SEOUL · HONGDAE GUIDE
Where to Stay Near Hongik University Station
Hongik University Station is a three-line hub (Line 2, AREX, Gyeongui–Jungang) with nine exits, so the right hotel depends on which exit you'll use most. RYSE Hotel sits near Exit 9, L7 Hongdae is essentially on top of Exit 1, and mid-range options like Holiday Inn Express Seoul Hongdae, Mercure Ambassador Seoul Hongdae, Nine Brick Hotel, and Amanti Hotel Seoul spread across the surrounding blocks toward the shopping street and club district. For most first-time visitors, staying within a few minutes of Exit 1, 8, or 9 keeps you close to Eoulmadang-ro's shopping and nightlife without needing to cross the station's wider exit maze after dark.
A Nine-Exit Station: Why Your Exit Matters More Than the Neighborhood
Hongik University Station is one of the busier interchange points in western Seoul, served by three separate systems: Seoul Subway Line 2, the AREX Airport Railroad, and the Gyeongui–Jungang Line. All three lines converge here, and the station has nine numbered exits spread across a wide footprint — which means two hotels both described as 'near Hongik University Station' can be a 10-minute walk apart in opposite directions. Before booking anywhere in this guide, it's worth checking which exit a property sits closest to, since that detail affects your walk more than the raw straight-line distance most listing sites advertise.
The exits also sort roughly by purpose. Exit 7 puts you at the start of Eoulmadang-ro (Hongdae Shopping Street) after crossing the road, Exit 6 leads out toward Gyeongui Line Book Street, and Exit 3 opens onto the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail, a green walking corridor that continues toward the Yeonnam-dong café district. A new Exit 8-1, with an escalator connecting exits 9 and 8, was approved in 2024 with a target completion around 2028, and a further Daejang–Hongdae subway line is planned to terminate here by 2031 — both are still under construction or in planning, so treat them as future conveniences rather than something to rely on for a near-term trip.
Matching Hotels to Exits: A Decision Guide
RYSE Hotel sits close to Exit 9, with third-party listings describing it as roughly a two-minute walk from the station — a reasonable pick if you want a design-forward, Autograph Collection property within very short reach of the subway. L7 Hongdae, by contrast, is built essentially at Exit 1, sharing its ground floor with the Line Friends Hongdae flagship store, and is the more logical base if you're arriving via AREX from Incheon and want to walk straight from the platform to your room with minimal navigating. Nine Brick Hotel is referenced in local guides as being near the same Exit 9 cluster as RYSE, making that side of the station a workable option if RYSE itself is unavailable or above budget.
For mid-range and budget stays, Holiday Inn Express Seoul Hongdae and Mercure Ambassador Seoul Hongdae offer familiar international-chain consistency in the wider Hongdae area, while Amanti Hotel Seoul and Local Stitch Creator Town (a stay-meets-coworking concept) suit travelers who want a Hongdae address without paying for the busiest blocks. The One Hostel Hongdae is worth considering if you're traveling solo or on a tighter budget and don't mind shared or simpler rooms. None of these four have independently confirmed exit numbers or walking-time figures in the research behind this guide, so check the specific distance and exit each property lists on its own booking page before you commit, especially if late-night walks or heavy luggage are a factor.
A Half-Day Route From the Station
Start at the station and take Exit 7, crossing the street directly onto Eoulmadang-ro, Hongdae's main pedestrian shopping spine — a good stretch for browsing street fashion, indie stores, and the street performers the neighborhood is known for. From there, angle toward Exit 6 to pick up Gyeongui Line Book Street, a converted rail-side stretch lined with bookshops and cafés that makes a calmer contrast to the shopping street's energy. Budget roughly an hour for this segment if you want to stop and browse rather than just walk through.
From Book Street, continue toward the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail near Exit 3, a green pedestrian corridor that threads north into Yeonnam-dong, Hongdae's quieter, café-dense neighbor. This stretch works well in the late afternoon, when Yeonnam-dong's cafés start filling up, and you can loop back toward the station on foot or catch the subway from a different entrance depending on where you end up. Altogether, station-to-shopping-street-to-book-street-to-Yeonnam-dong makes for a self-contained two-to-four-hour outing without needing any additional transit.
Food, Timing, and What to Verify Before You Book
Eoulmadang-ro — also known as Hongdae Culture Street — goes car-free on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from noon to 11pm, which is when street food stalls, busking, and pop-up vendors are at their fullest along the strip; visiting on a weekday or outside those hours gives you a quieter, more traffic-normal street instead. This schedule is set by the local district office and can be adjusted, so it's worth a quick check closer to your trip rather than assuming it's fixed.
If you're arriving from Incheon Airport, the AREX All-Stop Train reaches Hongik University Station in about 56 to 60 minutes across 13 stops, while the faster AREX Express Train skips Hongdae entirely and only serves Seoul Station, so all-stop is the one to take for this area; an airport limousine bus also serves the station as an alternative. Fares, schedules, and even walking-time estimates to specific hotels vary across sources — some list RYSE at two minutes from the station and others closer to four, for instance — so treat exact minutes and prices in any hotel listing as approximate and confirm current details on the airport's official transit page or the hotel's own site before booking.
Places in this guide
Frequently asked questions
Which exit should I aim for depending on where I'm staying?
If you've booked L7 Hongdae, head for Exit 1, where the hotel's entrance is essentially adjacent. RYSE Hotel and Nine Brick Hotel are both referenced as being near Exit 9. For Holiday Inn Express Seoul Hongdae, Mercure Ambassador Seoul Hongdae, Amanti Hotel Seoul, Local Stitch Creator Town, and The One Hostel Hongdae, the research behind this guide didn't turn up confirmed exit numbers, so check the exit listed on each hotel's own booking page or map link.
What's the best way to get here from Incheon Airport?
Take the AREX All-Stop Train, which makes 13 stops between the airport and Seoul Station, including Hongik University Station, in roughly 56 to 60 minutes. The AREX Express Train is faster but runs nonstop to Seoul Station and does not serve Hongdae, so it's the wrong choice if this is your destination. An airport limousine bus is also available as an alternative, and many day-tour operators use Hongik University Station as a pickup point.
When is Hongdae Shopping Street liveliest?
Eoulmadang-ro is closed to cars on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between noon and 11pm, which is generally when the street's shopping, busking, and food-stall scene is most active. Outside those windows, or on weekdays, expect a more normal street with traffic. Because this is a local traffic policy, it's worth double-checking it hasn't changed before you plan your visit around it.
Should I factor in the new subway line or exit that's being built?
Not for a near-term trip. A new Exit 8-1 was approved in 2024 with a rough completion target around 2028, and a separate Daejang–Hongdae subway line is planned to terminate at this station by 2031. Both are still in progress rather than open, so plan your route using the current nine exits and three existing lines, and only check back on the new additions if your trip is several years out.
Sources & methodology
Away Edition checked official tourism listings, business websites, and current public listings. Time-sensitive details should be confirmed directly. Inclusion is editorial and does not imply payment.