This is for safety, so no one can get too close to the train tracks. When the train comes, the train doors line up perfectly with the glass doors and they both open.
Inside the train, there are TV screens that show safety videos, advertisements and clips from popular shows. Every train also has free WiFi. There are plenty of seats reserved for older people, disabled people, pregnant women and children. Compared to the New York subway, the train ride is extremely smooth. Most of the time, you don't even need to hold on.
Just like the New York subway, there are many stations to transfer to different lines. There are 22 subway lines in total. When you exit the train, you go up the steps and tap your card again. Transfers to other subway lines or buses are free. It's so easy to get everywhere!
When I first visited Korea and rode the Seoul subway, I was amazed. I've always been proud of the New York subway, but I had to admit that the Seoul subway blew it away. While I was a bit confused at first, everything is written in Korean and English, so I learned quickly. I love how safe, clean and fast it is.
Seoul is a very busy and crowded city. There is heavy traffic on the streets almost all day. The subway, and the whole public transportation system, makes people's lives so much easier. As I mentioned in my last note, Seoul has had a problem with pollution. The subway provides a more environmentally friendly way to travel.
There is also a more sad and scary relationship between the subway and life in South Korea.
