By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Salwa Elzeny from Egypt
Photos = Salwa Elzeny

The subway is the easiest, fastest and best way to travel, but it is a big problem for passengers in developing countries due to extreme congestion and inefficiency. However, here in Seoul, the metro is very different; it was the second-best metro system in the world in 2017, according to a CNN report, and, in 2013, it was registered as the world's longest multi-line metro system. It has been rated as one of the best metro systems in the world for its cleanliness, ease of use, speed, smart screens inside and outside the subway train, as well as its safety gate system, which is open only when the train arrives at the station. It has nine main lines and many sub lines that you can easily define by the color assigned to each line.

For the metro, you do not need to buy a paper ticket; you can pay using a smart payment system with T money cards, debit cards, credit cards or phone. Also you can download a convenient metro application, through which you can calculate the cost of your trip. The metro operates from around 5 a.m. to around midnight and is crowded at peak times like other transportation systems around the world. It also has a winter heating system and high efficiency air conditioners in the summer as well as air purifiers.

The price of the ticket varies according to the distance of the trip. I have noticed that there are large numbers of elderly people using the metro. When I asked why, I learned that the reason for this is that the elderly can ride for free. So too, can children under six years of age. There are seats reserved for the elderly and people with special needs, and also seats reserved for pregnant woman that are even marked with pink.

Prepaid cards (T money cards) are the best way to pay for public transportation in Seoul, where you can use them in bus and metro lines. The recharging machines are easy to use and are available in three languages, Korean, English and Mandarin.