The Purpose of Escalators and Elevators in South Korea's Train Stations

In South Korea, the primary purpose of putting escalators and elevators in subway and train stations is to help people who have difficulty walking up stairs and people who have luggage or heavy packages. Escalators and elevators are also in place to help people traveling with small children.

Secondarily, escalators are in place to improve the flow people through stations.

There used to be signs in some stations asking people who were capable of taking the stairs to do so, asking them not to delay people with disabilities.

(According to comments on Slate.com, the Toronto's Union Station has taken down signs telling people to "stand on the right, walk on the left" because everyone is supposed to stand.)

Another Way that Saving the Environment Makes Life Better

A few months ago, I wrote a post about how fighting climate change makes life better. So does recycling. Instead of throwing away your Netflix flaps (or any other, oddly-sized piece of paper), you can use them to make art.

Netflix Origami

(Originally from the Donkeylicious blog.)

* I know that this should probably go on my US blog, but it fits so well with my climate change post. *

Update: More recycling art. Now you can reuse your metro tickets to make Star Wars X-wings and Millennium Falcons. Warning: The instructions for the Millennium Falcon are nine pages long.

This was originally done with Paris metro tickets. I would like to hear if you can do this with Seoul or Busan tickets. I think they are the same size.

Also, if makes some art with Korail, I will any pictures or links here.

A Guide to Asian Trains

The focus is on telling the reader about the walkable area around train stations. Basically, I hope to give readers a sense of where stations are in relation to the places that give them their names. If I am lucky, in some cases the reader can gain a sense of what those places are like.

Each post starts with a list of information, and hopefully a picture. A full list includes places of interest, whether or not lodging is available in the station area, whether or not there is a tourist office, location of ATM's, and location of internet access. In some cases I may include information about whether a station is handicapped accessible and whether the restrooms are decent or not. Places of interest can include anything with half an hour walk from the station. Routes must be safe for pedestrians and easy to follow. Routes may be a little more complicated if maps are easily available in the station.

The body of each post should tell the reader where they can go by train from that station along with travel times. Some older posts may not include this information.

If you are interested in a particular piece of information that is missing, please leave a comment or send me a message. A link to my email is in my profile.

Fukui

Of Interest: downtown Fukui

Lodging: yes

Int'l ATM: Fukui's central post office is down the main street leading away from the west exit

I was not here very long, so I don't have a lot to write.

From Fukui, JR West trains can take you along the Hokuriku main line to Kanazawa in one direction and Tsuruga (one hour via local trains, half that via express trains) in the other. JR West trains travel along the Etsumi-Hoku line within Fukui and the neighboring city of Ono. A tram line connects Fukui to neighboring cities (Sabae, Echizen) while also providing transportation for short trips. Further transportation within the Fukui area is provided by the Echizen Railway. Their trains connect Sakai and Awara through one line while Katsuyama is accessible through another.