Good news for tourists, the Climate Card, which is new from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will be available for tourist for the first time and is a way to save money on transportation while you explore Seoul. Starting July 1st 2024, the Climate Card Tourist Pass will be available to short-stay and foreign visitors to South Korea. It will give visitors unlimited access to Seoul’s subway, bus system for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days.

For a short video version of this article:

Origin of the Climate Card (Not for tourist)

The Seoul Metropolitan Government started the first pilot program for the Climate Card (기후동행첃瓻) on January 27, 2024, and it will run until June 30, 2024. This is Korea’s first eco-friendly prepaid travel fare card. It lets you use Seoul’s public transportation as much as you want for a month, and it’s good for 30 days from the first day you use it. It comes in two different plans.

The first one costs KRW 62,000 for subway and bus use only. The second one costs KRW 65,000 and includes the use of the Seoul bike service (Ttareungi) along with subway and bus use. The goal of the Climate Card is to fight climate change while also making it easier for people to use public transportation. Learn more about the Korean Climate Card

Where can you purchase the Climate Card Tourist Pass?

Starting in July 2024, international tourists can purchase a physical Climate Card Tourist Pass from several locations:

• Tourist Information Center in Seoul Tourism Plaza (Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-gu)
• Myeongdong Tourist Information Center
• Customer safety centers in subway stations on lines 1 to 8,
• Convenience stores near subway stations.
• Machines located in Lines 1 to 8 (Seoul Metro) stations, Line 9, Sillim Line, and Ui-Sinseol Line.

How much is the Climate Card Tourist Pass?

The Climate Card Tourist Pass is offered in four durations: one-day, two-day, three-day, and five-day. The prices for each pass are as follows:

• One-day pass: KRW 5,000
• Two-day pass: KRW 8,000
• Three-day pass: KRW 10,000
• Five-day pass: KRW 15,000

Where can you use the Climate Card’s unlimited use of public transport

Here is a list of the Subway lines you can use with the Climate Card:

• (Line 1) Onsu Station/Geumcheon-gu Office Station to Dobongsan Station
• (Line 3) Jichuk Station to Ogeum Station
• (Line 5) Banghwa Station to Gangil Station/Macheon Station
• (Line 7) Onsu Station to Jangam Station
• (Line 9) All stations
• (Sillim Line) All stations
• (Gyeongui-Jungang Line) Susaek Station to Yangwon Station/Seoul Station
• (Suin-Bundang Line) Cheongnyangni Station to Bokjeong Station
• (Line 2) All stations
• (Line 4) Namtaeryeong Station to Danggogae Station
• (Line 6) All stations
• (Line 8) All stations
• (Ui-Sinseol Line) All stations
• (AREX) Gimpo Int’l Airport Station to Seoul Station
• (Gyeongchun Line) Cheongnyangni Station to Sinnae Station
• (Gimpo Goldline) All stations

You cannot use the Climate Card outside of Seoul. You can’t use the Climate Card to get on and off the subway in Seoul and outside of Seoul. Do not leave the train or bus without tapping in and out.

To give you an example, you can’t use the Climate Card to get on at Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station in Seoul and get off at Indeogwon Station in Gyeonggi-do; station workers will have to take your fare separately.

Who is the Climate card tourist pass for?

For tourist who are planning to travel strictly in Seoul, the Climate Card Tourist Pass will be useful and can save you some money travelling in Seoul. If your travel itinerary includes travelling to locations outside Seoul, then the T-Money Card is still the best transportation card for travellers.

My recommendation for saving money is, allocating one to five days of purely travelling within Seoul to fully utilize the Climate Card Tourist Pass, this way, you’ll be able to use the unlimited travel using subways and busses, while having the peace of mind of not overspending for transportation.

For those who are planning to travel in Seoul, it’ll be useful to read this guide on taking Kakao Taxis for foreigners, and also renting a car and driving in Korea.

So, if you’re ready for a South Korean road trip adventure, here’s what you should know before you hit the road!

For those who wants to watch a quick video version, watch it here:

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Driving in Korea for Tourists: the checklist

1. To rent a car in South Korea, you have to be at least 21 years old. Young driver surcharges may apply from rental car companies if you are under 25.
2. A valid driver’s license from your home country.
3. Valid International Driving Permit (IDP) following the Geneva convention or the Vienna convention.
4. You will need to present your passport for identification.
5. A credit card in the driver’s name.

Choosing a Car Rental Company in korea and Booking Online

Both local and international car rental businesses operate in major cities, including major airports like Incheon and Gimpo. Whether you prefer manual or automatic transmission vehicles, you’ll discover rental options that meet your needs. To ensure availability and avoid scams, book reservations with reputable vehicle rental businesses ahead of time.

Popular cart rental companies in Korea include LOTTE Rent-a-Vehicle, SK Rent-a-Car, Hertz, Avis, and Budget. These companies offer a wide range of cars, from compact cars to luxury sedans, so you have plenty of options. Furthermore, many car rental companies in South Korea offer navigation systems with GPS and English-speaking staff to help foreign visitors.

If you plan to book a rental car online, here are some of the sites I recommend. You can book six months in advance and collect the vehicles at airports and major transportation hubs:

• EconomyBookings
• Rentcars.com
• Klook

Selecting the Right Car

Choosing the right car depends on your planned itinerary, personal preference, and budget. For example, if you’re exploring urban areas, a compact car is perfect due to its easy navigation in traffic jams and smaller parking lots.

Typically, economy and compact cars are the most affordable to rent. They are usually more fuel-efficient, so you can save money on gas. Smaller cars are easy to navigate through narrow city streets and crowded parking lots. The Hyundai i10 and Kia Morning are popular models.

For those seeking more space and comfort, midsize and full-size cars offer advantages, especially for longer journeys or traveling with a group or family. Despite the higher rental costs and fuel consumption, midsize and full-size cars offer better safety and seating comfort. Commonly available options are the Hyundai Sonata and Kia K7.

If you need more luggage space or are planning to shop (who isn’t?!), SUVs and vans are for you. Although it is more expensive, it will provide the extra space you need. For countryside travel or a trip to Jeju Island, consider a larger vehicle for a more comfortable ride. Available options are Hyundai Staria and Kia Carnival.

Electric vehicles (EVs) offer an environmentally friendly way to explore Korea. Renting an EV provides tourists with a modern and high-tech driving experience that includes advanced features and technology, enhancing the overall driving experience. Some rental companies, like SK Rent-a-Car and LOTTE Ren-a-Car, offer promotions or free charging for EV rentals, providing cost savings for travelers. Please note that due to limitations in EV charging infrastructure in Korea, some extra planning is required, especially for driving in remote areas like the backcountry.

Other Add-ons

When renting a car in South Korea, there are additional add-ons to consider to enhance your rental experience and ensure a smooth journey. 

Child Seat: The availability and cost of child seats vary by rental company. In South Korea, it is legally required for children under the age of 6 to be seated in a child safety seat when traveling in a car.

Car insurance for a car rental in South Korea is mandatory. The cost of a rental car typically includes insurance for personal and third-party injuries and the property of third parties. 

Additional Drivers option can be added upon picking up the car from the rental location but this will incur extra charges. Each additional driver must present the same requirements as the main driver, including a driver’s license and an International Driving Permit (IDP).

Tips for renting car for driving in Korea as a tourist

Travellers with young child(ren)

Though not strictly enforced, I recommend getting a child safety seat when travelling with children. The good news is that some rental companies on Economy bookings offer child toddler seat as a free add-on in Korea. Look for this message when browsing the rentals.

Insurance

Whenever you rent a car in Korea, the rental company has some insurance on the car in case something happens to the car during the rental period. The rental company will then sell you an insurance product that reduces the amount of excess you need to pay if something goes wrong. The excess amount typically goes between USD1,500 to USD2,500. The options are there, drive like a safety freak and be paranoid about any moving object near your rental vehicle, or fork out an extra ~USD15 per day for the peace of mind.

If you booked your trip with a reputable credit card that comes with complimentary travel insurance, this excess amount might be covered! Please check the terms of your travel insurance to make sure you are covered.

Lastly if you purchased travel insurance for your trip, this excess amount might be covered as well. Having travel insurance has many benefits, and I always recommend getting one when travelling. Once again please check the terms before making the decision of forgoing insurance for your rental vehicle.

When picking up the vehicle

Ask any questions you may have. Check all terms and conditions, including insurance, mileage, fuel, and any fees. Before leaving, do a visual inspection to see if there is any damage that has already occurred. Make a note of any visible damage by taking a photo or video and documenting it as evidence, so you don’t have to pay any extra when existing damages are found.

Useful Navigation Apps for driving in Korea

Naver Map (neibeo jido) is one of the most popular mapping and navigation apps in South Korea, providing accurate directions, real-time traffic information, and a variety of features like SmartAround for detailed information on locations, reviews, and menus of famous restaurants or shops.

KakaoMap (kakaomaeb) is another widely used map app in Korea, known for its high accuracy and convenience. It offers features like linking to KakaoTalk and KakaoTaxi, providing directions for various modes of transport, and voice reports for congestion and speed cameras.

Google Map is one that I keep trying to use (with disappointment), as I have had great experience using it in countries like Japan and Australia. But I don’t recommend it at all for driving in Korea, as the navigation is often inaccurate and the above 2 are just better in every way in Korea.

Most car rental companies also offer GPS devices with the rental, but I personally prefer navigating with a phone when driving in Korea, as the data is more updated and the touchscreen just feels better than most GPS devices.

To navigate with phone apps, make sure you have enough mobile data on your phone. Getting a Korean sim or esim plan will be essential. I suggest allocating at least 300MB of data per day for navigation on a typical day of driving. If you are using Naver Map, I also recommend downloading offline-ready maps specifically for the areas you plan to visit; this will save you precious mobile data and help navigate through cellular dead zones. Additionally, remember to bring a charging cable or power bank to ensure your phone stays charged for navigation.

Fueling up

Fueling up can be daunting if you’re not sure what to expect. I remember my first time fueling up at a self-service fuel station, and knowing little Korean at that time, it was tricky.

It is crucial to always return a rental car with a full tank; failing to do so can result in additional charges. In South Korea, car rental fuel policies usually follow the ‘full-full’ principle, requiring you to return the rental car with the same amount of fuel it had when you received it. As the driver, you are accountable for the fuel consumed throughout the rental period. The rental company determines the fuel usage by comparing the initial and final fuel levels of the vehicle.

Step-by-step guide for fueling up at a korean self-service station

1. Identify the Fuel Type
   • Gasoline stations are marked with the Korean word “주유소” (pronounced “joo-you-so”), while LPG stations are marked as “LPG충전소” (pronounced “LPG choong-juhn-so”) 
   • Gasoline pumps are typically yellow, while diesel pumps are green.
2. Activate the Pump 
   • Locate the anti-static pad on the pump and touch it to reduce the risk of static electricity buildup. 
   • Press the “시작하기” (“Start”) button to begin the fueling process.
3. Select the Fuel Type
   • Choose the appropriate fuel type, either gasoline (“휘발유”) or diesel (“경유”), based on your vehicle’s requirements
   • Pump the Fuel
4. Payment
   • You can pay for the fuel using cash, credit/debit cards, or the Hi-Pass electronic toll payment system. If using a card, insert it into the card reader on the pump and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the transaction.
5. Refueling Completion
   • Once the tank is full, the pump will automatically stop, and you can replace the fuel nozzle. Ensure you have properly replaced the fuel nozzle and close your vehicle’s fuel tank cover before driving away.

Cost of petrol

The cost of petrol in South Korea fluctuates according to the international oil price, with prices reported at around ₩1,673 per liter, or approximately USD 1.27 per liter, as of April 2024. Check here for recent prices.

Road and Traffic Rules in South Korea

In South Korea, traffic operates on the right-hand side of the road, so drivers should keep to this lane. Wear your seat belt at all times while driving, as safety is a top priority. Additionally, using mobile phones while driving is strictly prohibited unless they are operated in a hands-free manner to minimize distractions. Do not drink and drive in Korea! The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of 0.03% and refrain from drinking and driving to ensure the safety of yourself and others on the road.

Speed Limits

Like many other countries, South Korea imposes the maximum allowed speed limit on all roads.

• Highways: Speed limits vary between 100-120 km/hr.
• Open roads: The speed limit is normally 80 km/hr.
• City roads: Speed limits not more than 60 km/hr, depending on the specific area and road conditions.

Some common road signs and symbols, along with parking regulations in South Korea:

• Stop Sign (정지/): A red octagonal sign with “정지” written in white. Drivers must come to a complete stop and yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians.
• Yield Sign (양보): A downward-pointing triangle with a red border and “양보” written in white. Drivers must yield the right-of-way to vehicles on the intersecting road.
• Speed Limit Signs (속도 제한): Circular signs with the maximum speed limit displayed in kilometers per hour (km/h). Common speed limits are 60 km/h in urban areas and 80-100 km/h on highways, but they may vary.
• No Entry Sign (진입 금지): A red circle with a white horizontal bar across it and “진입 금지” written underneath. Indicates that entry into a certain area or road is prohibited.
• One-Way Sign (일방 통행): A rectangular sign with an arrow indicating the direction of traffic flow and “일방 통행” written underneath. Indicates that traffic is allowed to flow in only one direction on the specified road.
• Parking Sign (주차 허용/금지): Signs indicating whether parking is allowed or prohibited. “주차 허용” means parking is allowed, while “주차 금지” means parking is prohibited.
• Disabled Parking Sign (장애인 주차구역): Indicates designated parking spots for disabled individuals. Parking here without proper authorization can result in fines.
• Loading/Unloading Zone Sign (화물 로딩/로딩 구역): Indicates areas where loading and unloading of goods are permitted. Typically found near commercial areas.
• No Parking Sign (주차 금지): A red circle with a white horizontal bar across it and “주차 금지” written underneath. Parking is prohibited in the specified area.
• Tow Away Zone Sign (무인 단속 주차금지): Indicates areas where vehicles parked illegally may be towed away by authorities

Turning Left on a Green Light in South Korea

In South Korea, the general rule is that drivers are not allowed to turn left on green lights at intersections unless there is a specific green arrow signal indicating that left turns are permitted.

When there are four signal lights at an intersection, drivers will typically need to wait for a green arrow to appear before making a left turn, as the green light alone does not authorize left turns in most cases.

However, there is an exception to this rule when drivers see a blue sign that says “비보호” with a left arrow on it. In this case, drivers can turn left on the green signal without waiting for a green arrow.

Turning Right

Similar to the US, you are allowed to turn right on red.

Use of Hazard Lights

The use of hazard lights (or emergency lights) in South Korea has several distinct meanings beyond standard emergency signaling.

1. Indicating a search for a parking spot
2. Expressing gratitude or apology, “thank you or “sorry”
3. They are alerting others to a hazard or obstruction
4. Indicating a stopped or parked vehicle

Tolls in South Korea

Tolls in South Korea are calculated based on several criteria, including the distance traveled, the type of roads used, and the type of vehicle. Tourists can pay tolls in cash, credit card, or T-Money Card and hi-pass cards at toll booths on the expressways.

Here are the guidelines for toll payments. Here’s what you need to know:

• Ticket Collection: Upon entering a toll booth at your departure location, make sure to collect a ticket from the toll booth attendant. This ticket will indicate the entry to the highway.
• Payment at Destination: When you reach your destination and encounter another toll booth, present the ticket you received at the departure toll booth to the attendant and pay the toll fee accordingly.
• No Hi-Pass System: Rental cars in South Korea normally are not equipped with the Hi-Pass automated toll payment system.
• Avoid Blue-Marked Lanes: Do not drive through lanes marked with blue symbols, as these are designated for vehicles equipped with the Hi-Pass system. Using these lanes without the system may cause complications and delays.

Tips: Avoid the left-most lanes marked in blue unless you have a hi-pass. Instead, use the cash lane (현금 means cash), commonly located to the right, which also accepts T-money cards. Note that credit cards may not be accepted unless they are Korean credit cards, so it’s safer to carry some cash.

Parking in South Korea

Parking costs in Seoul can vary depending on location and time of day. On average, parking costs range from 1,000 to 4,000 KRW per hour.

Public parking lots typically offer more affordable rates compared to private parking lots. They often provide a 50% discount for “light cars,” which are small and eco-friendly vehicles. Some parking zones implement a “first two hours free” policy, making them convenient for quick stops or visits to nearby stores.

If you park at public or private parking lots, you’ll encounter signs near the entrance or at the worker’s booth displaying the applicable rates. Some lots utilize automated systems that scan your license plate and calculate the parking fee automatically upon exit. 

Street parking is not allowed unless the parking spot is marked with a white line. If the parking spot has numbers or signs on it, then it is a residential parking spot.

Double Parking

Don’t be surprised! Parking in residential areas is quite challenging. Double parking in residential areas is normal due to the lack of space. Most Korean cars display their phone number on their windshields so they can be reached if their car is blocking someone in parking lots.

Advanced Parking System

Shopping centers, hotels, and multiplex cinemas in city areas often offer automated car parks that incorporate conveyor-type systems to prioritize user safety and convenience. Drivers can drive into a platform within a garage of single-car size, exit the vehicle, and have it automatically parked like a car vending machine.

Tips:  When booking accommodation, look for ones that explicitly mention parking availability in their descriptions or amenities list. Having parking available at your hotel can save you time and hassle.

The alternative: Public transport and taxis in Korea

If your itinerary consists mainly of the main cities like Seoul and Busan, I recommend taking public transport instead. Public transport is generally the more convenient and comfortable option for tourists in South Korea. After factoring expenses like fuel, tolls, parking fees, and insurance, or if a short budget is a constraint, still taking a bus, subway or taxi is often more cost-effective and practical than renting a car.

