You are currently in Seoul, the beautiful capital of South Korea. You are leaving your hotel, and your exciting adventure awaits. As you step into the busy street, you are swarmed by adults heading to work, children walking to school, and grandmas and grandpas strolling to the market. Feeling lost, you want to get to Lotte Tower, one of the tallest building in the world. Just how do you exactly get there? In the Korean dramas you watched, people take the bus. Online, people say take the subway. As you look ahead, you see people driving. The answer is: anything you like. With South Korea's convenient and expansive subway system, it can take you pretty much anywhere you want to go in the city. If you enjoy the more scenic route, take the bus and watch the locals go about their days. If you want something more personal with privacy, take a taxi. The options are for you to choose. And we are here to provide you with a guide on how to use your chosen mean of transportation. This is a guide to help you navigate through the cities of South Korea.
Walking
If your location isn't too far and you want to walk off those bingsoo you had, walking is a free and easy option. While the streets of South Korea can be confusing with its numerous alleys and small streets, there are street signs in both Korean and in English that point to major landmarks and popular destinations. If you are planning to use Google Maps to navigate around, don't expect much success. While the app can be used to look up your destination, the GPS feature does not work well in South Korea. Instead, try using Naver Map or KakaoMap. These are the two best GPS apps to use while you are in South Korea. Both apps offer English and other useful functions like rating system. They function very much like Google Maps, so the transition to the Korean-based apps will be quick and easy.
You can download the apps on your selected app store:
Naver Map
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/naver-map-navigation/id311867728
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhn.android.nmap&hl=en&gl=US
KakaoMap
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kakaomap-korea-no-1-map/id304608425
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.daum.android.map&hl=en&gl=US
Bus
Buses in South Korea is very convenient and runs late into the night (usually midnight or 1AM) and early in the morning (usually 4:30AM). Many regions use a color-coded bus transportation system to make it easier for passengers to identify which stops the bus are traveling to. For example in Seoul, blue buses travel on major roads and run throughout Seoul. Green buses travel between shorter end points and mainly connect between transfer points such as subway stations and longer bus routes like the blue buses. Red buses are express buses that travel from the city to suburban areas. Yellow buses travel on a closed circuit (in a loop) within a district of Seoul.
If you are planning to take either the bus or subway, you are going to need cash or a transportation card to pay for your fare. As you board the bus, you pay for your fare at the front. Either you insert cash or tap your transportation card by the reader next to the driver. It is highly recommended you use a transportation card instead of cash. The fare for the transportation card is cheaper than paying with cash for most buses and for the subway. In addition to the cheaper fare, you can get a discount when you transfer to the subway or another bus. As you are exiting the bus (in the back), tap your transportation card against the reader next to the exit doors (in order to get the transfer discount).
Transportation Card: What is it? How to Get It?
Transportation cards are re-loadable cards that can be used for buses and subways in throughout the country. In South Korea, there are primarily two types of transportation cards: Tmoney and Cashbee. Both Tmoney and Cashbee cards can also be used as a method of payment instead of credit card or cash at affiliated shopping centers, stores and convenience stores. They can be even be used at some vending machines! The cards can be bought and used at stores that have the Tmoney and Cashbee logo outside the stores. You can purchase them at convenience stores like GS25, CU, and 7-Eleven. Tmoney cards can also be purchased directly at the subway stations. Both cards can be reloaded at any of the stores mentioned previously as well as the subway stations.
One perk of the transportation card is that you can get a refund at the affiliated convenience stores (in case you overcharged or made mistake purchasing one). Another perk of the transportation card is that they often offer a variety of designs. Depending on when and where you purchase the card, you can find designs of your favorite K-Pop idols and other celebrities!
How to Purchase/Reload Your Transportation Card at the Subway Station
First, find the ticket vending machines at a subway station. They are labeled "Ticket Vending and Card Reload Device"
Next, you select the language you want (the machine has 4 options: Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese).
If you are purchasing a Tmoney card at the machine, click on the option that issue you a public transportation card (it should be the first option). Follow the instructions on the screen to purchase your transportation card.
If you are reloading your Tmoney card or Cashbee card, click on the reloading card option (it should be the last option). Then place your transportation card onto loading pad. Next, select the amount you want to reload and simply input cash into the machine. After the reloading is finished and you confirmed your new balance, the card is ready to be used.
Subway
If there one is thing other than K-Pop and K-Drama that is known about South Korea, it is their amazing yet confusing subway system. With its labyrinth-like routes, the subway system covers the entire metropolitan area. If you are staying within the city (in South Korea), the subway is the most convenient method of transportation. Once you get past the confusing subway system, you can go pretty much anywhere in the metropolitan area within a 15 minute interval wait (this does not include the actual time it takes to go one from station to another).
