*We are still waiting for the world where truly free wifi is available at all airports. If you need a verification via mobile phone, then it becomes useless for people without a proper device. At Seoul’s Incheon Airport(ICN), you can get online just by opening your device. And the immigration processing is so efficient. AND the luggage comes out fairly quickly. And their public transportation system serving this airport is quick, reasonable, and comfortable. And there are many choices for restaurants and cafes so that you can actually find something to eat without breaking a bank. And there are enough seats in waiting areas.
China
- Beijing Capital Airport(PEK): Big! That means a lot of walking for tired travelers. Yes, its newest terminal(T3) is beautifully designed, but it is not necessarily user-friendly. Signs are confusing & not always easy to find. It was cold and dark in the waiting area. Long lines for passport check(twice: once upstairs, then, go down a stairway for another passport check) & security for international transfer **last there was in Dec. 2017
- Guangzhou East Station: busy and efficient railway station that connects well to the city center via metro or taxi(30-40 Yuan) **last there was in Dec. 2017
- Guangzhou South Station: huge & not very user-friendly. Far down south of the city center & took over 30 minutes to get there by taxi from the center(60-80Yuan). Some shops and restaurants **last there was in Dec. 2017
- Guilin North Station: About 20-30 minutes by taxi(20-30 Yuan), for the first time in China, we were able to find seats in the waiting area of this railway station. Some shops and restaurants **last there was in Dec. 2017
- Shenzhen North Station: This is a busy station connected to the metro & the taxi stand was efficiently run. About 40-60 Yuan to the center. **last there Dec. 2017
- Yangshuo Station: This is a small station with not much facilities & is about 50-60 minutes to the city center. Our B&B ordered a private car for us(like Uber) & it cost 100 Yuan. Public buses were waiting outside the station. **last there Dec. 2017
Hong Kong
- HK International Airport(HKG): The fastest way to travel to/from the airport is the Airport Express, but this is not necessarily cheap. One discount you can consider is their group ticket, and even 2 people traveling together can get this group ticket. Airport to Hong Kong Station costs $115pp, but this group ticket costs &170 for two people. **last there Dec. 2017
- Hung Hom Station: Big and not very user-friendly in a rather isolated area of Kowloon. There are some shops and restaurants. **last there Dec. 2017
Myanmar
- Bagan Airport(NYU): very small, not much to eat, a few tired looking gift shops. About 10-20 minutes to the center of New Bagan **last there Dec. 2017
- Yangon Airport(RGN): not too big, has domestic and international terminals. Some restaurants and shops. 30-40 minutes to the city center by Taxi (under USD$10). **last there Dec. 2017
Singapore
- Singapore Changi Airport(SIN): The airport is pretty much at the eastern edge of the city, and we went to Nanyang Tech U, which is at the western edge by taxi, took under 30 minutes on weekend(USD$35-40); it is well connected to the metro. plenty to eat and shop. **last there Dec. 2017
Thailand
- Bangkok Railway Station(Hua Lamphong): We went to Ayuttaya from this station in April 2018. It’s in the middle of downtown & is reachable on the metro. The Italian Neo-Renaissance-style building looks rather beautiful from outside, but it is old and tired looking inside. There is a real down to earth cafeteria, and there are some other eateries and shops that do not look particularly inviting. The coffee shop on the second level has free Wifi. The ticketing agents understood enough English to sell us the right tickets.
- Bangkok South Bus Terminal(Sai Tai Mai): We were there in April 2018 to go to Kanchanaburi & River Kwai. The main problem with finding this station is that it is not in the south of the city but the northwest of downtown. It’ll cost 100-200 Baht to get there in a cab from the center of town depending on traffic. It is a huge place, and you will take the escalator up three floors to the ticketing area, which is arranged by the destination. There are shops and sale racks everywhere, and you can get lost quite easily. Once you have your tickets, you go back down to the ground level to board the bus. There is an outdoor food court on the ground floor as well.
Vietnam
Small Wide World 