Subway: Seoul

The Seoul subway system is one of the most efficient ways to travel around the city. Trains run non-stop from approximately 5:30 am until midnight. All subway lines are color-coded and stations display signs in Korean, English, and Chinese. To ride the subway, you must use a single or multiple journey pass. Single-journey passes can be purchased in the subway stations and require exact fare to your destination plus a 500-won refundable deposit.

Multiple journey passes called T-money can be purchased at most convenience stores. Transfers between subway lines are free, and T-Money Card users can transfer for free between bus and subway lines. Smartphone and tablet users can download a variety of apps that give routes, times, and transfer information in English, including Seoul Subway, Metroid Korea Subway Info, and Subway Navigation by Kakao.

Bus

Riding a bus as a tourist is another convenient way to explore the cities of South Korea. Bus routes reach places that may not be accessible by other modes of transport, like subways.

Tourists can easily check bus routes or map apps, and digital bus stops in city centers provide real-time information on bus locations for travel convenience. Tap the T-Money Card to the card reader when you enter the bus to start your journey, then tap it again when you exit the bus. In most city buses in Korea, you enter at the front of the bus and get off in the middle. There will be a T-Money Card reader in both locations.

Taxi

In South Korea, taxis offer wide options based on your needs including regular and deluxe standard taxis, as well as international taxis with multi-lingual drivers for travelers’ convenience. Fares vary by city and taxi type, usually a base fare and additional charges based on distance traveled, with late-night surcharges applicable during specific hours.

The best way to get a taxi in Korea is with a taxi booking app, such as Kakao Taxi. This will allow you to call a taxi directly to your location and to set the final destination. This allows you to book taxis without speaking Korean and also shows you the expected cost of the journey. If you’re arriving at a train or bus terminal, there are usually taxi ranks outside where you can get a taxi any time of the day.

Driving in Korea as a tourist FAQs

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The good news for travellers to Korea is that taxis are affordable and reliable and they offer a convenient way to travel around Seoul and other cities when you’re in a rush. With busy subway systems often packed to the brim during rush hours, and confusing bus routes, hailing a cab can be a lifesaver when you need to get somewhere fast. If you’re travelling in a group, it can be cheaper, too!

This quick guide to taxis in Korea explains everything you need to know about catching taxis in cities across Korea like Seoul, Busan, Daejeon and Daegu. It covers how to hail a taxi on the streets or book one through an app, provides tips on communicating with drivers, and outlines the pricing structure and payment process so you never get ripped off. Read on to master the art of riding taxis like a local!

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

How To Get A Taxi In Korea: Summary

Taxis in Seoul are relatively cheap compared to countries like Japan, the US and the UK, with prices starting at ₩4,800 ($4 USD) for a short journey. You can hail a cab from the street or use taxi booking apps like Kakao Taxi to call a taxi to your location. Taxis are a convenient way to get around big cities like Seoul and to get from Incheon Airport to your hotel, possibly saving you time and money.

To check if a taxi is available, look at the sign in the windscreen. Here’s what each sign means:

Taxis are broken down into four main types – regular, deluxe, international, and jumbo. These taxis each charge different fares based on the services they provide. More details about costs and types of taxis are covered later in this guide to how to get a taxi in Korea. First, here’s how to hail a cab in Seoul.

How To Hail A Cab In Seoul & Other Cities

To hail a cab in Seoul, simply find a main street and look for taxis displaying the “빈차” (empty car) sign, which will be displayed with a red light. This indicates availability and the taxi will stop to pick you up if you hail it by sticking out your arm and waving to the taxi. Alternatively, you can book a taxi using an app, which will be covered in the next section.

There are several types of taxi in Seoul that you can hail from the street:

Regular Taxis (일반 택시): These taxis are usually grey or white saloon cars that can accommodate up to 4 passengers with limited space in the boot for 1 or 2 suitcases at most.

International Taxis (인터내셔널 택시): These taxis look similar to regular taxis, but they are bright orange and can only be found in Seoul. These taxis cater to tourists and the drivers can speak other languages, including English, Chinese, or Japanese. The price for these taxis is 20% higher than regular taxis.

Deluxe Taxis (모범 택시): Taxi drivers in deluxe taxis are known for their experience and service, so you can expect a very pleasant ride with this type of taxi in Seoul in a more luxurious car. However, the prices are also higher for the same journey length and time, so be careful.

Jumbo Taxis (대형 택시): These large taxis can accommodate larger groups and people travelling with luggage, which makes them ideal for airport transfers between Seoul and Incheon Airport. Not so common outside of transportation centres like major stations and airports.

You can find taxi stands outside busy areas like bus and train stations, department stores, and central shopping and entertainment areas. If you can’t hail a taxi from the street, it might be because there’s a taxi stand nearby and taxis will only pick up customers from there. Look around and see if you can see a taxi stand, which usually has a signpost with the word ‘taxi’ or ‘택시’ on it.

How To State Your Destination

Once you’ve hailed a taxi, you need to tell the driver your destination. Try saying the location in English or Korean, or show the driver the location on a map app, such as Naver Map or Kakao Map. However, I’ve found some older taxi drivers have trouble looking at maps on phone screens, so this may not work. You can use those map apps to check your journey so you arrive at the right place.

Tip: Pick up a business card from your hotel as they usually have the address in Korean on them. You can show this to the taxi driver to get back to your hotel easily.

Tip: Make sure the driver starts the meter after you’ve stated your destination. It’s a legal requirement to use the meter and if they don’t, they’re likely trying to rip you off.

How To Pay For A Taxi Ride In Korea

If you hail a taxi from the street in Korea, you can pay for the ride at your destination in cash, by card, or with a transportation card such as the T-Money card. Card payments are the easiest method to pay as you don’t have to worry about carrying cash with you as you travel. You can use international credit cards (Visa / Mastercard), or a local debit card like a WOWPASS to pay for the taxi.

For travel money in Korea, I recommend getting either a Wise travel card (Visa / Mastercard debit card accepted in Korea) or the aforementioned WOWPASS. I use both to pay for taxis and other services in Korea. You can find out more about both of those in my article about how to pay in Korea.

Tip: Taxi drivers never ask for tips and it is not expected that you will tip them. I’ve lived in Korea since 2015 and never once paid or been asked for a tip by a Korean taxi driver.

Taxi Prices In Seoul & Other Cities

Taxi fares in Seoul start at ₩4,800 for the first 1.6km of your journey and rise by ₩100 for every 131 metres or 30 seconds in the taxi. This is the price for regular taxis in Seoul. Deluxe, jumbo and international taxis start with higher base charges and there are additional costs for taking a taxi at night. Outside of Seoul, the base charge is typically lower and the additional costs may be different.

Tip: You can work out the expected cost of taking a taxi in Seoul and other cities with Kakao Taxi. More details on how to use Kakao Taxi in the next section.

Here are the base charges for taxis in Seoul during the day and at night, as well as additional charges.

Late Night Taxi Surcharges

There is a late night surcharge applied to taxi fares in Korea between 10pm and 4am to cover the unsociable working hours. The amount you pay for the base taxi fare at night increases, with higher costs between 11pm and 2am. Due to the increased fee during these hours, it’s often difficult to find taxis right before the increase as drivers wait a while for a higher fee, even on taxi booking apps.

Problems Finding A Taxi In Seoul

Finding a taxi in Seoul at night has become increasingly difficult since the pandemic, with taxi drivers leaving the industry to become delivery drivers for Korea’s growing home delivery services instead. Some taxi drivers also refuse to accept low-value fares, although they are legally obliged to do so. This is a growing issue due to taxi booking apps allowing drivers to screen out low-value routes.

How To Book A Taxi With Kakao Taxi App

The best way to book taxis in Korea, especially for foreigners, is with a taxi booking app. The main taxi booking app in Korea is called Kakao Taxi and is useful for travellers as it’s available in English and other languages. Kakao Taxi allows you to enter your start and end destinations and search for nearby taxis. You can request different types of taxi and the fare you see is usually close to the final charge.

Here is how to book a taxi with Kakao Taxi:

Step 1: Open the app and select the ‘Taxi’ feature. There are lots of other services available in Kakao Taxi, but the taxi feature is the main one and can be found in the top left corner of the screen.

Step 2: Select your pickup destination. The app will ask permission for your current location. Move the ‘From’ marker to the correct location to choose where to start your ride.

Step 3: Select your final destination. Click on the ‘Where are you going?’ button at the bottom of the screen. You can either search by typing in the name or use the map symbol to move the marker manually to where you want to go to. If you can’t find your destination, search in a different map app and then copy and paste address. Once you select your destination, click ‘set as destination’.

Step 4: Choose your taxi type. Depending on your location, you will see a range of available taxis to choose from. The best option is ‘General Request’ as this will be a regular taxi that can accommodate up to 4 people. If you need a larger taxi, choose the jumbo taxi option (if it’s available).

Step 5: Confirm payment payment method. The price of the taxi will appear at the bottom of the screen along with a ‘Request’ button. Before ordering the taxi, you’ll need to confirm the payment method. Fortunately, the default option is to pay to the driver. Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘Request’ again.

Step 6: Wait for your taxi. Check the progress of the taxi in the app. It will show you how far away the driver is and you can also track the journey from start to finish. Pay when you exit the taxi.

Kakao Taxi is available on Android and Apple. To learn more about how to use the app to book taxis in Korea, including how to set up a Kakao account, check out my useful guide to using Kakao Taxi in Korea, which includes screenshots of each step and more tips about how to book taxis with Kakao Taxi.

Tip: Apps like Kakao Taxi need an internet connection. Save money on SIM cards by booking them online from Klook before you travel. These are cheaper than the SIM cards at Incheon Airport.

Alternatives To Kakao Taxi

Travellers from other countries may be familiar with Grab, Uber, and other taxi hailing services where people can freelance and provide their own taxi services. Due to Korea’s strict taxi laws, these aren’t really possible and only registered taxi drivers can operate taxi services. Uber does exist in Korea, but it’s not widely used and offers the same services that Kakao Taxi does (booking registered taxis).

How To Get A Taxi From Incheon Airport To Seoul

There are many ways to get from Incheon Airport to Seoul, including high speed train, subway, and limo buses. Perhaps the most convenient for travellers to Korea for the first time, especially those with luggage or in a group, is to get a taxi from Incheon Airport directly to their hotel. There are all types of taxis available at Incheon Airport, including jumbo taxis that can take large groups with suitcases.

Taking a taxi from the airport direct to your hotel can save you time vs. public transport and may be cheaper than booking individual tickets for a limo bus if you’re travelling as a group. Travel time from Incheon Airport to central Seoul is around 40 minutes, but may be longer depending on the time of day and which part of Seoul you’re going to. Hongdae is closer than Myeongdong and Gangnam.

Tip: Order an airport pickup service before you arrive to ensure a taxi is waiting to take you to your hotel. Ordering online lets you pay in your home currency and avoids trying to get a taxi when you arrive.

Where To Get A Taxi At Incheon Airport

To get a taxi at Incheon Airport after you arrive, you should exit the Arrival Hall on the 1st floor through gates 4, 5, or 6 and cross the road, past the airport buses. As you can see in the map below, there are sections for regular taxis (outside gate 6) and international taxis (outside gate 4). These taxis will both take you to Seoul but the price is different, as explained later.

How Much Does A Taxi From Incheon Airport Cost?

The cost to travel to various parts of Seoul by taxi from Incheon Airport is displayed on the wall in the taxi boarding area to allow you to check the price before you get a taxi. The price of a taxi from Incheon Airport to Seoul depends on which district of Seoul you’re travelling to and can also include tolls. Expect to pay around ₩60,000 to ₩75,000 to get to central areas of Seoul by regular taxi.

Tip: Don’t let the drivers offer you a set price to get to your hotel, as this is likely to be much more expensive and there have been numerous reports of tourists getting ripped off in this way. Always use the meter and check the expected fare before you travel.

International Taxi Service From Incheon Airport

If you want to use an international taxi to get from Incheon Airport to your hotel in Seoul, you can book them online using the International Taxi website. This is a taxi service designed to help foreign tourists in Korea and provides taxi drivers who can speak English, Chinese, Japanese, or other languages. The service is focused on providing safe and convenient taxi booking from Incheon Airport.

The main benefits of the international taxi service is that you can book it online (at least 24 hours in advance), the drivers can speak other languages, and the prices to each district in Seoul are set. The cost of booking an international taxi service from Incheon Airport starts from ₩70,000 (about $55 USD). The price for a taxi to the Myeongdong area is ₩85,000 (about $65 USD).

Please note: The international taxi service is more expensive than regular taxis at Incheon Airport. There is also an international taxi service that offers services within Seoul, but this has a 20% surcharge on the regular taxi price. Due to these extra costs, I would recommend using Kakao Taxi or hailing a cab from the street instead of this service if you’re moving around the city.

Useful Phrases When Using A Taxi In Korea

Here are some useful phrases that show you how to get a taxi in Korea and how to give directions during the ride. Learning a few basic Korean phrases is a great way to understand more of your trip to Korea and makes a good impression when interacting with Korean people. You can also use translation apps like Papago to help you translate English into Korean and vice-versa.

How To Avoid Taxi Problems In Korea

Despite the Korean government regularly cracking down on the minority of bad taxi drivers, there are a few issues with taking taxis in Korea that it’s useful to be aware of. These problems are probably worst in Seoul and other touristy areas, but I’ve experienced them in less-touristy places, too. Here’s some of the common problems you might have taking a taxi in Korea and ways to hopefully avoid them.

Offering a fixed price: Taxi drivers at Incheon Airport might offer a set price to customers arriving to Korea instead of using the meter (as they are legally obliged to). This is likely to cost you a lot more, with some taxi rip-offs being as much as ten times the actual cost. Always use the meter unless you’ve pre-booked the taxi and paid in advance.

Saying the meter is broken: Another way taxi drivers may try to charge you a higher price is by not turning on the meter or telling you it’s broken and quoting a (higher) price instead. Be sure to check the meter is running when you start your journey and don’t accept a ride if it’s ‘broken’,

Taking a longer route than necessary: This is an issue I’ve had several times in Korea where taxi drivers take an indirect route to increase the fare. The best way to avoid this is to use Kakao Taxi and check the route as you go. If the driver goes off course, you can ask them why.

Driving at dangerous speeds: Time is literally money for taxi drivers in Korea and so some drive excessively fast and dangerously, including running red lights. I’ve seen a handful of crashed taxis who have done this. If you’re worried that your taxi driver is going to fast, tell them ‘chon-chon-hee‘, which means ‘slowly’ in Korean.

Fortunately, the number of taxi scams seems to be declining in Korea and with taxi booking apps like Kakao Taxi, it’s easier than ever to book a taxi in Korea and travel safely. Apply the same caution and common sense you’d use when taking a taxi in your own country and you should be fine.

If you’re think taking taxi is too much and prefer to drive by yourself, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide on driving in South Korea for foreigners, it includes detail from renting a car, all the way to driving nuances in South Korea.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to get a taxi in Korea. These answers are based on my own experience and from research conducted to write this article. If you have any more questions about this topic, please feel free to post a comment at the end of this article.

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This river boat service in Seoul will allow easier access to riverside destinations for locals and tourists alike, helping them get between some of the most popular destinations in Seoul, such as Yeouido and Jamsil (home of the Lotte World Tower). Seoul’s river bus service will allow people to cross the city’s mighty Han River, which is currently a hassle to do, with ease and speed.

The Seoul river bus service hasn’t started yet, and some of the details in this article may change by the time it launches in October 2024. I will continue to update this article before and after the river boat in Seoul begins operation so you have the most up to date information available. Read on to discover more about Seoul’s latest innovation, which prioritises accessibility, sustainability, and tourism needs.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What Is The Seoul River Bus Service?

The Seoul river bus service is an innovative new river-based transportation service being launched by the Seoul government to promote sustainability as well as tourism and accessibility around the Han River area. It will allow people to travel between various destinations on the Han River for a small fee and save time and effort vs. current methods of travelling between Han River locations.

There will be a total of 8 eco-friendly vehicles to carry up to 199 passengers, bicycles, and wheelchairs at a time along the length of the Han River in central Seoul. The boats will move at 17 knots (31 km/h), which will make them faster than rush-hour traffic. It will run from Magok in the west of the city (close to Gimpo Airport) to Jamsil in the east – home of the Lotte World Tower and Seokchon Lake.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-Hoon stated the electric vessels will offer a climate-friendly transit option for 2.5 million citizens and visitors alike by 2030. He envisions the service as both a practical mobility solution and tourism draw, showcasing the innovative attractions of Seoul while addressing environmental issues through green transportation infrastructure enhancements along the iconic river.

When Will The Seoul River Bus Service Begin?

The metropolitan government has stated that the Seoul river bus service will begin in October 2024, as long as the construction of river bus terminals meets the expected schedule. The service will connect seven terminals along the Han River at first, but could be expanded to other parts of the city at later dates. I will add updates about extensions to this article when announced.

What Hours Does The Seoul River Bus Run?

The river bus service will run during the following hours:

The earlier hours during the week are to allow commuters to travel along the river instead of using congested road and public transportation routes. This should make travelling in Seoul during rush hour less stressful (it’s really busy now) and save commuters a lot of time in some situations.

How Often Will The River Boat In Seoul Operate?

