan indoor sights then.
- Many sights are spread out and bus-dependent; KakaoMap or Naver Map is near-essential.
Gimpo is a safe, ordinary Korean suburb; the real issues are border-area rules at Aegibong, spread-out sights and late-night taxi surcharges.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gimpo yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Aegibong Peace Eco Park and the Han River estuary
- Jangneung Royal Tomb
- Laveniche canal district
- Gimpo International Airport (GMP)
- Gimpo Geumsal rice
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Aegibong Peace Eco Park: aegibong.or.kr/Home/index
- Gimpo Cultural Foundation: www.gcf.or.kr/main/content/view.do?sn=45
- Wikivoyage: Gimpo, revision 5278678 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5278678
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/gimpo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.