One of the most important things during traveling is transportation! Transportation should be as cheap, effective, and easy to navigate as possible - in this regard, Seoul is your friend. Seoul, and South Korea as a whole, has an amazing transportation system in place composed of taxis, buses, subways, and trains. On this page, I'll be sharing how to navigate the Korean transportation system - specifically in Seoul - and some tips and tricks to make your whole experience more efficient!
- Raffaella
- Raffaella
T-Money Card
The first thing you should do in Korea is purchase a T-money card, or transportation card. These can be found at any convenience store. T-money cards can be used in taxis, buses and for the subway to pay fare. Simply load the card at a convenience store, or at one of the loading kiosks in the subway stations, then scan the card and go on your way!
Taxis
Traveling by taxi in Korea is the most consistent method, but it is not the cheapest mode of transportation in Korea. Taxis run 24/7 and can be found in almost any city in Korea. Some smaller towns even have apps to call taxis to them! The starting fare is usually around 3, 000KRW (about $2.70). Starting fare is usually more expensive in the late hours of the night/early hours of the morning, but since they run all night (unlike the subway and trains), it's a reliable way to get home!
There are also two types of taxis: regular and deluxe. The regular taxis are grey, white or orange, and the deluxe taxis are black. Beware! The deluxe taxis do charge a higher fare, usually starting around 5, 000KRW ($4.50).
There are also two types of taxis: regular and deluxe. The regular taxis are grey, white or orange, and the deluxe taxis are black. Beware! The deluxe taxis do charge a higher fare, usually starting around 5, 000KRW ($4.50).
You can get a taxi like you would in any other city. Simply stand by the road and wave your hand to flag one down. It is illegal for taxi drivers to turn you down, but it does happen on occasion. The reasons range from your destination not being far enough for their liking to wanting to take a meal break. Don't stress if this happens, another taxi is bound to drive by in minutes!
Getting to your destination in Korea (particularly Seoul) can be a bit tricky at times. Because Seoul is so huge, there is no way for the taxi drivers to know every single location and address. Your best bet is to provide the name of a nearby subway station or well-known monument/building, or to provide an exact address. If you don't know Korean, get a business card from your hotel/guesthouse or have a friend write it down. The address should be written on it and you can simply show the taxi driver the card. Every taxi has a GPS, so the taxi driver should have no problem finding your destination.
Once you arrive, you can pay with cash, credit card, or T-money, then be on your way!
Getting to your destination in Korea (particularly Seoul) can be a bit tricky at times. Because Seoul is so huge, there is no way for the taxi drivers to know every single location and address. Your best bet is to provide the name of a nearby subway station or well-known monument/building, or to provide an exact address. If you don't know Korean, get a business card from your hotel/guesthouse or have a friend write it down. The address should be written on it and you can simply show the taxi driver the card. Every taxi has a GPS, so the taxi driver should have no problem finding your destination.
Once you arrive, you can pay with cash, credit card, or T-money, then be on your way!
Subway
The subway is the easiest to navigate, in my opinion, and is a great option for first time travelers in Seoul. When you first look at the Seoul subway map, it might look incredibly daunting. But have no fear! Every subway line is color coded and is given a number, with the exception of the Airport line and the Gyeonggi-Jungang Line (and a few others in the outskirts of Seoul, but these are the two I encountered the most in Seoul).
In addition, signs in the subway station can be found in Korean, English, and Chinese. Also, at stations where you can transfer to another line, the station announcement is made in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese! These announcements follow a cute traditional Korean song, so you can't miss it! Maps are also located all throughout the subway, so you can easily get to your destination. And, to further expedite your subway journey, you can download subway apps (just search "Seoul Subway" in your device's app store) in English or Korean. These apps allow you to choose your departure and arrival stations, and provides the fastest route! For more information on the app, check out the "Useful Apps and Websites" tab.
Paying subway fare is also straightforward. You have two options. First, you can go up to a ticket kiosks - these look kind of like ATMs - and purchase a ticket that calculates the specific fare from your departure to your destination. Or, you can simply use your T-Money card*. Basic fare is 1, 350 KRW when buying a ticket, and 1, 250 KRW when using the T-Money card. According to the Official Site of Korea Tourism, the fare goes up 100 KRW for every 5km between 10km-50km. From my experience, I've rarely paid more than 2, 000 KRW in one go, so it's a cheap and affordable way to travel.
*Pro-Tip #1: the T-Money cards can be recharged with money at the ticket kiosks. Simply click the english option and follow the instructions.
Paying subway fare is also straightforward. You have two options. First, you can go up to a ticket kiosks - these look kind of like ATMs - and purchase a ticket that calculates the specific fare from your departure to your destination. Or, you can simply use your T-Money card*. Basic fare is 1, 350 KRW when buying a ticket, and 1, 250 KRW when using the T-Money card. According to the Official Site of Korea Tourism, the fare goes up 100 KRW for every 5km between 10km-50km. From my experience, I've rarely paid more than 2, 000 KRW in one go, so it's a cheap and affordable way to travel.