The river boat in Seoul will run at different frequencies depending on the time of day and week:

The Seoul river bus service takes up to 75 minutes to travel the full route between Magok and Jamsil, or 54 minutes between these two destinations if you use the express service that only stops at Magok, Yeouido, and Jamsil.

What Are The Seoul River Bus Stops?

The Seoul river bus service will stop at the following locations (as shown from left to right in the map image above) along the Han River:

You can see these destinations with this Seoul River Bus Locations Map from Google Maps. These destinations were chosen based on a number of factors and provide services to residential, commercial and tourist areas. The most popular areas for tourists on the Han River are Mangwon, Yeouido, and Ttukseom, but each area has attractions and services that travellers are likely to travel to.

What Can You See Near These Stops?

As mentioned, the most popular stops on the river bus in Seoul for tourists are Mangwon, Yeouido, and Ttukseom, as these stops are home to popular Han River parks and other tourist attractions. If you’re planning to ride the Seoul river bus service when you visit Seoul, this table shows you some of the key attractions and areas you’ll find near each stop. This will help you plan your Seoul itinerary.

Future Terminals On The Han River Boat Service

Besides the original 7 stops on the Seoul river bus service, the city government has announced plans to add more destinations to help increase convenience for commuters and to make Seoul more attractive for tourists. The line might extend past Magok to the Gimpo Ara Han River dock, which is close to Gimpo Airport hotels and duty free shops. There may also be more stops between terminals.

As well as the river bus, the Seoul government has a number of other future attractions in the works, such as the world’s first twin ferris wheel and an aerial gondola connecting various cultural and tourist hotspots along the river. These are part of Seoul mayor Oh Se-Hoon’s “Great Han River Project Plan” that will transform the capital’s riverside area in the next few years.

How Much Does The Seoul River Boat Cost?

The Seoul river boat service will cost ₩3,000 (about $2.25) per ride, which is more expensive than the current price of subway rides and bus rides in the capital, but offers a convenient method of crossing the river which will certainly save a lot of time. You should be able to use transportation cards such as the T-Money Card to pay for the rides, although this is still to be confirmed.

Seoul’s public transportation network currently allows free transfers between buses and subways within 30 minutes, as long as you touch out with your transportation card when leaving the bus or subway. It hasn’t been confirmed whether the Seoul river bus service will also feature free or discounted transfers between journeys with other methods of public transportation.

How To Get Discounted River Boat Rides In Seoul

As part of the Seoul government’s push to reduce commuting costs and encourage people to use more public transportation, people with a Seoul Climate Card will also be able to ride on the Han River boat service for free. The Climate Card, which launched in January 2024, offers unlimited public transportation within the city for a monthly fee starting at ₩62,000.

What To See And Do On The Han River

The Han River offers an abundance of attractions for visitors to Seoul to enjoy. Travellers can explore lengthy riverside parks perfect for cycling, jogging or leisurely strolls, with scenic stretches like Yeouido Hangang Park and Ttukseom Hangang Park. There are also swimming pools, sports facilities and performance venues situated along the shores, and various festivals throughout the year.

Here are 15 top sights along the Han River in Seoul:

With so much recreation, entertainment and sightseeing available along the banks of the river, the Han River area promises appealing destinations for any visitor to Seoul, which will only be enhanced with the forthcoming water bus service. The natural scenery, historic landmarks, and wealth of activities offer compelling reasons for travellers to explore this iconic river and its parks.

Han River Night Cruises In Seoul

When the sun goes down, the Han River comes alive with illuminated cruise boats that provide a magical way to see Seoul’s skyline. The Seoul Hangang River Cruise is a popular way to see the sights of Seoul along the river at night. Lasting about an hour, the river cruise brings passengers past the glittering Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain, city landmarks, and picturesque parks after dark.

Gliding gently down the river, the evening cruise allows visitors to view Seoul’s vibrant energy from a unique vantage point amid the glistening reflections of a capital that truly never sleeps. As well as night cruises that show you Seoul’s vibrant city lights under moonlit skies, you can also take a Han River cruise during the day with regular departures daily. Book online or buy tickets on the day.

Other Ways To Get Around The Han River

The Han River encompasses some of the most beautiful parts of Seoul, with 12 riverside parks, attractions, and areas of natural beauty to enjoy throughout the city. Besides taking a river bus in Seoul to see the Han River, here are some other ways you can explore the waterway.

By Bicycle: The Seoul Public Bike rental service provides people the chance to rent bikes and cycle along the long stretches of the river’s edge. Popular areas for cycling are around Yeouido and in Seongsu-dong between Seoul Forest Park and Ttukseom Park and beyond. This is one of the best places to ride a bike in Korea, with 240km of cycle routes along the Han River.

By Foot: Along with cycle paths that run along the Han River’s shore, there are also walking paths in similar areas. The walking path around Yeouido is especially beautiful and home to several spring flower festivals, including one of Seoul’s largest cherry blossom festivals. Walking between the two banks of the river has been hard until the introduction of the river bus in Seoul, which will making exploring easier.

River Cruise: As mentioned, a river cruise is a great way to see the sights of Seoul, both during the day and at night. Even though the new Seoul river bus service might reduce people’s desire to pay for a cruise, the fact that you can travel in peace and pass under the many beautiful bridges at a slow pace will keep the cruise popular.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Seoul river bus service. These answers are based on my own experience and from research conducted to write this article. If you have any more questions about this topic, please feel free to post a comment at the end of this article.

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This article will explain where and how to buy a Korea Tour Card, how to add credit to it, and where you can use it to get discounts on popular attractions, shows, shopping, and more. Not sure if you need a transportation card? This article will also explain the benefits of these essential travel cards.

If you’re travelling to Korea and plan to use public transport to get around, which I’d really recommend as it’s amazing, then you’ll definitely want to pick up a Korea Tour Card. Find out why below.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What Is The Korea Tour Card

The Korea Tour Card is a pre-paid transportation card with T-Money functions that is exclusively available for tourists to South Korea. Tourists can use the Korea Tour Card to pay for public transportation on Korea’s subways and buses, as well as to receive discounts at attractions and shops.

Here are the key details of the Korea Tour Card. Details about how and where to buy the Korea Tour Card, how and where to use it, and further information will be provided throughout this article.

Korea Tour Card Vs. T-Money

T-Money is the main rechargeable transportation card in Korea and is found in the T-Money card and other prepaid cards, including the Korea Tour Card. It is used to pay for public transportation in Korea.

The Korea Tour Card includes T-Money functions, including paying for public transportation, but also provides exclusive benefits for tourists in Korea.

With The Korea Tour Card, tourists can gain discounts on hundreds of attractions, shops, hotels, and restaurants. A regular T-Money card costs ₩2,500 and the Korea Tour Card costs ₩4,000.

Korea Tour Card Vs. Discover Seoul Pass

The Discover Seoul Pass is a city pass that provides free or discounted entry to dozens of premium attractions in Seoul. The Discover Seoul Pass is valid for 24, 48, or 72 hours. Like the Korea Tour Card, the Discover Seoul Pass includes T-Money functions to pay for public transportation.

Both the Discover Seoul Pass and Korea Tour Card offer discounts to tourists, however, the price and value of those discounts are significantly different. The Discover Seoul Pass starts at ₩50,000 for a 24 hour pass and gives you free or discounted entry to top attractions.

Where To Buy The Korea Tour Card

The Korea Tour Card is exclusively designed for tourists to Korea and can be purchased at most points of entry into Korea, including major airports and harbours. You can also preorder a Korea Tour Card online and collect it at one of the following locations, which is also where you can buy them in person.

Korea Tour Card purchase locations:

• Incheon Airport, Terminal 1
• Incheon Airport, Terminal 2
• Gimpo Airport (Seoul)
• Gimhae Airport (Busan)
• Jeju International Airport
• Daegu International Airport
• Busan Port Passenger Terminal

Buying A Korea Tour Card At Incheon Airport

Most travellers to Korea arrive at Incheon Airport near Seoul. You can purchase a Korea Tour Card from the transportation centres inside Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 of Incheon Airport. The Korea Tour Card is sold from a vending machine (pictured) near the entrance to the subway that connects Incheon Airport to parts of Seoul.

Please note: You will need cash to purchase the Korea Tour Card (₩4,000) and cash to top up the T-Money balance so you can use it for public transport. Details about how to top up later in this article.

Korea Tour Card Designs

There are several designs of the Korea Tour Card that depend on where you purchase the card. These are the main designs you can see in Korea now:

Regular Korea Tour Card

The regular edition of the Korea Tour Card has a blue and pink design and the T-Money logo in the bottom corner. This is the Korea Tour Card design that’s sold at Incheon Airport and most airports, except on the south coast of Korea.

The Korea Tour Card offers T-Money functions as well as discounts in over 200 locations across Korea.

Southern Coast Edition (Busan)

The Southern Coast of Korea edition of the Korea Tour Card, also known as the Namhaean Coast design, is sold in the southern regions of Korea, which stretch from Busan all the way to Mokpo.

There are over 40 exclusive benefits for tourists visiting this part of Korea with this version of the card, as well as the regular benefits of the Korea Tour Card.

Visit Korea Year Limited Edition

The Visit Korea Year Korea Tour Card is a limited edition version of the card that celebrates the Visit Korea project, which runs from 2023 to 2024. There are two designs of the Visit Korea Year edition of the Korea Tour Card – a dark background card and a light background card.

This version of the Korea Tour Card is the same as the regular version and comes with all of the same features and benefits.

How To Top Up The Korea Tour Card

The Korea Tour Card is the tourist version of a T-Money card and can be topped up in the same way a regular T-Money card can be topped up. You can top up the Korea Tour Card at convenience stores in Korea and at subway stations in major cities, as well as at the T-Money head office in Seoul.

Convenience store chains in Korea include GS25, CU, Emart 24, Story Way, 7/11 and Ministop. There are fives areas in Korea with subway systems, these are the Seoul Capital Area (which includes Incheon), Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju. You can top up at thousands of locations in Korea.

Remember, you will need to have Korean won to top up the Korea Tour Card. All transportation cards in Korea can only be topped up using cash and can’t be topped up using credit or debit cards. The only exception is the mobile versions of these cards, which can be topped up with card payments.

Top Up In Subway Stations

Topping up the Korea Tour Card T-Money balance at a subway station is the easiest option as the top up machines usually have English instructions. Here are the steps to top up at a subway station:

1. Select ‘recharge card’ on the screen.
2. Select the value to top up.
3. Confirm the top up value.
4. Insert cash into the machine.
5. Place your card on the card reader.
6. Wait for the card to recharge.
7. Take the card and use it.

Top Up At Convenience Stores

Topping up the Korea Tour Card at a convenience store is the most convenient option as there are thousands of these stores across all of Korea. Here are the steps to top up at a convenience store:

1. Go into a convenience store.
2. Ask the cashier to top up the card.
3. State your desired top up value.
4. Pay cash to the cashier.
5. Place your card on the card reader.
6. Wait for the top up.
7. Collect your card and use it.

Where To Use The Korea Tour Card

There are dozens of places you can get discounts on a range of things, including attractions, shopping, services, restaurants, cafes, hanbok rental, river cruises, and more. Discounts are available at popular tourist destinations such as N Seoul Tower, Lotte World Adventure, and the COEX Aquarium.

You’ll find discounts in the major cities of South Korea – Seoul, Incheon, Busan, and Daegu. Also, there are select discounts in major tourist areas, such as Jeju Island, Gangneung, Gangjin, and the Namhaean Coast. Use the Korea Tour Card website for a full list of available benefits and locations.

Below is a summary of some of the best benefits available with the Korea Tour Card for each of the different categories (attractions, experiences, shopping, etc.).

Tourist Attractions

Tourists can get discounts at more than 30 popular tourist attractions across Korea with the Korea Tour Card. Here are some of the best attractions benefits:

• N Seoul Tower (20-30% discount)
• Busan X The Sky (10% discount)
• Gwangmyeong Cave (50% discount)
• Korean Folk Village (₩10,000 off)
• Jeju Folk Village (10% discount)
• Nami Island (₩1,000 gift coin)
• Petite France (₩11,000 discount)

Entertainment

The Korea Tour Card offers a range of discounts on family-friendly entertainment options in Seoul and across Korea. Here are some of the best benefits:

• COEX Aquarium (20% discount)
• Everland Resort (30% discount)
• Caribbean Bay (30% discount)
• Hanbok Day (50% discount)
• Lotte World Adventure (30% off)
• Seoul Sky (10% discount)
• Sea Life Busan (30% discount)

Performance / Exhibition

Save money on cultural performances, museums, and exhibitions while you travel in Korea, including family-fun places. Here are some of the best savings:

• Museum Kimchikan (20% discount)
• Brick Campus Jeju (10% discount)
• Animation Museum (20% discount)
• World Doll Musem (20% discount)
• Alive Museum (₩2,000 discount)
• Gangneung Coffee Museum
• Hahoe Mask Museum (10% off)
• Robot Studio (20% discount)

Shopping / Duty-Free

The Korea Tour Card has been designed to allow tourists to Korea to save more when shopping. Here are some places where you can get benefits when shopping:

• The Shilla Duty Free Seoul
• Shinsegae Duty Free Seoul
• Lotte Duty Free
• Hyundai Department Stores
• Hyundai City Outlet Mall
• Gyeongbokgung Duty Free
• Doota Mall

Korean Experiences

Experience more of Korea than just the main sights and attractions. Here are some of the best discounted experiences you can try with the Korea Tour Card:

• Eland River Cruise (10% discount)
• Hwagyesa Templestay (10% off)
• K-Pop Central (20% discount)
• 3355 Hanbok (20% discount)
• Canoe Kayak Experience (10% off)
• Dynamic Maze (₩2,000 discount)
• Grande Bleu Yacht Tour (30% off)
• Incheon City Tour (20% discount)
• Hyanggyo-Pottery (10% discount)

Namhaean Coast Benefits

If you’re visiting Korea’s southern coast, you can get 40 more discounts across this area with the Namhaean Coast version of the Korea Tour Card. Popular attractions in this area that are discounted include:

• Aqua Planet Yeosu
• Tongyeong Cable Car
• Lotte Water Park
• Skyline Luge Tongyeong
• Geoju Blue City Tour
• Yeosu Cable Car
• Suncheon Filming Locations
• Blue Marina Yachts Tour
• Busan Museum Of Movies
• Geojedo Sea Spa

Korea Tour Card App Mobile Version

There is a mobile version of the Korea Tour Card available to Android users. This version of the card is free and comes with the same T-Money benefits as the regular card (through your phone’s NFC function).

The main difference between the mobile and card versions of the Korea Tour Card is that you can top up using a credit card with the mobile version, whereas the card version can only be topped up with cash.

Should you get the mobile version of the Korea Tour Card instead of the physical version? Personally, I wouldn’t recommend it. Although the mobile version is free, the reviews of the app are not good (2.2 / 5) and to use the card you need an active Internet connection to use your phone’s NFC function.

The card version of the Korea Tour Card is easier to use and topping up in cash isn’t a problem once you have some local currency. There is no risk of the card not working, unlike the app, and it’s also faster as you don’t have to wait for anything to load (a big problem according to reviews of the app).

Alternative Korean Transportation Cards

Transportation cards are a hassle-free and money saving way to travel on Korea’s public transportation and can double as nice souvenirs when you get one with a nice design. Besides the Korea Tour Card, here are a range of other Korean transportation cards that provide the same or similar functions:

T-Money Card

The T-Money card is the most popular transportation card in Korea and is cheaper than a Korea Tour Card. You can buy, top up, and pay for things with a T-Money card at the same locations as the Korea Tour Card, but it doesn’t any offer discounts. The T-Money card can be used to pay for small purchases in shops, restaurants, and cafes, including McDonalds and Starbucks.

WOWPASS

The WOWPASS card includes T-Money functions, but is more versatile as it is also a Korean debit card. You can top up the WOWPASS card and use it to pay like a local, not just for transportation, but for all your shopping and spending needs. Add up to ₩1,000.000 with 16 different currencies. Check out my guide to WOWPASS to learn more about how to use this useful card.

Cashbee Transportation Card

The main competition to T-Money is the Cashbee transportation card, which can be purchased from convenience stores and subway stations across Korea. Like T-Money, you can use Cashbee to pay for public transportation and small purchases. Cashbee, by Lotte, can also be used in Lotte locations, including Lotte Department Store and Lotte Cinema.

Railplus Transportation Card

The third option for transportation cards in Korea is the Railplus card, which is provided by Korea Rail. These cards are available through Namanecard vending machines in train stations and department stores across Korea. These allow you to personalise your transportation card by uploading a picture which is printed onto the card. Railplus cards can be used on Korea’s train network (unlike other cards).

Is The Korea Tour Card Worth Buying?

Should you get the Korea Tour Card when visiting Korea? I would definitely recommend getting a Korean transportation card to make travelling in Korea easier, cheaper, and more convenient. Whether you get a Korea Tour Card or one of the other transportation cards depends on how you’ll use it.

The price of the Korea Tour Card is ₩4,000, which is only a bit more expensive than a regular T-Money card, but the discounts of the Korea Tour Card can easily save you more. If you plan to visit premium attractions such as the N Seoul Tower, COEX Aquarium, or Lotte World, it’s certainly worth it.

Finally, the Korea Tour Card is available at convenient locations, such as Incheon Airport, which makes it useful for travellers arriving in Korea who want to use the all-stop train to get into Seoul. As public transportation is cheap, effective, and widely available, buying a Korea Tour Card is worth it.

Does The Korea Tour Card Offer The Best Savings?

