The journey begins: LAX to INC

I bought my plane ticket back in December of last year. I prefer direct flights and I have always had a good experience flying with Singapore Air and they do not charge additional fees for the bicycle bag so I booked my flight on Cheapoair for $905.55 round trip for May 20- June 02. My flight SQ007 departs LAX in the afternoon and arrives to INC (Incheon Airport) a little before midnight the following day. The only thing I didn't like about my flight schedule was the fact that it arrived really late...since public transportation stops around midnight, I was afraid that I may not make the last train or bus off the island. Arrival time doesn't matter if you stay at a hotel that offers free shuttle pickup or if you decide to just take a taxi.

Incheon airport is on an island and you can only get to the mainland via a bus/taxi or a train...you cannot ride out of it although I've heard rumors of a ferry option. They have 2 types of trains from the airport; the AREX which is the express train that runs from Incheon Airport to Seoul Station and the All Stop Train which is the local train that stops at all stations along the way to Seoul Station. I didn't really look into the bus option, but I imagine there are buses that run to Seoul Station at all hours. Most big hotels on Incheon island and those on the mainland side nearby offer free shuttle service from and to the airport, but you need to check this in advance. Public bus and train stop running around midnight so if you arrive later than that, then you only have two options to get to the hotel: shuttle service if offered by your hotel or by taxi.

I had three options for the first night: stay near the airport, stay on the island but a bit further from the airport, or stay on the mainland side. I thought about getting a hotel, but then I figured I'd save some money by just squatting at the airport overnight until the trains start running again. As always it's a good idea to also purchase travel insurance so I bought mine through World Nomads which is one of the few companies that actually cover bicycle touring; most general travel insurance does not cover cycle touring. My coverage charge for the trip came out to $77.84. For this tour, I will only bring my rear panniers since it's only two weeks. My tent will sit on the top of the rack and I will have my trusty day pack to keep my essentials close to me. I will check in my bicycle bag of course and carry on my day pack and one small bag consisting of my cloth mostly.