点评:I came into Korea knowing that the Seoul Metro was ranked among the best in the world, so I was thrilled to finally get the chance to try it out…but when comparing it to all the other metros I’ve taken, including in Taipei on the same trip, it’s not actually in my top three favorites.
There’s no question: The subway cars are spotless, the network is vast and reliable, and the fares are quite affordable for such a large city. However, I expected better when it came to wheelchair accessibility and methods for payment. Almost every station is wheelchair accessible, but at Seoul Central Station of all places, it was a nightmare finding the correct elevator for my desired metro line. Construction, low-ceilinged hallways, conflicting directions from staff, poor signage…not user friendly, whether in a wheelchair or not. Now perhaps, perhaps, I simply found myself in a less developed part of the station or came at a bad time…but not a great first impression. I also found Anguk station difficult to navigate.
Similar to Tokyo, cash is the only real way to pay for the Seoul Metro. I indeed knew this before coming, but I guess I didn’t fully comprehend the lengths I’d need to go to get a transit card, select the correct line and fare amount, troubleshoot the technical issues at a few of the ticket machines, and wait for everything to transact. It was honestly a long and daunting process. Not what I anticipated in Seoul.
And in comparison to the Taipei Metro, probably my favorite system so far, hallways and platforms there (those I saw) felt slightly more contemporary and inviting than in Seoul (those I saw). Not a huuuge difference, but enough to note it in my review.
All that said, the Seoul Metro is still a necessity when visiting the city and will get you places reliably and affordably. Certainly recommend instead of paying for taxis!
翻译:我来到韩国时就知道首尔地铁是世界上最好的地铁之一,所以我很高兴终于有机会试乘它了……但与我乘坐过的其他地铁相比,包括同一次旅行中乘坐过的台北地铁,它实际上并不在我最喜欢的前三名之列。
毫无疑问:地铁车厢一尘不染,网络庞大可靠,票价对于这么大的城市来说相当实惠。然而,在轮椅无障碍设施和付款方式方面,我期望更好。几乎每个车站都有轮椅无障碍设施,但在首尔中央站,找到我想要乘坐的地铁线路的正确电梯简直是一场噩梦。施工、低矮的走廊、工作人员的指示不一致、标识不清晰……无论是否坐轮椅,都不方便用户使用。现在,也许,也许,我只是发现自己在车站不太发达的地方,或者来的不是时候……但第一印象并不好。我也发现安国站很难导航。
与东京类似,现金是支付首尔地铁费用的唯一真正方式。我来之前确实知道这一点,但我想我没有完全理解我需要花多大功夫才能拿到交通卡,选择正确的线路和票价,解决几台售票机上的技术问题,并等待一切处理完毕。老实说,这是一个漫长而艰巨的过程。不是我在首尔所期待的。
与台北地铁相比,台北地铁可能是我目前最喜欢的系统,那里的走廊和平台(我看到的)感觉比首尔的(我看到的)更现代、更吸引人。差别不大,但足以在我的评论中指出。
尽管如此,首尔地铁仍然是游览这座城市的必需品,可以可靠且经济地将您送到目的地。绝对推荐它,而不是支付出租车费用!