I wouldn’t rely solely on the discounts of the Korea Tour Card when planning what to see and do in Korea. There are discounted tickets online that might save you more, such as those offered by Klook, Viator, and Get Your Guide. Sometimes the Korea Tour Card is cheaper, sometimes not.

The table below will show you a comparison between the prices you’ll pay with the Korea Tour Card and Klook, which offers the widest range of discounted tours and tickets in Korea. As you can see, the Korea Tour Card is cheaper only when visiting the N Seoul Tower, otherwise Klook has better prices.

Korea Tour Card FAQs

Finally, here are a few FAQs about the Korea Tour Card, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, feel free to leave a comment.

Support In My Korea

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Korean Seasons & Weather

You’ll find the top 3 locations in 5 different types of places to cycle, including the best mountains, lakes, bike routes, cities, and islands. These are personal favourites of the author, who has spent a decade riding from head to tail of the Korean peninsular.

There are also great tips about cycling in Korea, when to visit, and why you definitely must bring your bike or rent one in Korea. Discover where to ride a bike, why you won’t want to miss out on Korea’s gorgeous scenery and nature, and how to get passport stamps for it all.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Where Can You Go Cycling In Korea?

There are many different places to go cycling in Korea, from modern city streets to rustic countryside roads weaving between mountains and alongside rice fields. Truly, there’s something for everyone to see and enjoy when cycling in Korea.

There are five main places in Korea where you can find cycle paths and routes that will accommodate cyclists. These are in the cities, hopping between Korea’s beautiful islands, along designated cycle routes, over Korea’s many mountains, and around pretty lakes.

Here’s a brief overview of what you can find in each section of this article:

Best cities to go cycling in: Korea has many sprawling urban areas sandwiched in between mountains and rice fields. Find out which ones are the most bike-friendly.

Best island hopping cycle routes: Dotted along Korea’s long shoreline are hundreds of islands you can ride around and between. These three areas are unmissable.

Best cycle routes in Korea: Fancy spending a few days or a week riding across Korea? These 3 routes will show you incredible views as you cycle.

Best mountain paths to cycle along: Ride along the spine of Korea and around majestic national parks. Korea is blessed with thousands of mountains to ride up and over.

Best lakes to ride around: Want a peaceful, tranquil ride around Korea? Then visit these pristine lakes and see the sun reflecting off the calm waters.

Use the links above to jump to the section you’re most interested in, or read through to discover all of the best places where you can enjoy cycling in Korea. There’s also some great cycling tips at the end to help you plan your cycling adventure.

Why Should You Cycle In Korea?

There are many reasons why you should go cycling in Korea. Whether you’re a biking enthusiast, or just want to explore Korea’s cities or countryside faster than on foot, you’re sure to love riding around Korea.

First of all, cycling is a great way to explore Korea. You really get to see the country from a different point of view by slowing down and enjoying the scenery. Korea offers cyclists many different types of cycling for you to enjoy based on your cycling style.

Furthermore, you’ll get away from overcrowded, touristy attractions and see the real side of Korea. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with seeing all the cool sights, but you should definitely take time to get on a bike and see other parts of Korea, too.

The good news about cycling in Korea is that you don’t need to bring your own bike. In cities, you can rent bikes daily for cruising the city streets, such as Seoul’s Ttareungyi bikes. These are usually pretty basic, but perfect for a short ride and cost as little as 1,000 KRW per hour.

If you want a biking adventure, you can rent cross-country bikes from places like Green Cycle Park (Seoul), Bike Nara (Seoul), We Ride (Seoul) and Bike Trip (Jeju Island). These places offer bike rental, as well as gear, and can provide you the right bike for your chosen route. Some even offer tours.

Feeling brave and want to experience a uniquely Korean journey across the whole of Korea, riding along rivers, over mountains, past rice fields, and through towns? If you’ve got 10 days to spare, why not try riding all the way from Seoul to Busan by bike!

Check out the video below to get a taste of what that spectacular odyssey looks like.

About The Guest Author For This Article

This article was very kindly contributed by my good friend, Tim. Tim has lived in Korea for over a decade and cycled probably every single road in Korea, covering more than 20,000 km of roads and cycle paths in one year alone!

There’s no better person to share their knowledge of the best places to go cycling in Korea, discovered through hundreds of rides up and down the country in all seasons.

In this article Tim shares his favourite places to ride in Korea, from mountain pathways to scenic lakeside routes that show off the best of Korea. He also includes his top tips to help you enjoy your time on two wheels in Korea more easily.

Tim is not only a cycling enthusiast, he’s also a keen photographer and captures his experiences visiting parts of rural Korea that you’ve probably never heard of or seen before.

If you want to learn more about Korean country life, festivals, and hidden gems, follow Tim’s adventures around Korea through his Photos Of Korea profile on Facebook or Instagram. To see his incredible pictures from rural Korea and beyond, view his profile on Unsplash.

Starting with the best cities to go cycling in Korea, here are Tim’s 5 favourite types of places to go for a ride in Korea and his recommendations for each different place.

Best Cities For Cycling In Korea

Best city to cycle in: Sejong City

Runners up: Seoul, Gwangju, Daejeon, Daegu

Sejong is a new city, built with both the future and cyclists in mind. The sidewalks are large and there are bike paths weaving through the city. The large pavements mean there are less people on the bike lanes, which makes Sejong more navigable than other cities.

You can rent bikes from Sejong Bike, which has locations throughout the city. Hot spots to cycle in Sejong include the bike path around Sejong Lake and the circular Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge, which has a bike only level that allows you to see wide river views.

There are two streams that merge before connecting to the Geumgang River. These (along with one more on the south side of Geumgang) act as highways for cyclists. Ride along these paths in spring or summer for verdant views of the abundant foliage and blue skies.

Sejong is part of the Geumgang Bicycle Path, which runs for 146km between Daejeon and Gunsan and can be completed in about 8 hours one way. This is one of the four beautiful riverside bike paths that cyclists in Korea should definitely check out.

Seoul has done a pretty good job of creating useful bike paths across the city, but it is much harder to get around without having to stop and start. There are cafes along the bike paths and not as many pedestrians in the way as other cities.

However, you will also contend with a larger volume of cyclists as you travel along the Han River, especially in popular areas such as Yeouido and near Seoul Forest. There are cycle lanes for riding in each direction, and separate paths for pedestrians on the main routes.

These cycle paths offer breathtaking views of the sun reflecting off the wide river, especially towards sunset, which explains why they’re so busy. The Hangang River Cycling Routes run for 240km throughout Seoul and is the longest cycle route in Korea. Thanks to the upcoming Seoul river bus service, which accepts bicycles, you can explore these water cycle routes very easily.

If you want to do some sightseeing while you cycle in Seoul, you can visit the top attractions by bike as easily as you can by foot. Not sure where to go? Join a bike tour in Seoul and ride with others while seeing the sights. It’s a good chance to make new friends.

Overall, there are a lot of cities that have bike paths running through the centre that can act as highways to get around the city. Larger cities like Daejeon (pictured above), Gwangju, and Daegu have useful bike paths that run along rivers and around the city.

Most cities in Korea have public bike rental systems in place. If you want to ride through a city in Korea, I recommend visiting the tourist information office when you arrive (they’re usually near train stations or bus terminals) and asking for advice about how to rent bikes.

Best Island Hopping Cycle Routes In Korea

Best island hopping cycle route in Korea: Goheung

Runners up: Geoje and Namhae

One of the best places to go cycling in Korea during the sweltering summer has to be along the coast. You’ll find dozens of connected islands waiting to be explored. Cool breezes blow from the sea while you admire the contrast between lush greens and dazzling blues.

The best area for island hopping in Korea is Goheung, a south coast county that stretches its limbs out into the sea and is spread over several islands of varying sizes. These islands are connected by road bridges and also connect to Yeosu, a popular seaside resort area.

There are 19 inhabited islands in Goheung that are packed with mid-sized hills, rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, and winding roads to cycle on. Cyclists are well catered for in Goheung and there’s even a bike-only path (pictured below) that runs under the bridge to Geogeum Island.

The scenery is beautiful in this part of Korea and traffic isn’t really an issue, except in summer when there are more tourists. The hills are not high but take their toll after a while as you are constantly going up and down. Be sure to take breaks to enjoy the views.

Geojedo (Geoje Island), a popular summer tourist destination close to Busan, is another great island hopping place to go cycling in Korea. It’s the largest of the south-coast islands, and offers lots of small roads that hug the coastline that are great for cycling along.

Steer clear of the docks and industrial areas around the north-east area of Geoje and visit the southern and western side to see more of the island’s natural wonders, including the hilly areas along the south-east coast. There are also lots of sandy beaches to see.

Several smaller islands are connected by bridge, but you’ll need a ferry to some islands, such as Hansando, which is also accessible from Tongyeong. The waters around Hansando are famous in Korea as the place Admiral Yi Sun Sin defeated Japanese invaders.

Namhaedo is the main island of Namhae County and is a beautiful island that might be more popular than the previously mentioned places, especially in summer. This island also caters to cyclists, with lots of roads along the coast and through lush green wooded hills.

The beaches of Namhae are lovely, which don’t make it a great place to go cycling, of course, but provide lots of stunning backdrops to check out as you ride past. Or even as places to stay and spend an evening, watching the sun go down as you recover from a ride.

After riding around Namhae, I suggest taking a rest in the port of Noryang-ri before crossing the Namhae suspension bridge. It has a very relaxing atmosphere, offering you one final chance to view the beauty of this southern island.

If you want to spend several days cycling around the south coast in summer, there are pensions (Korean guesthouses) and beachside hotels you can rent for the night. This applies to coastal regions around the country. You can book these with agoda.com and similar sites.

Finally, I have to recommend Jeju Island. You can’t really island hop on Jeju Island, as it’s just one big island, but you get to enjoy all of the coastal views that you get with the other locations, along with Jeju Island’s unique volcanic rocks, food, culture, and sights.

There is a great 10-day Jeju Island cycle route that takes you all around the island. Only one course has a steep uphill (route 4), and most of it is flat, allowing you to speed along the island’s rugged coastline with enough energy to enjoy other activities on the island.

There are bike rentals on Jeju Island that allow you to add a cycling adventure to your journey without having to bring your own bike. You can learn more about how to go cycling around Jeju Island with this video.

Best Cycle Routes In Korea

Best cycle route in Korea: East Coast Bike Path

Runners up: Saejae Bicycle Path and Nakdong River Bike Path

Korea has some incredible bike paths that run all across the country, including a 4-part cross country route that connects Seoul to Busan through mountains and along rivers. There are also 4 winding river routes that follow Korea’s main rivers, as shown in the cycle map below.

The best bike route in Korea isn’t included on the map above. It’s known as the East Coast Bike Path and runs from Goseong County near the border with North Korea, all the way down to Yeongdeok County near Pohang. It runs for 343km and takes about 4 – 6 days.

With coastal views on one side and the Taebaek mountain range on the other, the scenery is never dull, passing through seaside towns such as Sokcho and Gangneung. The path is mainly coastal roads and bike paths, but you’ll also ride on farm roads and pavements.

The East Coast Bike Path can be difficult to navigate, with pedestrians being an issue in summer, but you just can’t beat the views. There are sections of rocky shorelines with crashing waves, beautiful harbours, and points of interest (Sokcho Bay, Sun Cruise Ship).

The hardest part of riding along the East Coast Bike Path is not stopping to take photos every five minutes. Check out the video below to see what the East Coast Bike Path is all about and what sort of views you can expect.

You could argue that the Seomjin River Bike Path is more beautiful than the East Coast Bike Path, and I wouldn’t put up much of a fight. If you start near Okjeong Lake, the path has a gentle descent through peaceful mountain roads all the way to Sunchang. Since it is not a popular area, you can let your mind wander with no one around.

The Saejae Bicycle Path is a mountain route that runs for 100km between the cities of Chungju and Sajang in the centre of Korea. It’s a beautiful, yet tough, route that passes near (but not over) the ancient Great Yeongnam Road, which once connected Seoul to Busan.

The highest point of the Saejae Bicycle Path is 539m above sea level, and the route includes the two longest uphill stretches in Korea. This bike route can be challenging if you’re used to flat bike paths, but overall it’s not too difficult compared to other mountain passes in Korea.

There’s a rest stop and lookout at the top, which you should definitely use so you can enjoy the incredible views and prepare yourself for the descent. The mountain provides a lot of cool shade, which you’ll need as you sweatily pedal away up those long uphill stretches.

Heading north from this path you will see some beautiful countryside as you pass through Goesan into Jeungpyeong. If you head south instead, you’ll find the Nakdong River Bike Path. This is also the final leg of the cross-country bike path that connects Seoul and Busan.

The Nakdong River Bike Path runs for 389km and is mostly a downhill descent into Busan. My favourite part of the Nakdong River Bike Path is between Sangju and Daegu. It’s not very difficult, offering you a flat road to cruise along at your own speed. I find it really relaxing.

I especially wanted to mentioned Sangju in this article because it is the self-proclaimed cycling capital of Korea. The Sangju Bicycle Museum, the first bicycle museum in Korea, is located there. If you have time, pop in and visit this museum and check out the historic bikes.

In case you don’t have time for the bicycle museum, this video shows the highlights.

Best Mountain Cycling Routes In Korea

Best mountain cycling route in Korea: Taebaek Ridge around Seoraksan

Runner ups: Songnisan National Park, Jirisan National Park

If you plan to cycle through Korea’s mountains, you’ll likely pass through the Tabebaek Mountain Range. Known as the spine of Korea, it runs along the east side of the entire peninsula. On the eastern side of the mountain range there is a large drop-off to the sea.

I like the Seorak Mountain pass as the winding road down the mountain is a lot of fun. There is a lookout at the top of the mountain and a place to stop and see Ulsanbawi Rock. The road isn’t too busy as the faster traffic uses the highway that runs parallel to this road.

On clear days, you can see all the way to the distant East Sea. There are a number of roads that descend down to the coast from this part of the mountain range. If you head down to the laid back beach towns. you really feel like you are entering a different country.

My favourite ascent in Korea is on the west side of Taebaek Mountain. The road is called Gurae Road (구래로). The road is a bit beat up, but there’s a lot of shade and the views between the trees are spectacular. It is a hidden gem for cycling.

For an individual mountain area, I like Songnisan National Park area. The road leading up to Beopjusa Temple (pictured above) shows you traditional Korean architecture along with lush foliage and Buddhist temple buildings. The whole area inside the park is wonderful.

Songnisan Road heading up from the Jangjae Reservoir was one of my favourite ascents in Korea. The road loops back upon itself a lot with 11 switchbacks. However, it became a tourist hotspot, making it difficult to cycle there as you have to constantly deal with traffic.

I also like the Cheongbuk Alps road (near Samga Reservoir) and Yonghwa Road (997) near Songnisan. This area has a lot to offer and is convenient if you live in Daejeon.

Jirisan National Park is Korea’s largest national park and has one of the highest mountain passes on mainland Korea. There are 3 roads that meet near the top of Jirisan, allowing you to travel between Namwon, Gurye, and a small town to the north-east.

You can choose the difficulty of the ascent based on which way you approach the peak. The route from Gurye is definitely the hardest and can put pressure on your brakes if you go down that way. Riding through the main town of Gurye (pictured above) is a treat, though.

Namwon is also pretty difficult but rewarding with a rest area to itself with a nice view. The road to the north-east is the easiest and can be relaxing in a way. There are many other areas to cycle around in Jirisan and routes that follow the edge of the national park instead.

Best Lakes To Cycle Around In Korea

Best lake to cycle around in Korea: Yongdam Lake

Runner ups: Cheongcho Lake (Sokcho) and Sejong Lake

Lakes in Korea are usually beautiful places to go cycling. They are mostly manmade lakes created by damming a river in the mountains. Therefore, you will see the glistening water while also having mountains right beside you.

In my opinion, Yongdam Lake is the best lake to cycle around in Korea, located near Jeonju in central Korea. There is no bike path, but there isn’t too much traffic on the roads around it. It is one of the most under-appreciated lakes and I think you will be impressed by its beauty.

I especially love the north side of the lake near the Yongdam Dam Park. There are a number of pavilions and rest spots where you can check out the views or enjoy a bite to eat at a traditional restaurant. In spring, you can see the bright yellow canola flowers all around.

Cheongcho Lake is in Sokcho on Korea’s north-east coast. It’s a dazzling gem that can be seen as you cycle through the city. I’m not sure if I’d consider Cheongcho Lake (pictured above) a real lake because it was a lagoon sectioned off from the sea by a sandbar.

That being said, it is the prettiest lake within a city. There are bike paths around the lake with plenty of things to see along the way. In particular, Expo Tower and Abai Village are worth exploring. You can also hike in Seoraksan if you want to get off your bike and explore Korean nature on foot.

Another city lake worth mentioning is Sejong Lake. It is a relatively new artificial lake (completed in 2013) and part of the ongoing growth of the future capital of Korea. Nearby is an artificial waterfall you can walk behind that even many local residents don’t know about.

There are plenty of bike lanes and things to do around the lake and in the area. However, this area is crowded during good weather making it quite frustrating to get around. If you decide to check it out, follow the northern paths that take you under two bridges / tunnels.

A few more honourable mentions for great lakes to cycle around include Gyeongpo Lake, Daea Reservoir, Uiam Lake, Hwanjingpo Lake, Hapcheon Reservoir, and Okjeong Lake.

Tips For Cycling In Korea

Here are a few tips for cycling in Korea that will help make your ride more comfortable and memorable. If you have any other cycling tips, please feel free to share them in the comments below.

