When international airports see as many as 130,000 travelers per day, it might be wise to go through the departure formalities at Seoul Station and take the express train to the airport.

Seoul Station, which hosts a city air terminal and the airport railroad, offers faster and easier access to Incheon International Airport for those who wish to travel abroad during peak seasons, according to the Incheon Airport Railroad Express.

“Since the third week of July up to the August peak season, the average number of passengers using the nonstop express train from Seoul Station to Incheon Airport reached 2,536 per day, up 29.9 percent from the previous month,” said an AREX official.

“The number of people checking in at city air terminals, too, rose by 41.1 percent during the same period.”

Passengers were able to save considerable time at Incheon Airport, which has seen a soaring number of departures this summer.

The airport’s parking facilities may currently accommodate 12,950 cars but the lots are full almost all year round, according to officials of the Incheon International Airport Corporation.

“With the growing number of passengers missing their flight due to the congestion, we recommended that people use public transportation such as the airport railroad,” the official said.

Also, the average check-in time at the Seoul Station city air terminal was 10-20 minutes, shorter than that of the airport.

Major local airline companies such as Korean Air, Asiana Airline, and Jeju Air are currently operating check-in desks and the Justice Ministry’s immigration office is also available.

“Those who have completed all procedures before taking the nonstop train to the airport may walk straight into the exclusive exit doors for flight attendants or for diplomats, which would save them much time,” the official said.

Another advantage of Seoul Station is that it may act as a connecting point for those who come to Seoul by KTX and then transfer to the airport railway to catch an international flight, the official added.

“Seoul Station is growing popular among travelers as a pre-flight transfer and as an advanced check-in spot,” the official said.

Aiming to promote the city terminal check-in system, airlines are offering benefits such as an extra ticket for the nonstop railroad express train or coupons for extra luggage.

Also, the exchange booth at the station offers the lowest exchange rate in the country, the official added.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)