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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 (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) 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)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
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.