Pick up a cycling passport and collect stamps: did you know you can get stamps when you go cycling around Korea? There are dozens of different stamps you can collect on various cycle routes. The cycling passport costs 4,000 KRW and makes for an awesome souvenir of your travels.

Know about Korea’s seasons: Korea has 4 distinct seasons and they can definitely affect bike riding plans. Summer is hot and humid and very wet in June and July. Cycling will be tough. Winter is very cold (below zero a lot of the time) and you really need to wrap up warm, especially your fingers. Spring and autumn are lovely times to cycle in Korea.

Bring plenty of water: this is especially important if you’re cycling in Korea during summer where the temperature can reach over 35 degrees with high humidity. Convenience stores sell cheap bottles of water and other drinks. Snacks, too.

Plan your route: if you’re going to ride on one of the designated bicycle routes, figure out where you’re going to start and stop and how you’re going to get around. You should be able to take your bike on trains, subways, or coaches, but check before you board. The last carriage on subways / trains is usually good for bikes.

Book accommodation ahead of time: want to spend a few days cycling in Korea? If you’re travelling on a weekend or during a busy time (cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, school holidays), you might find no room at the inn. Motels near train stations are a good last resort.

Get a T-Money Card: The T-Money Transportation Card is really useful when riding in Korea as you can use it to pay for items in shops without having to get cash out. You can also use it when taking a subway.

Learn a bit of Korean: some basic Korean phrases, or a good Korean translation app such as Papago, will help you out in case of problems and make planning more easy. At least have a copy of some emergency expressions with you as a last resort.

Remember that cars in Korea drive on the right: this is important to remember if you’re from a country that drives on the left, such as the UK. In Korea, cars turn right through red lights, which poses a danger for cyclists. Korean drivers generally cause a lot of problems for cyclists, so make sure you give them a wide berth and stay on bike lanes when possible.

This video has a few more essential tips about cycling in Korea. I hope it helps. Most of the tips you’d use for cycling at home are relevant here and always stay safe when cycling.

Other Outdoor Activities To Enjoy In Korea

Korea has a lot to offer for lovers of the great outdoors. Not only can you enjoy cycling around Korea, you can also go hiking and trekking in the many mountains, paragliding off the top of some. There are also a load of water sports and winter sports to enjoy.

Here’s a quick overview of the outdoor activities you can try in Korea.

Hiking: Hiking is Korea’s national pastime and with 70% of the country being mountainous, it’s easy to understand why. There are lots of places to go hiking in Korea in any season.

Trekking: As with hiking, trekking is popular and easier to get into as you don’t have to scale the high peaks. National parks such as Jirisan offer numerous trekking courses for all levels.

Paragliding: Head to Yangpyeong near Seoul or Danyang to experience the rush of gliding over the green valleys of Korea’s foothills and soaring the skies from above the clouds.

Water Sports: Water sports fans can try surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, snorkelling, and lots more at Korea’s many beaches. Check out Surfyy Beach in Yangyang, it has a 1km beach just for surfers. Jeju Island provides diving spots, snorkelling, kitesurfing, and more.

Winter Sports: From December to February, there are lots of winter sports to enjoy in Korea, such as snowboarding and skiing in Korea’s ski resorts. There’s also sledding, ice fishing, ice skating, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Finally, here’s a few FAQs about places go cycling in Korea, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you.

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The good news is that you don’t need to book a tour to get from Seoul to Nami Island, there are plenty of other options that are cheaper or faster. However, you might find that a guided tour is more convenient for your situation.

Not only can you find travel advice for Nami Island, this article also covers all of the best things to do, see, eat, and discover on Nami Island. Furthermore, there’s extra information about other attractions you can see in Gapyeong County, the area around Nami Island.

Whether you have your own car, want to book a guided tour, or prefer to travel on buses and trains, this article will show you the best way to get from Seoul to Nami Island.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Getting From Seoul To Nami Island

A lot of travellers want to save money when they’re visiting Korea, and figuring out how to go from Seoul to Nami Island (and other places) without a tour is one of the best ways to do that.

This guide will tell you all the different ways how to go from Seoul to Nami Island. Find out important details like how long each option takes, what time buses & trains run, and how much tickets and tours will be. There’ll also be other tips to make your journey easier.

There’s also information about what to do, see, and eat at Nami Island, some of the main attractions in the surrounding area, and when the best time to visit Nami Island is.

Here’s a summary of the 5 main travel options, showing you average travel times and costs.

By Car:
Time: 1:15 ~ 1:40
Parking: From 6,000 KRW

Public Transport:
Time: 1:30 ~ 2:30
Cost: From 14,000 KRW (return)

Guided Tour:
Time: Varies
Cost: From 40,000 KRW

Shuttle Bus:
Time: 1:30 ~ 2:30
Cost: 25,000 (return)

By Taxi:
Time: 1:30 ~ 2:00
Cost: From 60,000 KRW (one-way)

Public transport is the cheapest option unless you have a car and doesn’t take much longer than driving or going with a guided tour. However, it also includes a transfer at Gapyeong Station (more details later). If you’re planning to drive, don’t forget to check out our comprehensive guide on renting and driving in Korea for foreigners.

Different travellers want different things when they travel – to save money, time, or effort. Here are the different methods of getting from Seoul to Nami Island that match those needs:

Cheapest Option:
Travelling by public transport or car.

Quickest Option:
Travelling by car, taxi, or shuttle bus.

Easiest Option:
Taking a taxi or guided tour.

Not everyone has a car when they travel, so taking a taxi or shuttle bus are the fastest options. However, taxis are more expensive than tours and the shuttle bus only runs at certain times. Find out more about how to get a taxi in Seoul with my practical article packed full of useful tips.

Therefore, you might find that a guided tour gives you the best balance of value for money, time, and effort. Thousands of people take tours from Seoul to Nami Island every month for these reasons. I’ll leave it up to you decide the best method for your travel style.

If you already know the best way to get to Nami Island, and want to know more about its attractions and what’s nearby, then click on the links below to learn more about those.

Otherwise, read on to find out the 5 ways to get from Seoul to Nami Island.

1: Driving To Nami Island

If you live in Korea, or have rented a car, then driving is probably the easiest way to get from Seoul to Nami Island. There is parking outside the Nami Island Immigration Office and in the many restaurants nearby (as long as you eat there).

Driving from Seoul to Nami Island is the fastest method of getting there. It can take around 1 hour and 15 minutes from Jamsil to Nami Island, 1 hour and 40 minutes from Myeongdong, and 1 hour and 45 minutes from Hongdae.

I’d recommend visiting early in the morning to guarantee a parking spot, especially during the weekends and peak seasons (spring and autumn). Getting to Nami Island early in the morning is the best way to see the sights as it’s less crowded and more peaceful.

There are no cars allowed on Nami Island, so you will have to park in the car park area and travel to the island by zip line or ferry. More details about how to get onto Nami Island later on in this article.

Use the information below to help you plan your route to Nami Island by car:

Nami Island Car Park Address:
1024, Bukhangangbyeon-ro, Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
경기도 가평군 가평읍 북한강변로 1024

Nami Island Car Park Details:
Nami Island Ticket Office/Nami Island Dock
남이섬출입국관리사무소

Parking Fees (up to 12 hours):
Small cars: 6,000 KRW
Large cars: 10,000 KRW
+1,000 KRW per hour after 12 hours

Driving Times From Seoul:
1:40 From Myeongdong
1:45 From Hongdae
1:15 From Jamsil

2: Public Transport To Nami Island

The cheapest option to go from Seoul to Nami Island is by public transport. There are several stations in Seoul where trains go directly to Gapyeong Station (가평역), which is the closest station to Nami Island (and sometimes called Nami Island Station).

Once you get to Gapyeong Station, you will need to transfer and either walk, take a bus, or take a taxi to the Nami Island Ferry Terminal. The below shows you how to do all of those.

Take The Train To Gapyeong Station

To get from Seoul to Nami Island by train, start your journey at either Yongsan Station (용산역) or Cheongnyangni Station (청량리역) to Gapyeong Station (가평역). Yongsan Station is close to Seoul Station in central Seoul while Cheongnyangni Station is in eastern Seoul.

You need to take the ITX-Cheongchun Line to get the train to Gapyeong Station from either station in Seoul. You can board this train from Platform 1 at Yongsan Station. The train passes both stations on its way to Nami Island.

Here are the necessary details to help you travel by train from Seoul to Nami Island:

Departing Station:
Leave from Yongsan Station or Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul

Arriving Station:
Get off at Gapyeong Station

Train Line:
ITX – Cheongchun Line

Travel Time:
1 hour (Yongsan Station)
40 minutes (Cheongnyangni Station)

Cost (one-way):
6,900 KRW (Yongsan Station)
5,700 KRW (Cheongnyangni Station)

Train Times:
First: 06:15 (Yongsan – Gapyeong)
Last: 22:34 (Gapyeong – Yongsan)

Below are the train times for the morning trains from Yongsan and Cheongnyangni Station to Gapyeong Station.

Gapyeong Station To Nami Island

Once you’ve arrived at Gapyeong Station, there are a 4 main options to get to the Nami Island Immigration Office.

1: Walk From Gapyeong Station

You can walk to the Nami Island Immigration Office from the station. The path is fairly direct, but check a map if you’re worried about getting lost. It takes about 20-30 minutes to walk from the station. The total journey is about 1.9km.

2: Take Local Bus 10-4

Bus 10-4 runs from Gapyeong Station to the Nami Island Immigration Office. It’s cheaper than a taxi, but doesn’t run that frequently.

Bus Times:
First bus: 07:45
Last bus: 20:05

Duration:
5-10 minutes

Frequency:
Every 30-40 minutes

Cost:
1,250 KRW each way

For both the bus and walking routes, follow the maps below to get to the Nami Island Immigration Office from Gapyeong Station

3: Gapyeong County Tour Bus

As you exit Gapyeong Station, you will see a bus stop for the Gapyeong County Tour Bus directly ahead. This is a special bus run by Gapyeong County to take travellers to all of the interesting places in the area.

Other sights in Gapyeong include The Garden of Morning Calm, Petite France, and Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park. You can travel from Nami Island to these other sights using the 1-day pass for the Gapyeong County Tour Bus.

Here are the details about the Gapyeong County Tour Bus:

Bus Times:
First Bus: 9:20 (from Gapyeong Station)
Last Bus: 19:15 (from Nami Island)

Duration:
5-10 minutes

Frequency:
Every 30-60 minutes

Cost (1-Day Pass):

There’s a lot to do in Gapyeong County and you can easily visit 2 or more attractions in the same day with this convenient tour bus. Tour options are also available that will take you to multiple locations with a guide. More about those later.

4: Take A Taxi To Nami Island

Taking a taxi to the Nami Island Immigration Office is definitely the easiest option, but also the most expensive. Taxi drivers will know where you want to go, just ask for ‘Nami Island’. The cost should be around 6,000 KRW. There may be a long wait during peak times.

Tip: Taking a taxi can be a cost-effective and time-saving method if you’re travelling as a group. If there are 4 people in your group, this cost is the same as 4 bus tickets.

You can find the locations of each of these different methods to get from Gapyeong Station to Nami Island using this map below.

3: Guided Tour To Nami Island

Although it’s not that hard to get from Seoul to Nami Island by yourself, there are plenty of reasons why you might want a guided tour instead.

Here are some of the pros and cons of taking a guided tour to Nami Island.

Benefits Of Guided Tours

The main benefits are organised transportation to and from your hotel or nearby subway station, an English (or other language) speaking guide who can tell you about the area, and sometimes food (depends on the tour).

As Gapyeong has a lot of other attractions, another benefit of taking a tour is the chance to see these other sites. These are often bundled into package tours. Sights on the east coast, such as Seoraksan and Alpaca World, often include stops at Nami Island, too.

Nami Island package tours typically include 1 or more of the following places:

• The Garden of Morning Calm
• Petite France
• Legoland Korea
• Alpaca World
• Gangchon Rail Bike
• Seoraksan Mountain

Getting to each of these locations by public transport is possible, especially if you use the Gapyeong Tour Bus, but that doesn’t run very frequently and you’ll lose time waiting for buses.

A package tour will set out when you’ll visit each place, usually with a good amount of time in each attraction. Try not to book tours that include too many options. Even though it seems like value for money, you won’t have time to enjoy everything. Two or three sights in a day is a lot.

Problems With Guided Tours

The main problem with a guided tour is that it can be more expensive than travelling by public transport. Also, you don’t have much control over the schedule – the plans are set by the tour company.

You might want to spend longer at Nami Island (plenty to do there), but you’re suddenly rushed away because the tour bus is leaving. If you don’t like fixed schedules, a guided tour to Nami Island probably isn’t for you.

Should You Book A Tour?

Nami Island tours are one of the most popular tours in Korea, but they aren’t suitable for everyone. Taking a tour or not is a choice that only you can make based on your available time, budget, and travel style.

A guided tour to Nami Island is recommended if:

• You don’t have much time.
• You have a family with young children.
• You want to visit many attractions.
• You aren’t worried about the cost.

There are many reputable tour companies in Korea that offer fun day tours to Nami Island and other places nearby. Here are a some of the best tour providers that offer tours to Nami Island.

If you’d rather hire a local guide to show you Nami Island and any other attractions you’d like to visit, on your own schedule, then please join the Korea Travel Advice Group on Facebook. This group has several guides who can create a personalised tour that will suit your travel style for a good price.

4: Seoul To Nami Island By Shuttle Bus

A great middle ground between public transport and a guided tour from Seoul is the Nami Island shuttle bus. This bus will get you straight from Hongdae, Myeongdong, or Dongdaemun in Seoul to the Nami Island Immigration Office.

However, the bus only runs on weekends and public holidays, and only once in each direction, so it’s unfortunately not as convenient as public transportation or guided tours.

Departure Routes & Schedule

08:20 Depart from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 4
09:00 Depart from Myeongdong Station Exit 2
09:10 Depart from Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station Exit 10
10:40 Arrives at Nami Island Parking Lot
16:30 Departs to Seoul
18:00 Arrive at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station
18:10 Arrive at Myeongdong Station
18:50 Arrive at Hongik Univ. Station

Round-Trip Ticket Cost:
25,000 KRW

You can book the Nami Island Shuttle Bus through Korean tour operators below. This shuttle bus will sell out quickly in peak times, so be sure to book in advance.

5: Seoul To Nami Island By Taxi

If you don’t want to deal with public transport or tour companies, then another option to get from Seoul to Nami Island is by taxi. You can hail or order a taxi in Seoul to take you directly to the Nami Island Immigration Office.

Below are the expected prices you will pay from each of these locations in Seoul. The prices were calculated using the Kakao Taxi, which shows expected taxi costs for each route.

Please note: These prices can change depending on traffic conditions at the time.

If you want to know more about how to book a taxi from Seoul to Nami Island, check out my Guide to Kakao Taxi, Korea’s most popular taxi-hailing app.

Alternatively, you can flag down a taxi in Seoul and ask if they’ll give you a set price to get to Nami Island. If this is lower than the amounts above, it will probably save you some money vs the meter.

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend a taxi from Seoul to Nami Island. Guided tours are cheaper and can take you to other places and provide more information. However, taxis give you the freedom to arrive and depart when you like.

How To Get Onto Nami Island

After you’ve decided how to go to Nami Island, you’ll also have to choose how to get onto Nami Island itself. As the name suggests, it’s an island and isn’t connected to the mainland by bridge.

There are two options to get onto Nami Island – taking a zip line or riding the Nami Island ferry. Here are the details for both of those options.

Access Nami Island By Zip Line

For adventure seekers, this option will provide the perfect start to your Nami Island journey. Zip over in style with the 640m long Nami Island Zip Wire with breathtaking views all round.

Tickets:
49,900 KRW per person

The ticket price includes entry to Nami Island and a return ferry ticket ride as you can’t take the zip line back for obvious reasons.

Operating Times:
Open every day 9:00 to 19:00 (18:00 in winter).

Where To Buy Tickets:
At the ticket office below the zip wire tower (see picture above).

This is an expensive option to enter Nami Island, but a very memorable one and when you consider that the ferry ride and entry ticket is included, you’re only paying 33,900 KRW for a zip line experience.

Access Nami Island By Ferry

The most popular method to get onto Nami Island is by ferry. There are several ferries running between Nami Island Ferry Terminal and Nami Island, so you won’t have to wait long for a ride.

Taking the ferry is a fun way to get to Nami Island as you pass through the Immigration Office before being allowed to board. It feels like you’re really travelling to another country, which Nami Island, known as the Naminara Republic, claims to be.

Entrance Fee & Round-trip Ferry Fare:

Operating Times:
Open every day
08:00 – 09:00 (every 30 minutes)
09:00 – 18:00 (every 10-20 minutes)
18:00 – 21:00 (every 30 minutes)

Please note: Ferries run 30 minutes earlier (07:30) and 30 minutes later (21:30) on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays. If you book ferries before 08:00, you can get discounted tickets for only 10,000 KRW per person.

Where To Buy Tickets:
At the ticket office next to the Immigration Office.

You can also buy tickets online from Klook. These will give you a discount of 10%-30% of the cost of the entrance and ferry ticket. Simply show the voucher on your phone when you arrive.

The ferry ride takes 15-20 minutes and you’ll arrive on the western part of Nami Island. You’re free to explore Nami Island as you like once you get off the ferry.

If you want some ideas about what to see and do on Nami Island, then keep on reading.

What To Do On Nami Island

Nami Island has a wide range of attractions and sights for you to see during the day. So many that you might want to come back for a second day or even spend the night on Nami Island (which you can do).

