The renovated city air terminal at Seoul Station operated by Airport Railroad. [Airport Railroad]
The renovated city air terminal at Seoul Station operated by Airport Railroad. [Airport Railroad]

Airport Railroad has completed a full overhaul of the city air terminal at Seoul Station, upgrading its facilities and operations to improve the passenger experience.

The renovation introduces a queue management system and smart baggage scales, and expands waiting areas to streamline the check-in process and create a more comfortable travel environment.

Airport Railroad announced Monday that it had finished the renovation work and begun full operations at the terminal.

The Seoul Station city air terminal allows passengers taking the Airport Railroad express train to complete airline check-in, baggage drop and immigration clearance before heading to Incheon International Airport.

The upgrade was driven by rising passenger numbers. Last year, about 2.66 million passengers used the Airport Railroad express train — an increase of more than 35 percent compared with 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Annual users of the city air terminal have also surpassed 470,000 and continue to grow. During peak travel periods such as the Lunar New Year holiday and Japanese public holidays, daily visitors have exceeded 2,000, exposing the limits of the terminal's previous setup in managing congestion.

The most significant change is the introduction of a queue management system. Passengers select their airline at a kiosk, receive a number ticket and then check a display in the waiting area to see when they are called.

Travelers no longer need to stand in long lines in front of check-in counters, and can use their waiting time for currency exchange, meals or other errands — a significant boost to convenience.

The baggage drop process has also been simplified. Newly installed smart baggage scales let passengers check their luggage weight before reaching the counter, allowing them to identify overweight bags in advance.

The change is expected to reduce cases where passengers must repack at the counter, cutting delays during check-in.

Passenger flow through the terminal has also been made more intuitive. Numbered step-by-step signage now guides travelers along the main route — from the customer service center through the currency exchange, check-in counters and immigration desks to the express train gate — making it easy for first-time users to navigate in sequence.

The use of space has changed as well. A former staff meeting room has been converted into a passenger waiting area, and part of an open zone was reconfigured to create additional space for express train passengers.

Fences and gate positions were also adjusted to separate waiting areas from check-in areas, improving the overall flow of passenger movement.

"The Seoul Station city air terminal is Airport Railroad's flagship service, where passengers can complete check-in, baggage drop and immigration clearance all in one place in the heart of the city," Airport Railroad President Park Dae-su said. "Through this renovation, we wanted to help passengers start their journeys feeling more comfortable and relaxed."


gilbert@heraldcorp.com