*Pro-Tip #1: the T-Money cards can be recharged with money at the ticket kiosks. Simply click the english option and follow the instructions.
Buses
Buses are also a great way to travel both in Seoul, and throughout Korea. There are hundreds of buses that travel across Seoul each day, making the buses seem quite daunting. They can also be daunting because there is limited use of English. There might be a map with the names of places written in romanization, but the bus stops will be announced in only Korean, and most maps and apps will be written in hangul (the Korean alphabet). Your best bet is to just learn how to read Korean. Luckily, hangul is one of the easiest to learn how to read! Look in "Useful Apps and Websites" for resources to learn hangul and basic Korean!
Other than those hurdles, the buses are fairly simple to use. Just go to a bus stop or use a bus app to find which bus to take. Then simply wait! The great thing about buses in Korea is that they run very frequently. In my experience, I've never had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a bus - and even that was a rare occurrence. However, the buses do run quickly. Be sure to be at the ready when your bus arrives because the driver is not going to wait all day for you to get to the bus. Korean culture praises things done quickly and efficiently. Once you hop on the bus, be sure to pay the bus fare (1,250 KRW) or scan your T-Money card. The difference between the bus and the subway is that you must remember to scan your card again when you leave the bus. In the subway, there is a physical barrier that prevents you from leaving if you don't scan it, but on the bus, there is nothing stopping you from hopping off the bus if you don't scan it. If you forget, the system will continue to charge your card.
Buses are also a popular way to travel to different cities. There are several bus terminals throughout Seoul: the Seoul Express Bus Terminal, the Nambu Bus Terminal and the Dong Seoul Bus Terminal. You can purchase tickets online or at the bus terminal, but I find it much easier to just buy them in person at the terminal. Prices and times range depending on whether you take an express bus or not. A regular bus will generally cost between $20-$40 one way (to anywhere in South Korea). Just be careful when purchasing tickets for buses outside of Seoul, because there are standing-only tickets and TRUST ME, it is not worth the cheaper tickets to stand for 5 hours on bus. It's not. I do not recommend it.
Other than those hurdles, the buses are fairly simple to use. Just go to a bus stop or use a bus app to find which bus to take. Then simply wait! The great thing about buses in Korea is that they run very frequently. In my experience, I've never had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a bus - and even that was a rare occurrence. However, the buses do run quickly. Be sure to be at the ready when your bus arrives because the driver is not going to wait all day for you to get to the bus. Korean culture praises things done quickly and efficiently. Once you hop on the bus, be sure to pay the bus fare (1,250 KRW) or scan your T-Money card. The difference between the bus and the subway is that you must remember to scan your card again when you leave the bus. In the subway, there is a physical barrier that prevents you from leaving if you don't scan it, but on the bus, there is nothing stopping you from hopping off the bus if you don't scan it. If you forget, the system will continue to charge your card.
Buses are also a popular way to travel to different cities. There are several bus terminals throughout Seoul: the Seoul Express Bus Terminal, the Nambu Bus Terminal and the Dong Seoul Bus Terminal. You can purchase tickets online or at the bus terminal, but I find it much easier to just buy them in person at the terminal. Prices and times range depending on whether you take an express bus or not. A regular bus will generally cost between $20-$40 one way (to anywhere in South Korea). Just be careful when purchasing tickets for buses outside of Seoul, because there are standing-only tickets and TRUST ME, it is not worth the cheaper tickets to stand for 5 hours on bus. It's not. I do not recommend it.
Trains
You can also take trains when you want to travel between cities! There are a few options you can choose from. There are regular trains that are less expensive and have around the same travel time as the express buses, called Mugunghwa trains, or you can take the high speed train - known as KTW - that gives you more room to sit and to store your luggage if you are traveling with a lot of stuff with you. Prices for the Mugunghwa range from around 24,000-28,000 KRW depending on if you want to sit or stand, and prices for the KTX range from 50,000-80,000 KRW. Information on booking and prices can be found at www.letskorail.com.
That being said, I've always had trouble booking on that website and I usually end up going to a travelling agency or to the train station in person to purchase tickets. Also, tickets can only be purchased from a month in advance to 30 minutes before the train leaves. So, if you are trying to buy tickets for a trip in 3 months from now, you won't be able to until a month before your trip.
That being said, I've always had trouble booking on that website and I usually end up going to a travelling agency or to the train station in person to purchase tickets. Also, tickets can only be purchased from a month in advance to 30 minutes before the train leaves. So, if you are trying to buy tickets for a trip in 3 months from now, you won't be able to until a month before your trip.