Here’s a short guide to visiting Nami Island and all the fun things you can see, do, and eat at this popular tourist destination.

Attractions On Nami Island

As you can see from the map above, Nami Island is wedge-shaped with a main strip running through the centre from tip to tip. Many of the main attractions are on this strip, but you should definitely walk away from the centre, too.

It only takes about 30-40 minutes to walk from one end of the island to the other, but you’ll spend a lot longer than that popping into cafes, shops, galleries, restaurants, and taking 100s of pictures along the way.

Here are a some of the top attractions and activities you can enjoy on Nami Island:

Walk Through Tree-Lined Pathways

Embrace nature in any season with cherry blossoms, silver birch, maple, pine, metasequoia, and ginkgo trees that form beautiful pathways and romantic backdrops.

Ride The Sky-Bike For Incredible Views

The sky-bike let’s you see Nami Island from above, nestled in bright leaves in the centre of the island. Pedal your way around the tree-height circuit and immerse yourself in the thick foliage.

Hire A Bike And Explore The Island

Rent a bike for one or two people and ride your way through the leafy paths and around the island. Grab some food and have a picnic in a quieter spot of the island.

Take A Picture Of The Nami Island Sign

The Nami Island sign is a large free-standing sign that you can pose with to create that perfect memory. There are so many photo spots on the island, but this is one of the best, especially if you want to see autumn foliage in Korea.

Watch Music & Cultural Performances

Nami Island has many live music and cultural performances representing not only Korean traditional culture, but also guest performances from around the world.

Times and performances vary, but you’re most likely to see them on the weekends and peak times such as cherry blossom season and autumn foliage time.

Play In A Child-Friendly Playground

For families visiting Nami Island, the island is officially recognised as a UNICEF Child-Friendly Park and offers lots of play areas that focus on encouraging fun and creativity.

Get Close To Animals

You can find lots of forest animals on Nami Island, as well as some not so native creatures, including ostriches! Look (but don’t touch) at the cute rabbits, peacocks, squirrels, deer, ducks, turkeys and other animals on Nami Island.

Take Lots Of Pictures

There are so many special areas where you can take pictures on Nami Island. Pose with statues representing different cultures from around the world, with Korean traditional statues, with the cute rabbits running around the place, and with the natural beauty, including lily-ponds, flowers, and the sparkling waters around the island.

I highly recommend going in autumn so you can see the incredible autumn foliage that Nami Island is famous for, as you can see in the picture below.

Restaurants And Cafes

Nami Island is located in Chuncheon, a location famous for one dish that’s popular all over Korea – dakgalbi. There’s even a special version dish named after the area, Chuncheon dakgalbi (춘천 닭갈비), which is one of my favourite traditional Korean dishes.

When you arrive at the Immigration Office for Nami Island, you can’t miss the dozens of restaurants selling this delicious dish of spicy chicken with vegetables and rice cakes cooked in a big metal pan. I recommend trying it for dinner after a busy day exploring the island. This dish is halal friendly.

Once you get onto Nami Island itself, there are plenty of other cafes and restaurants offering a range of local and Korean snacks and dishes.

I’d highly recommend trying the freshly prepared hotteok (sweet Korean pancake) from the various stalls (pictured below). It’s a great Korean winter street food and best enjoyed when it’s cold outside. Guaranteed to warm you from the inside.

There’s also the Nami Island Snowman Gelato – a rich ice cream that’s perfect for cooling off in summer. Goes perfectly with coffee in one of the natural cafes surrounded by trees.

You can find plenty of other places to eat and relax on the island, offering a range of meals and snacks based on local and international cuisine. There are also gift shops where you can pick up a wide range of cute gifts to take home and share with family and friends to remind you of your trip from Seoul to Nami Island.

Famous Locations On Nami Island

You’ll most likely recognise a lot of the views of Nami Island if you’ve ever searched for iconic pictures of Korea. Here are some of the famous scenes you might recognise on Nami Island.

Winter Sonata Filming Locations

Nami Island became famous as the filming location for the 2002 hit, ‘Winter Sonata‘. You can find a statue of the show’s stars (Bae Yong-Joon and Choi Ji-Woo) here and other famous locations will be marked on maps around the island.

Tree-Lined Paths

One of the most memorable locations at Nami Island are the tree-lined paths that run in different compass directions from the centre of the island. Head east for the yellow ginkgo trees during autumn for incredible pictures of autumn leaves. You’ll also find cherry blossom-lined streets in spring.

Staying On Nami Island

There’s a hotel on Nami Island that allows you to stay and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the place long after other tourists have gone. Wake up in the morning, watch the sunrise over the calm waters, and enjoy a stroll around the island before anyone arrives.

This is called Hotel Jeonggwanru and is a beautiful boutique hotel and complex that features guest rooms by different artists including painters, craftsmen and craftswomen, writers and even singers, each of whom added his or her own distinctive touches.

The hotel offers rooms for two to four persons with either beds or a Korean-style heated floor (ondol) with futons. On return visits you may also reserve your favourite room.

Unfortunately, booking the hotel isn’t easy and you need to email or call them to make a reservation. Reservations aren’t available through the usual hotel booking sites.

Contact Details For Reservations:
namihotel@naminara.com
+82 31 580 8000 (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Seoul Time)

Price Per Room:
Double / Twin Artist Room: From 139,000 KRW
Suite Room (up to 4 guests): From 199,000 KRW
Cottages (up to 4 guests): From 179,000 KRW
Bungalows (4-10 Guests): From 220,000 KRW

There are also hotels available near to Nami Island, in case you want to make it a two-day trip to Nami Island or if you plan to explore more of Gapyeong. You can find great hotels on websites such as Booking.com.

Best Time To Visit Nami Island

The best time to visit Nami Island is in spring for the cherry blossoms or in autumn for the autumn foliage. These will also be the busiest times, though. Generally, any time of year is a good time to visit Nami Island as there are always events, festivals, and more going on.

Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect at Nami Island in each season.

Spring On Nami Island

If you want to see cherry blossoms and other spring blossoms, then Nami Island is perfect. The weather is warm, nature is creeping back, and there are loads of cherry blossom trees to check out. Korean cherry blossoms only appear for a week in early April, so be sure to check the cherry blossom forecast so as not to miss them.

The weather is cold in March, warming up in April and getting hot in May. Definitely bring a jacket in March. The plants and flowers start to bloom from early April.

Summer On Nami Island

Summer in Korea is hot and wet with rainy season covering most of July and August. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good time to visit Nami Island. Nature is fully awake and trees, ponds, bushes, and flowers are alive with colour.

It’s a good time to enjoy some of the water sports that are on offer near Nami Island, too. These include banana boating, flying fish, and others. Make sure you stay protected from the sun and keep cool with lots of gelato and other Korean desserts.

Autumn On Nami Island

Autumn is definitely my favourite time to travel in Korea, and visiting Nami Island during autumn is an amazing experience. I make sure to visit there when the autumn leaves are at their peak (mid-late October), and you can see many pictures from Nami Island in autumn in this post.

The weather is calm, sunny, warm, and great for enjoying all Nami has to offer. Nami’s natural charms are turned up to 11 and there are so many incredible sights to see during this season. It’s really a must-visit time for Nami Island.

Winter On Nami Island

Winter is cold and it sometimes snows, which makes it great for seeing winter lights and snowy scenes on Nami Island. It’s a great place to see snow in Korea. You can recreate the snowy scenes from “Winter Sonata” or even build your own snowman. Stay warm with lots of hot Korean winter foods, such as hotteok.

It gets dark early during winter, so it’s best to arrive early and plan to leave by 5pm. I’d recommend coupling a tour to Nami Island with a trip to the Garden of Morning Calm, which has an incredible winter light display that is best seen once the sun goes down.

Attractions Near Nami Island

Gapyeong is a popular place for day trips from Seoul with a range of natural and cultural attractions for you to enjoy after visiting Nami Island.

Here are the best attractions near Nami Island:

1: Garden Of Morning Calm

The Garden of Morning Calm is a truly lovely traditional Korean garden that has numerous festivals dedicated to seasonal plants, as well as an impressive winter lights festival. This attraction is arguably just as popular as Nami Island and a must-see spot if you plan to visit more than just Nami Island in Gapyeong.

2: Gapyeong Rail Bike Park

The Gapyeong Rail Bike Park offers a chance to ride a rail bike through the scenic hills and tunnels of Gapyeong. Pedal your way along an old abandoned railway line that’s now become a popular tourist attraction showcasing Korea’s lovely countryside views. Fans of old Korean movies may recognise this course from the movie ‘The Letter’.

3: Petite France

Visit Petite France, a French village in Korea, and travel outside of hanok houses and kimchi pots for a few hours. Based on the world created by ‘The Little Prince’, this charming location has a lot of cute photo spots and some ‘French’ food. Not so authentic, especially if you’ve already visited France, but an unusual place and worth visiting if you’ve never been to Europe.

4: Alpaca Pasture

Located in Gangwon Province, which is close to Gapyeong, the Alpaca Pasture hosts the largest collection of cute and fluffy alpacas in Korea. This cuddly theme park allows you to watch, stroke, and feed the alpacas and take lots of pictures together. There are also a range of other animals you can see in this wild place.

5: Seoraksan National Park

Seoraksan National Park, located on Korea’s east coast, is one of the first places to see autumn foliage each year and a hikers paradise with plenty of great hiking and trekking routes. For those who just want to see the sights, there’s also a cable car that can take you to the peak and lots to see in the valleys in the park. Day trips from Seoul to Nami Island also have time to include a few hours at Seoraksan National Park.

There are many reputable tour companies in Korea that offer fun day tours to Nami Island and other places nearby. Here are a some of the best tour providers that offer tours to Nami Island that will take you to Nami Island and any of these other places in a combo-tour during 1 day.

Seoul To Nami Island FAQs

Finally, here are a few FAQs about getting from Seoul to Nami Island, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you.

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Kakao Taxi (카카오 택시) is Korea’s main taxi-hailing app and is available in English, which makes it really convenient for tourists in Seoul and other cities. To use Kakao Taxi, you need to setup a Kakao account or Kakao ID. I’ll cover how to do that (it’s easy) and how to use Kakao Taxi in this article.

The only small problem with using Kakao Taxi to book taxis in Korea is the payment screen where the app will ask you to register a card and register a Korean phone number. Fortunately, you can get past this and pay directly to the driver. This article also shows you a quick hack to get past that screen.

If you prefer to watch a short video version of this article, please watch it here:

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

How To Use Kakao Taxi: Quick Guide

To be able to use Kakao Taxi, you’ll need a Kakao ID. If you don’t have a Kakao ID, start with How To Create a Kakao ID. If you already have a Kakao ID, and have logged in to Kakao Taxi, then follow these steps to book a taxi with Kakao Taxi. You can install Kakao Taxi on Android and Apple.

This 7-step guide will show you how to use Kakao Taxi in Korea and how to pay with cash, credit card, or T-Money instead of registering a card with the app. This will allow you to use Kakao Taxi as a foreigner or expat in Korea without a Korean phone number, which is needed to register a card.

Step 1: Open The Kakao Taxi App & Select Taxi Booking

Open the Kakao Taxi application and click on the taxi symbol on the top left. It’s the first option on the screen. This will take you through to the taxi booking section. The app is listed in English as ‘Kakao Taxi’ and if you’re using a Korean phone, should be listed as ‘카카오 택시’

Step 2: Choose Your Start Location

Enter the name of the place you want to start from. This will default to your current location if you have enabled location tracking. If you want to change the start location, type in the name or address of the location or click on the map symbol to choose from a location on the map.

Tip: Using the map search function is the best option as you can choose which side of the street the taxi will arrive on as well as correct problems from inexact positioning by your phone.

Step 3: Choose Your End Location Or Destination

Select the end location of your journey in the same way as you chose the start location. Either type in the name or address of the place you want to visit, or select the location on a map.

Tip: If you’re not sure of the end location’s address, or can’t find it with the Kakao Taxi search function, use Google Maps and search for the address using English. Google Maps will show you the address in Korean, which you can copy and paste into Kakao Taxi.

Step 4: Choose Your Taxi Type

Choose the type of taxi you want to use to travel to your location. A standard taxi is labelled as ‘General Request‘ and this will be the same as the taxis you can hail on the street. There are also larger taxis and premium taxis. These offer a larger or more luxurious taxi than the standard taxis, but cost more money.

Tip: Always search for a ‘General Request‘ taxi first of all. However, if you can’t find a taxi, try selecting the ‘Blue’ taxi instead. This pays a higher fee to the taxi driver and is supposed to increase your chance of finding an available taxi. Unfortunately, you need to register a card to use the ‘Blue’ taxis, so this won’t work unless you have a Korean phone number.

Step 5: Select Your Payment Method

After selecting which type of taxi you want to take, the next screen will ask you to select your payment method. This is the step that causes problems for foreigners in Korea as the default option is to register a card, which requires a Korean phone number.

To use Kakao Taxi without a Korean phone number, swipe left on the payment screen to the second option, which is ‘Pay to the driver‘. Further details about how to do this will be explained after Step 7.

Step 6: Confirm Your Taxi Booking

After selecting the payment method, click ‘Apply‘ and you will be taken back to the taxi request screen you were at previously. Click ‘Request‘ to call the taxi.

The taxi will now travel to your destination to collect you. It will have a blue sign in the window to show that it’s reserved. The taxi driver may call or message to tell you when they’re close to your location.

Step 7: Travel To Your Destination In The Taxi

Once your taxi arrives at your location, enter the taxi and the taxi driver will take you to your destination. Once you arrive at your destination, pay the taxi driver in the method you chose and then get out of the taxi. The app will ask you to rate your ride and give feedback about the route, driver, cleanliness of the taxi, etc.

If you registered a card with Kakao Taxi, your payment will be made automatically. If you chose ‘Pay to driver‘, then you will have to pay with cash, credit card, or T-Money. More details about how to pay directly to the driver are in the next section.

Another way to pay for taxis in Korea and other services in Korea without having to carry lots of cash or use your credit card is by using a WOWPASS card for local payments in Korea. This is a Korean debit card and can be used to pay for taxis, shopping, meals out, and everything else.

Check out my article about how to get a taxi in Korea for full details about hailing a cab in Seoul or booking taxis using apps like Kakao Taxi. It covers taxi prices, different types of taxis, where to get a taxi, and some useful Korean phrases for ordering taxis in Korea.

Using Kakao Taxi Without A Korean Phone Number

To use Kakao Taxi without a Korean phone number, you need to book a taxi as normal in the app and in the payment section change the option from ‘Pay by card‘ or ‘Register a convenient payment method‘ to ‘Pay to the driver‘.

Swipe left on the payment screen to change to ‘Pay to the driver‘. This will bring you to the screen that allows you to use Kakao Taxi without registering a card. You can pay for your taxi journey in person with cash or card.

After swiping left on the screen to select ‘Pay to the driver’, you should press the ‘Apply‘ button to confirm your changes. You will be asked to confirm your taxi journey one more time and then Kakao Taxi will begin the search for a taxi driver.

The fare for the taxi journey won’t change based on the payment method and will be the same whether you pay the taxi driver by card or cash. Make sure the meter is running when you start your journey.

Registering a card to automatically pay for your taxi journey in Kakao Taxi is only possible if you have a Korean phone number. If you’re an expat living in Korea, registering a card in Kakao Taxi is convenient, but it’s not really necessary for short-term travellers and tourists.

It’s impossible to register a card in Kakao Taxi without a Korean phone number and even if you have a Korean phone number, I would still recommend using the ‘Pay to the driver’ option as it’s simpler.

Should You Get A Korean SIM Card

If you plan to use Korean apps like Coupang Eats, Kakao Talk, or Kakao Taxi, I recommend getting a Korean SIM card. A Korean SIM card allows you to use apps and make online bookings. Order one for collection at Incheon Airport or to collect in Seoul or Busan. It makes visiting Korea easier. Check out my review of the SK tourist SIM to see how reliable and convenient Koreans SIM cards are.

How To Create A Kakao ID To Use Kakao Taxi

Before you try to use Kakao Taxi to hail a cab in Korea, you need to have a Kakao ID. To get a Kakao ID, you need to create an account with Kakao, complete the registration process, and then choose your Kakao ID.

To create a Kakao account you need to have a phone number. You don’t need a Korean phone number, but you will need to be able to receive a text message to activate a new Kakao account. If you’re in Korea, this could be difficult to do without a Korean SIM card and phone number.

However, as long as you have access to a phone number (Korean or international), you will be able to create a Kakao ID. You’ll also need your email address, personal details and Internet access.

Here are the steps to create a Kakao ID so you can use Kakao Taxi and other Kakao services:

Step 1: Create a Kakao Account

Install the Kakao Talk app to create a Kakao account. Once you’ve installed the app, open it and select ‘sign up’ to create a new account. You can install Kakao Taxi on Android and Apple.

Enter your email address, personal details, agree to the terms and then continue. Your Kakao account is tied to this email address and will be used to log in. You can’t change it later.

Please note: You can only install Kakao Talk on a mobile device, not a desktop computer.

Step 2: Enter Your Mobile Phone Number

You must enter a phone number to create a Kakao account. It doesn’t have to be a Korean phone number. Select your country’s dialling code and then enter your phone number.

You’ll be sent a 4 digit security code to confirm that you’re the owner of the phone. Once you’ve received the confirmation code, enter it and move on with your account setup.

Please note: if you apply with a foreign number, it can take a few days for the approval process to be completed. Korean phone numbers should only take a minute or two to activate.