How to Use the Subway?
You will need a ticket or transportation card to use the subway. Unlike the bus where you can pay with cash directly, you need to purchase a single-use subway ticket at the ticket vending machine. If you are purchasing or reloading your transportation card, follow the instruction in the previous section (or you can follow the ticket machine's instructions. It has English option!) If you do not want to use a transportation card, you can purchase the single-use subway ticket from the same machine. After you have found the machine and chosen the language you want, click on the single journey ticket option. Follow the instructions on the screen and insert cash to pay for the ticket. Please note that there is an additional 500 won deposit fee when you are using the single journey ticket option. You can receive your 500 won deposit back by returning the ticket to a "Deposit Refund Device" at your destination. You just need to insert the ticket into the device and the machine will give you back the deposit (instructions are also on the screen).
Every subway fare fees depend on the region/city you are using. The subway fare begins at 1,250 with the transportation card. It costs an additional 100-150 won (depending on the city) with the single journey ticket.
Quick note: In Seoul, there is an additional fare of 100 won for every 5 km traveled within 10~50 km distance after the initial 10km and 100 won for every 8 km traveled for over 50 km distance.
In Busan, the region is divided into two sections (Section 1 and Section 2). The fare for Section 1 (distance traveled within 10km) is 1,300 won. Section 2 (distance exceeding 10km) charges 1,400 won.
After you have purchase your single journey ticket or reloaded your transportation, find the entrance to the subway platform. The entrances to the platforms will have large signs above them in Korean and English letters indicating the current station name, the previous and next station, as well as the direction the subway is heading toward. The entrances have numbers on them to make your travel more convenient. By getting on a specific numbered entrance, you can minimize the walking distance to your final destination.
For example, using entrance 4 allows you to quickly get off the subway later and exit at the ice cream store you are going to. If you had taken entrance 12, you would have gotten off at the East side of the station, making you walk an additional 5 minutes to the ice cream store.
At the subway entrances, place your ticket or transportation card on the sensor located on top of the subway turnstile. After a beep, it will display the amount charged on the top and the remaining balance at the bottom of the screen. Then, follow the signs to the platform. Upon arriving at your destination, tap your card at the sensor on the turnstile again in order to exit.
Remember that there are designated seats for the elderly, handicapped, and pregnant women!
Taxi
If you enjoy the comfort of a car, you can take the taxi to travel around the city. In South Korea, taxis are are cheaper and easy to find. You can either flag one down in the streets or find one waiting at busy city spots. You can also call for taxis by calling the taxi company or using an app like Kakao T. Please note that there is a small fee charge if you are using a call taxi. You can pay for the taxi with cash, transportation card, credit cards, and through the app.
Kakao T
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kakao-t/id981110422
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kakao.taxi&hl=en
If you grab a taxi on the street, simply tell the driver where you are heading and pay upon arrival. There has been an increasing number of drivers who can speak English, but do not expect the driver to be able to speak English or your preferred language. If you are using an app to request for your taxi, you can input your destination ahead of time so that you don't have to speak to the driver (though it is polite to say greet the driver and confirm your destination with your driver).
If you want a driver that can speak English or another language, you can find or call for an international taxi. These taxis will have the words "International Taxi" on the body and the top of the car. These taxi drivers can speak one or more foreign languages such as English, Japanese, or Chinese.
If you want to pay with your transportation card, make sure you are using a taxi with the Tmoney or Cashbee logo on the car. Most taxis in South Korea will have the logo on it. Upon arrival, tap your card on the terminal, and your taxi fare will be automatically paid from your transportation card’s balance. Please note that paying with transportation cards will only work if there is enough balance on your card to pay the full fare. You can not pay half with cash/credit cards and half with the transportation card.
There are 3 main types of taxi you can find in South Korea: standard, deluxe, and jumbo.
Standard taxis are your typical five-seats sedans. Their fees and appearances (color of the taxi) depend on the region. The base fares are around 2,800 won to 3,800 won. The fare is then increased by the distance traveled. There is a surcharge (20%-40%) when traveling from midnight to 4AM as well as when traveling out of the city.
Deluxe taxis are also five-seats sedans, but they offer slightly more leg space and room and a higher standard of service than the standard taxis. The base fares are also higher, around 3,900 won to 6,500 won, but there is no late-night surcharge.
Jumbo taxis are van taxis that can accommodate six to ten passengers. They offer translation service on the phone and are equipped with more devices like a receipt-issuing machine. They charge the same rates as deluxe taxis