Step 3: Complete Kakao Account Setup

Once you’ve received the security code and your phone number has been verified, complete the account setup by choosing a password (use lower case letters, capital letters, numbers and a special symbol).

Next, add in your personal information, such as date of birth, gender, nickname and an avatar. Some of these are optional and not necessary.

Step 4: Create Your Kakao ID

Once the account is setup, you can create a personal ID for the Kakao Talk app. Go to your profile and select ‘Edit Profile’ and then ‘Create Kakao ID’. Enter a unique ID with a combination of letters and numbers. If the ID has been chosen, try another one.

Step 5: Start Using Kakao Taxi

Finally, download the Kakao Taxi app and log in using the email address and password. After logging in to Kakao Taxi, you can start booking taxis in Korea without a Korean phone number. Click this link for instructions about how to use Kakao Taxi without a Korean phone number,

Tips For Using Kakao Taxi In Korea

Travelling to Korea and want to know how to use Kakao Taxi and how to get around Seoul and other cities in Korea? Here are some of my personal tips to help you travel more conveniently and safely.

Go to the nearest taxi rank: If you are trying to hail a taxi in Korea and they keep driving past you, it’s probably because you’re close to a taxi rank. Taxis won’t stop to pick you up near taxi ranks – you should go there and wait with everyone else.

Check the colour of the light in the taxi: Korean taxis have colour-coded light systems to show if they are available or not. These lights are attached to the rear view mirror and can be seen when a taxi drives towards you. Red means the taxi is available for hire. Blue means it has been reserved by a Kakao Taxi call. If you reserved a taxi with Kakao Taxi, look for the blue lights.

Check the licence plate number: When you order a taxi through Kakao Taxi, you will be shown the driver’s licence plate and name. Check the licence plate before getting in the taxi to make sure it’s the right one, especially if many people are waiting for taxis in the same area.

Always use the meter: If you hail a taxi from the street (or with Kakao Taxi), and they offer you a price without using the meter, refuse and get another taxi. This is how foreigners, especially arrivals at Incheon Airport, commonly get scammed and end up paying many times the typical cost of the fare. Taxi drivers must use the meter by law. Kakao Taxi shows you the estimated fare for the journey and the final fare should be close to this.

Be prepared for long waits at night: During the pandemic, many taxi drivers changed jobs and became delivery drivers instead, lured by better wages and fewer night shifts. There is now a shortage of late-night taxi drivers in Korea, especially in Seoul. The government has raised taxi fares at night in a bid to get more taxi drivers back, but it hasn’t been that successful so far.

Get a T-Money Card: The T-Money Card is a prepaid transportation card that can be used for buses, subways and taxis. When you use a taxi, you can pay for it with the T-Money Card. Check out my guide to using T-Money in Korea.

Buy a SIM card or rent portable WiFi: Even if you don’t need a Korean phone number to register a card with Kakao Taxi, having a Korean SIM card or portable WiFi router will offer you amazing coverage across Korea’s advanced phone network. You need a network connection to use Kakao Taxi, too.

Learn some basic Korean phrases: A few simple phrases will go a long way when you travel in Korea, especially when you want to ask for and understand directions. If you want to learn a few phrases, including ones for getting around by taxi, here are 60 Korean travel phrases to start with.

How To Change Kakao Taxi To English

Kakao Taxi should default to the language settings of your mobile device. If your phone is in English, Kakao Taxi should be, too. If your Kakao Taxi language settings are in Korean, here’s how to change them to English in three simple steps.

Step 1: Select Your Profile

Open the Kakao Taxi application and click on the profile settings tab at the bottom of the screen. This is the image of a person and hosts all of your account settings.

Step 2: Select The Language Settings

Scroll down the page on the account settings tab until you see the icon shaped like a globe. In Korean, this says ‘언어 설정’ (Language Settings). Click on this option.

Step 3: Change Language To English

There are four language options in Kakao Taxi. The first is to use the language your phone is set to (as long as it’s one of the 3 languages provided). The second option is Korean. The third option is English. The final option is Japanese.

Select English and, after a quick app refresh, all the options in the Kakao Taxi app will now be in English.

Alternatives To Kakao Taxi In Korea

In South Korea, there are several ride-hailing services available. The most popular one is Kakao T, which was launched as Kakao Taxi in 2015 and has dominated the market for call taxis in Korea since then. However, since 2022, alternatives to Kakao Taxi have started to appear in Korea.

Uber, which has recently re-entered the Korean market with a new joint venture with SK Telecom’s TMAP, offers taxi-hailing services through a service called UT. You can also book taxis in advance using the app or website, but these are only really available in Seoul and to major airports nearby.

Additionally, Viva Republica, which operates the online payment service provider Toss, bought one of the major local mobility startups TADA and plans to offer a new service to provide taxi rides in Korea.

These services have been legally allowed in the city since January 2022, when the Seoul government changed its four-decades-old taxi industry development law.

How Do These Taxi Apps Differ?

Kakao T and Uber are both popular ride-hailing services, but they operate differently, especially in South Korea. Kakao T is an online mobility service in South Korea that was launched as Kakao Taxi in 2015. It allows users to book and pay for taxis through the Kakao T app.

The Kakao Taxi service hires licensed taxi drivers in accordance with local regulations, and the rate is in line with regular taxis. This ensures a more standardised service and passenger safety through rigorous driver and vehicle checks.

On the other hand, Uber operates with independent drivers who use their own vehicles. In many countries, Uber’s model has faced regulatory challenges. However, Uber has recently re-entered the Korean market with a new joint venture with SK Telecom’s TMAP, called UT, which also hires licensed taxi drivers.

In terms of user experience, some users on Reddit have mentioned that it can be easier to get a taxi with Uber (or UT) than Kakao T in certain areas or at peak times. However, others have found Kakao T to be more reliable and is certainly the more popular of the two options in Korea.

Personally, I use Kakao Taxi when I travel in Korea and have found it very useful and simple to use. However, in recent times there have been fewer taxis available late at night, which is partly due to fewer taxi drivers working those hours. It can sometimes be necessary to go to a taxi rank instead.

FAQs About Using Kakao Taxi In Korea

Finally, here are a few FAQs about how to use Kakao Taxi without a Korean phone number, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, feel free to leave a comment.

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The Klook Pass Seoul is looking to beat the Discover Seoul Pass with it’s unique features, such as flexible booking dates and ability to book manage multiple passes under one account. This article dives into the benefits and features of the Klook Pass Seoul, explains how to use the pass, shows you how much you can save, and compares it to the Discover Seoul Pass.

My thoughts about whether you should buy the Klook Pass Seoul are included, as well as detailed sections that explain the pass, its features and whether or not it beats the Discover Seoul Pass.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

Summary Of The Klook Pass Seoul

Below is a brief overview of the Klook Pass Seoul and how it compares to the Discover Seoul Pass. Please be aware that there are a lot of fine points that aren’t discussed in this section that I cover later on in the article that help explain these conclusions.

The Discover Seoul Pass is better because: The Discover Seoul Pass offers a wider range of attractions in Seoul, with free and discounted entry, as well as other features such as the T-Money Card. The cost of the Discover Seoul Pass is higher than the Klook Pass Seoul for the 24 hour card, but can potentially save more money, depending on your schedule.

The Discover Seoul Pass is better for: Travellers in Seoul for a short time who want to visit many premium attractions in a few days.

The Klook Pass Seoul is better because: The Klook Pass Seoul allows you to visit premium attractions in Seoul for a discounted price over a period of 30 days. This is better for travellers who are visiting Seoul for a long time, or who plan to visit on separate occasions. Less pressure to rush around Seoul before the pass expires.

The Klook Pass Seoul is better for: Travellers in Seoul that want to spread out the time spent at premium attractions over a longer time and on separate days.

Both passes will save you money on Seoul’s attractions and are designed for tourists.

Personally, I think the Discover Seoul Pass has more advantages, but the Klook Pass Seoul could be a better option for travellers who plan to visit a few attractions over a wider time frame.

Find out more about the Klook Pass Seoul in the next sections, as well as a detailed comparison of the two passes and my final thoughts.

What Is The Klook Pass Seoul?

The Klook Pass Seoul is a tourist-friendly premium pass that allows free entry to some of Seoul’s top attractions, including 2 theme parks.

The cost of the Klook Pass Seoul is based on the number of attractions you want to visit. The price of the pass starts at 44,000 KRW for 2 attractions and goes up to 87,000 KRW for 4 attractions.

The Klook Pass Seoul differs from the Discover Seoul Pass as you can choose to use the pass at any time during a 30 day period, which you select when booking the pass. You can visit multiple attractions on the same day, or split them out into separate days.

The attractions in the Klook Pass Seoul include Lotte World Adventure, Lotte World Aquarium, the N Seoul Tower, Everland theme park, and other premium attractions in Seoul.

To buy the Klook Pass Seoul from the Klook website, click the button below:

Klook Pass Seoul Attractions

The Klook Pass Seoul comes with 7 main attractions and 2 add-on attractions that can be added for extra savings. You can purchase up to 4 attractions with the Klook Pass Seoul in combinations of 2/3/4 main attractions and 0/1/2 add-on attractions. Prices and details of these combinations will be covered later.

Here are the key details about each of the 7 main attractions, including their regular entry fees, address, and how to get there.

1: Lotte World Aquarium

The Lotte World Aquarium, located next to Lotte World Adventure, is the world’s largest ocean ecology tank. Discover the wonders of the underwater world, with more than 650 species and 55,000 creatures to meet. Lots of fishy fun for all the family.

Regular Price: 33,000 KRW

Address: 서울특별시 송파구 올림픽로 300 지하1층

How To Get There: Take the subway to Jamsil Station and leave via Exit 11 on Line 2 or 8.

2: COEX Aquarium

Located in the beautiful COEX Mall in Gangnam, the COEX Aquarium is the largest aquarium in Seoul and features the highest number of sharks and widest variety of species from all around the globe. Explore the oceans and enjoy the mermaid shows and penguin feeding displays.

Regular Price: 28,000 KRW

Address: 서울특별시 강남구 영동대로 513

How To Get There: Option 1 – Take line 9 Bongeunsa Station Exit 7, then walk 3 minutes to Coex Mall. Option 2 – Take line 2 Samseong Station Exit 5/6, and follow the Coex sign towards the Coex Mall entrance at the back of the Millennium Plaza

3: Alive Museum & Dynamic Maze

The Alive Museum & Dynamic Maze in Insadong both offer family-fun indoor activities in Seoul. The Alive Museum features ‘trick art’ exhibitions and parodies of famous pieces. The Dynamic Maze is packed full of obstacles, challenges, and puzzles to solve together.

Regular Price: 19,700 KRW

Address: 서울특별시 종로구 인사동길 12

How To Get There: Take subway line 5 and alight at Jongno 3-ga Station, exit 5. The attraction is approximately 150m away from the station. Walk for 5 minutes to reach the Alive Museum

4: N Seoul Tower

The N Seoul Tower, also known as Namsan Tower, is an iconic tourist attraction that offers 360 degree views of central Seoul. The Klook Pass Seoul N Seoul Tower ticket doesn’t just provide access to the tower and observatory, you also get dinner at the N Burger Restaurant, too.

Regular Price: 36,000 KRW

Address: 서울특별시 용산구 남산공원길 105

How To Get There: There are several ways to get to the N Seoul Tower, including on foot, by cable car, bus, or car. Visit the official site for full travel details.

5: 63 Building Observatory & Aqua Planet 63

The 63 Building is an unmissable landmark on the Han River – it’s a gigantic golden building that offers views across Seoul. See the sights from the observatory and explore Aqua Planet 63, filming location of “Legend of the Blue Sea“.

Regular Price: 34,000 KRW

Address: 서울특별시 영등포구 63로 50

How To Get There: There is a free shuttle bus from near these stations – Daebang Station (Exit 6), Yeoinaru Station (Exit 4), and Saetgang Station (Exit 1).

6: Hanbok Experience

No trip to Seoul’s royal palaces or hanok villages would be complete without dressing up in flowing Korean hanbok. With this hanbok experience, not only do you get a whole day to walk around dressed up, you also get hairstyling, too. Perfect for unforgettable pictures.

Regular Price: 30,000 KRW

Address: 서울특별시 종로구 사직로 133-5

How To Get There: Take subway Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station. Upon exiting through Exit 4, turn around and walk forward, then turn left at the first alley to find the yellow building

7: Ewha Korean School Uniform Rental

Instead of a day wearing traditional Korean hanbok, you can try life as a Korean high-schooler with the Ewha Korean School Uniform Rental. Located close to Lotte World, this is the perfect place to dress up as you enjoy other attractions in the area.

Regular Price: 20,000 KRW

Address: 서울특별시 송파구 잠실3동 올림픽로 212

How To Get There: Take subway Line 2 or 8 to Jamsil Station. Ehwa Gyobok (Ehwa school uniform) is located in the basement level of Galleria Palace Apartment, which is next to the Lotte World parking lot.

Klook Pass Seoul Add-On Attractions

As well as 7 main attractions, at least 2 of which must always be selected when purchasing the Klook Pass Seoul, there are 2 add-on attractions – Everland and Lotte World Adventure.

By adding either of these 2 add-on attractions, you can increase your savings a lot, as well as add an extra day out that’s perfect for families, couples, or anyone who loves to ride rollercoasters, play fairground games, see animals, and enjoy other theme park attractions.

Here are the key details about each of the 2 add-on attractions, including their regular entry fees, addresses, and how to get there.

Lotte World Adventure

Lotte World Adventure is the world’s biggest indoor theme park and a great family-fun day out close to Lotte World Tower. Ride thrilling rollercoasters, enjoy fairground attractions, and check out the exciting exhibitions and more at Seoul’s premiere theme park.

Regular Price: 62,000 KRW

Address: 서울특별시 송파구 올림픽로 240

How To Get There: Take the Subway to Jamsil Station Exit 4 on Line No. 2 and No. 8

Everland Theme Park

Everland is Korea’s answer to Disneyland and Universal Studios, featuring dozens of exhilarating rollercoaster rides and amusements, as well as a cute petting zoo, animal safari, fairground rides, and other attractions. Also see special events throughout the year, such as winter illuminations and scary Halloween shows.

Regular Price: 50,000 KRW

Address: 경기도 용인시 처인구 포곡읍 에버랜드로 199

How To Get There: Book the Everland Shuttle Bus from Seoul, with departures from various locations, including Myeongdong, Hongdae, and Gangnam.

How Much Does The Klook Pass Seoul Cost?

The Klook Pass Seoul comes in a range of options starting from 44,000 KRW for 2 attractions and increasing in price up to 105,000 KRW, which is the price for 4 attractions plus entry to Everland.

Here’s a table to show the costs of the Klook Pass Seoul with each of the different options to help you see which one is best for you:

To compare how much you’d normally pay for each of the main attractions and add-ons, here’s a table to see their original cost to enter each of these attractions, which is what you’d pay if you bought a ticket on-arrival at each place.

If you take the 4 cheapest attractions from the list above and added their cost together, the total would be 97,700 KRW – that’s 26,700 KRW more expensive than the cost of the 4 attraction Klook Pass Seoul. There are combinations where the pass actually costs more than the attractions separately (only when using a combination of the 3 cheapest activities), however, most combinations of attractions and add-ons would save you a lot more than you’d spend.

Example Klook Pass Seoul Itinerary

A practical example itinerary for the Klook Pass Seoul could include a day out in Jamsil to visit Lotte World Adventure and Lotte Aquarium while wearing an Ewha school uniform.

These 3 attractions are right next to each other and could be done in a day. The original cost of these attractions would be 115,000 KRW, but with the 2 attractions + Lotte World Adventure add-on, it would only cost 71,000. That would save you 46,000 KRW vs. the regular price.

Is the Klook Pass Seoul worth it? I’ll discuss more about the costs and savings later in this article, as well as give my own opinions on whether or not you should buy it. Before looking at those details, here’s a quick guide about how to use the Klook Pass Seoul.

How To Use The Klook Pass Seoul

The Klook Pass Seoul is simple to use, which makes it perfect for tourists looking to effortlessly visit attractions as they travel. The process of using the Klook Pass Seoul can be broken down into the following 4 steps.

Step 1: Choose and purchase your pass.

Choose which attractions and add-ons you want to visit from the 9 different attractions available and then select the dates you want to use the pass. The pass is valid for 30 days and you can use the selected attractions at any time within those 30 days.

Step 2: Activate your pass by reserving activities in your bookings.

This is the most important step. You need to make a reservation for each attraction that you want to use. This means you will confirm a date that you will visit that attraction on the Klook website to make sure that your ticket is reserved for you. Details of this in the next sections.

Step 3 Use your pass on any date at any activity included within the validity period.

This is the best step – go out and enjoy the attractions you’ve booked! Bring your voucher, either printed or electronically, and show it when you enter. Simple.

Step 4 Check the package details for specific inclusions.

This isn’t really a step, it’s more of a reminder. There are some conditions for attractions and it’s good to be aware of them before booking. I recommend looking at the fine print for each one when making the booking and checking again before visiting. These are usually small things like needing to redeem the ticket in a certain place or confirmation about what’s included with your ticket.

Here’s a handy visual guide from Klook that shows those 4 steps in a simplified way:

The next few sections will look at where to buy the Klook Pass Seoul, how to redeem it, and what to do if you need to get a refund.

Where To Buy The Klook Pass Seoul

You can buy the Klook Pass Seoul from the klook.com website. Once you’ve decided which combination of attractions and add-ons you want to buy and when the pass will be active from, proceed to the payment screen and enter your payment details. You can buy multiple passes together if travelling as a family.

Please note: you will need to create an account on the website to be able to use the pass.

How To Redeem The Klook Pass Seoul

After you’ve purchased the Klook Pass Seoul, you will be able to redeem the pass by making reservations for the attractions you want to visit when you visit Seoul.

You can make the reservations for the attractions in the following way:

• Log into your Klook account.
• Go to the ‘bookings‘ section of your account.
• Find your pass and click on the ‘reserve‘ button.
• Select the date you want to reserve.
• Follow all the steps to confirm your activity.
• Receive your voucher.
• Bring the voucher to the attraction.

Each attraction needs to be reserved separately, even if you’re visiting them on the same day. If you’re travelling as a family, each member needs to make the booking, too. You can buy multiple passes with one account. I recommend one person buying multiple passes in this situation so they can make all the reservations with one account.

How To Cancel The Klook Pass Seoul

If you haven’t made any reservations with your Klook Pass Seoul and decide that you want to cancel it, you can get a full refund. To be able to get a refund for the pass, you must not have validated the pass. That means you must not have made any reservations for attractions featured in the pass.

Once you have activated the pass (reserved or visited an attraction) at least once, it may no longer be possible to get a refund, even if you have remaining attractions that you did not visit.

Contact Klook customer service for refunds or changes. Log in to your Klook account and go to the Help Centre section of the website and then select ‘change booking’ or ‘cancel booking’.

Please note: once you have confirmed the dates of the activities by making a reservation, it is not possible to change those dates. However, the Klook help desk may be able to help you adjust those dates with the attraction owner. Send them a message if you need to change dates.

Klook Pass Seoul Vs. Discover Seoul Pass

The Klook Pass Seoul is essentially a more flexible version of the Discover Seoul Pass that doesn’t have fixed time limits of 24 | 48 | 72 hours. It allows you to visit the listed attractions on separate dates within a 30 day time period.

The attractions offered by the Klook Pass Seoul are mostly the same as the attractions offered by the Discover Seoul Pass. However, the Discover Seoul Pass has a wider range of attractions available, as well additional benefits such as including a T-Money Card, free transportation to or from Incheon Airport, and more.

To find out more about the Discover Seoul Pass, check out my very helpful Discover Seoul Pass Guide, which features loads of itineraries for the various time periods, as well as information about where to buy it, how to get the best price, and who it is suitable for.

Below is a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Klook Pass Seoul vs. the Discover Seoul Pass. There will also be a summary of whether or not the Klook Pass Seoul is worth buying at the end of this article.

Why Klook Pass Seoul Is Better Than Discover Seoul Pass

Here are the main reasons why the Klook Pass Seoul is better than the Discover Seoul Pass:

Flexible: The Klook Pass Seoul is valid for 30 days and attractions can be visited any time within those 30 days. This gives users a lot more freedom than the Discover Seoul Pass, which has fixed time limits of 24 | 48 | 72 hours once the pass is activated.

Simple: The Klook Pass Seoul is focused only on attractions in Seoul with no other features that might tempt you to use it earlier. There are also no issues of balancing activation periods and other features with the Klook Pass Seoul. You also can’t accidentally activate the Klook Pass Seoul, which can happen with the Discover Seoul Pass.

Lower Price: The 24 hour Discover Seoul Pass is 50,000 KRW for the 24 hour pass, the cheapest pass available. This is more expensive than the 2 attraction Klook Pass Seoul, which starts at 44,000 KRW. However, you can cover a larger number of activities with the Discover Seoul Pass in a 24 hour period, making it better value for money overall.

Why Discover Seoul Pass Is Better Than Klook Pass Seoul

Here are the main reasons why the Discover Seoul Pass is better than the Klook Pass Seoul:

More Attractions: There are a wider number of free attractions available with the Discover Seoul Pass than the Klook Pass Seoul. There are 56 free attractions available with the Discover Seoul Pass, but only 9 with the Klook Pass Seoul.

More Features: The Discover Seoul Pass also offers discounted entry to some attractions. Furthermore, it includes the T-Money Card features and comes with a free AREX train ride between Incheon Airport and Seoul. The Klook Pass Seoul doesn’t offer any additional benefit besides free entry to attractions.

Collectible Cards: The hugely popular Korean K-Pop group BTS have collaborated with the Discover Seoul Pass to create the highly-collectible version of Discover Seoul Pass – the BTS Discover Seoul Pass. There is no physical card with the Klook Pass Seoul, so nothing to collect.

Is The Klook Pass Seoul Worth It?

Is the Klook Pass Seoul worth the cost? Is the Discover Seoul Pass a better option for travellers visiting Korea? Should you buy a Klook Pass Seoul? Well, that all depends on what you value most when you travel.

If you are a smart traveller who is willing to spend a bit of time checking the prices of various attractions online and comparing them to the cost of the Klook Pass Seoul, then it can certainly be worth it. However, the savings probably won’t be as big as you imagined they would be.

The Klook Pass Seoul Savings Are Misleading

The Klook Pass Seoul initially seems to offer big savings on premium attractions in Seoul, saving up to 52% in some situations vs. the regular entry price. However, Klook and other online tour companies also offer discounted entry to these attractions.

The amount of money you’d actually save would be much lower if you booked attractions through the Klook website vs. booking on-arrival at those attractions.

The table below shows how much Klook charges for attractions included in the Klook Pass Seoul:

As you can see from the table above, it’s typically cheaper to book attractions through Klook instead of paying the cost of entry on-arrival.

Booking attractions ahead of time can save you a lot of money when you travel. However, using passes like the Klook Pass Seoul and the Discover Seoul Pass can potentially save you even more, especially when you consider the savings you can make on entry to theme parks.

Klook Pass Seoul Saves You Money On Theme Parks

The cost to add-on entry to Lotte World (27,000 KRW) and Everland (27,500 KRW) to the Klook Pass Seoul is much lower than the original cost to enter these theme parks and lower than the entry price offered on the Klook website. The table below compares the different prices:

The Klook Pass Seoul can save you 14,000 KRW against booking entry to Lotte World vs. booking through the Klook website. It can save you 35,000 KRW vs. the original price.

The Klook Pass Seoul can save you 10,500 KRW against booking entry to Everland vs. booking through the Klook website. It can save you 22,500 KRW vs. the original price.

Does the Klook Pass Seoul save you money vs. booking each attraction separately through Klook? That depends on which attractions you want to visit and whether you’ll add-on one of the theme park options.

Realistic Klook Pass Seoul Savings

Looking at the previous example of using the Klook Pass Seoul for a day out in Jamsil to visit Lotte World Adventure and Lotte Aquarium while wearing an Ewha school uniform, the actual savings would be less when compared to the Klook website price.

The original cost (on-arrival) of these attractions would be 115,000 KRW. The Klook website price (booked separately) would only be 82,000 KRW. The Klook Pass Seoul with 2 attractions + Lotte World Adventure add-on costs 71,000 KRW.

This means you would save 11,000 KRW, which is lower than the 46,000 KRW savings against the original cost. That’s still a good saving.

If you rented hanbok (19,800 KRW), visited Seoul’s royal palaces (not included) and later went to the nearby Alive Museum and Dynamic Maze (16,900 KRW) using the Klook Pass Seoul 2 attractions pass (44,000 KRW), you would actually pay 7,300 KRW more.

Final Conclusions

So is the Klook Pass Seoul worth it? Again, that all depends on what attractions you visit and whether you plan to book trips separately online or turn up and pay the standard entry fee.

The Klook Pass Seoul can be worth it if you want to visit a theme park and several premium attractions in Seoul. The more attractions you visit, the more you will save with the pass.

The benefit of being able to visit each attraction on separate day is a big advantage of the Klook Pass Seoul vs. the Discover Seoul Pass and allows you to plan your trip more flexibly.

Here’s an example of how you can use the Klook Pass Seoul to travel more flexibly:

Day 1: Lotte World Adventure and Ewha school uniform rental. Spend the rest of the day exploring Seokchon Lake, Lotte World Tower, and Jamsil.

Day 2: 63 Building and Aqua Planet 63. Spend the rest of the day exploring Yeouido and the Han River parks, night markets, and surrounding area.

Day 3: COEX Aquarium. Spend the rest of the day exploring COEX Mall, Bongeunsa Temple, and Gangnam.

The total cost of these attractions would be 87,000 KRW with the Klook Pass Seoul. The cost to book these attractions through the Klook website would be 108,600 KRW. This means you save 21,600 KRW and can split your activities over several days and travel at your own leisure.

Personally, I think the Klook Pass Seoul is worth it if you plan to visit a theme park and other attractions over several different days and want the flexibility of spreading out these big attractions.

However, if you’re in Seoul for a short time and will be doing many activities in a few days, the Discover Seoul Pass is better value for money and offers more features than the Klook Pass Seoul.

The Discover Seoul Pass Can Be Cheaper

The 3-day example above would cost 87,000 KRW with the Klook Pass Seoul. However, a 72 hour Discover Seoul Pass would only cost 90,000 KRW and you would get more benefits, including the T-Money card and freedom to enter more places for free.

If you only have a few days in Seoul and plan to visit some of the premium attractions in Seoul, the Discover Seoul Pass could save you money vs. the Klook Pass Seoul.

Tips For Using The Klook Pass Seoul

If you use the Klook Pass Seoul, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of the pass.

Plan Ahead: Work out which attractions you want to visit and when. Can you visit them more cheaply by booking tickets separately, or is the pass cheaper?

Visit The Theme Parks: Lotte World and Everland are a great, whole-day activity for visitors to Seoul. The discounted entry price through the Klook Pass Seoul is cheaper than you’ll find elsewhere.

Research Locations: Seoul is a big city with attractions spread out across its many districts. Plan where you will visit and see what attractions are in the locations you want to visit.

Klook Pass Seoul FAQs

Finally, here are a few FAQs about Klook Pass Seoul, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you.

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Find out where to buy a T-Money Card at Incheon Airport and other locations in Korea, learn how to top-up your card in Korea and where to top-up, and also discover the many benefits of using a T-Money Card. This in-depth article will answer all your T-Money queries quickly and easily.

This comprehensive guide is updated regularly to bring you the latest information about changes and additional ways to use the T-Money Card. There are also lots of my own tips about how to use the T-Money Card, where it can be used, and lots of really useful travel advice for visiting Korea.

For those who prefer to watch a video version of this article, please watch it here:

Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links and I may earn commission for purchases made after clicking these links.

What Is The T-Money Card

The T-Money Card is a prepaid transportation card that can be used to pay for public transportation in cities across Korea, including buses and subways. It provides cash-free travel around Korean cities, and takes the hassle out of to get around Korea and buying tickets for each journey.

The T-Money Card can be used to pay for a range of items and services, including taxi charges, items in convenience stores, entrance fees for attractions, vending machines, and food and beverages in restaurants. Anywhere you see the T-Money logo (above), you can pay with T-Money Card.

Why Do I Need A T-Money Card In Korea?

Korea is fast becoming a cash-free society and in recent years Korea’s buses have moved away from accepting cash payments. Almost a quarter of all buses in Seoul are now cash-free and you can’t pay with cash at all on Daejeon’s buses. This will likely be the norm everywhere in Korea very soon.

Even when you can buy tickets in cash, it’s inconvenient making sure you have the right cash available (no change is given on buses). Queueing up to buy a ticket at a crowded subway station is a real hassle when you could just touch-and-go straight through the barriers with a T-Money Card.

The biggest reason is the two rates to travel in Korea’s subways and buses – one for cash and one for transportation cards like the T-Money Card. The rate for the T-Money Card is lower, meaning you’ll save money when you travel with a T-Money Card, as you can see in the table below:

*Bus fares in Seoul rose to ₩1,500 from August 2023. However, it hasn’t been confirmed whether cash and T-Money costs will be the same now or not.

Quick Summary

Here’s a summary of the T-Money Card and why you should get one when you travel to Korea.

Where To Buy A T-Money Card

T-Money Cards are available in many places in Korea, including at Incheon Airport, in convenience stores, and in public transportation stations. This section of the T-Money Guide will show you where to buy a T-Money Card in each of these different locations and extra services that include T-Money.

Buy T-Money At The Incheon Airport, Seoul

The most convenient place for most travellers to get a T-Money Card is at Incheon Airport in the Transit Centre (Floor B1) of Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. There are vending machines that sell the Korea Tour Card, which is the tourist-friendly version of the T-Money Card that comes with extra benefits.

Follow the directions to the ‘Airport Railroad‘ in either terminal and it will lead you to the B1 Transit Centre. The T-Money Card vending machines will be well signposted and located next to the All-Stop subway train, which is the subway to central Seoul that you can pay for with T-Money.

Please note: If you arrive at Incheon Airport Terminal 1, the Transit Centre is the only place you can buy a T-Money Card (Korea Tour Card). The CU convenience stores in Terminal 1 don’t sell T-Money Cards. In Terminal 2, you can buy T-Money Cards from GS25 and 7/11 convenience stores.

How to buy T-Money card At Incheon Airport Transit Centre:

It’s easy to buy a T-Money Card from the Transit Centre. Head to the All-Stop train station where the T-Money Card vending machines are located. You must have cash (KRW) to purchase at the vending machines, as well as cash to top-up the balance afterwards.

Here are the 4 steps required to buy a T-Money Card from the vending machine:

1: Insert Cash

The cost of the Korea Travel Card (hereafter called T-Money Card) is ₩4,000. Insert cash into the machine. Change is available.

2: Press The Number

Like a normal vending machine, press the number of the card you want to buy. Don’t select a number which is empty.

3: Press The Green Button

To confirm your purchase, press the green button at the bottom of the keypad.

4: Collect Your T-Money Card

The vending machine will collect your T-Money Card and dispense it to you.

Once the T-Money Card has been dispensed, don’t forget to collect any change from the vending machine. To top-up, take it to the ticket machines outside the All-Stop terminal. Full details about how to top-up will be included in the section ‘How To Top-Up A T-Money Card‘

Need Cash For T-Money?

One issue with T-Money is that it can only be topped-up using cash (KRW). Unfortunately, airport money exchanges typically give bad exchange rates. You can get better rates by taking the Airport Express non-stop train into Seoul and changing money in Myeongdong or Hongdae, or by ordering a Korean sim card from Klook with a T-Money Card with a preloaded balance of 5,000 KRW or 10,000 KRW.

Where to Buy A T-Money Card In Korea

I recommend buying a T-Money Card at the Incheon Airport Transit Centre. However, if you’re not arriving in Korea at Incheon Airport, want to get a card with a cuter design, or want to save money by combining T-Money with other services, here are 6 other places where you can buy T-Money Cards.

Buy T-Money At A Subway Station In Korea

Subway stations in Korea sell the basic version of the T-Money Card, which comes with no balance. You can usually top-up from the same machine that dispenses them.

Price: ₩2,500

Buy T-Money At A Convenience Store In Korea

Korean convenience stores, including GS25 and 7/11, sell T-Money Cards with their own designs. These come with no balance but can be topped up straight after purchase with cash.

Price: ₩3,000

Buy T-Money On The Airport Express

It is possible to buy a T-Money card inside the subway stations along the Airport Express all-stop train between Incheon Airport and other parts of Seoul. You can even personalise this card and add your own picture to the card.

Price: From ₩6,000

Buy T-Money From Klook

Klook offers a combined Korean sim card and T-Money package that comes with a T-Money Card with Klook’s own cute design. You save money on both the T-Money Card and sim card with this combined package.

Price: From ₩32,500

Get T-Money With The WOWPASS

The WOWPASS is a travel money card that allows you to pay for goods and services like a local. It includes T-Money functions and the WOWPASS Airport Package comes with ₩10,000 T-Money balance included.

Price: From ₩5,000

Get T-Money With The Discover Seoul Pass

The Discover Seoul Pass is a city-pass that offers free entry to dozens of premium attractions in Seoul. It also includes T-Money functions to allow you to travel on public transport without having to buy a separate T-Money Card.

Price: From ₩50,000

You can also buy T-Money cards from stationery stores like ArtBox. ArtBox is a popular place to buy souvenirs and cute stationery. They also have their own line of T-Money Cards with ever-changing fun designs for you to collect. There is no T-Money balance and the cards cost more.

How Much Does The T-Money Card Cost?

The price of the T-Money Card is ₩2,500 for the standard T-Money Card that is sold at public transportation stations in Korea. This does not include any credit and you will need to add funds to the card before you can use it. The cost of the Korea Travel Card at Incheon Airport is ₩4,000.

T-Money Cards from other locations, such as convenience stores and stationery stores, which include special artworks, typically cost more money. The cost of T-Money can be free when it is included in another service, such as the WOWPASS or Discover Seoul Pass.

Where Can You Buy Special T-Money Designs?

If you want to buy a T-Money Card with an interesting design, there are several options in Korea. The stationery store ARTBOX offers some cute designs with their own characters, as do convenience stores. These cards have the same functions as a regular T-Money Card and work the same way.

Please note: T-Money Cards with unique designs are a bit more expensive – around ₩5,000 to ₩6,000 per card. The base cost of a T-Money Card is ₩2,500. These can make nice gifts or souvenirs and as the T-Money Card doesn’t expire, you can use them every time you visit Korea.

BTS-Themed T-Money Cards

BTS ARMY members may want to get a special souvenir of their time in Korea and can do so with a BTS-themed T-Money Card. These special edition BTS T-Money Cards work the same as regular T-Money Cards, but come with 7 different designs, one for each member of the hit group, BTS.

These aren’t widely available, and new versions replace older versions frequently. If you want to buy a BTS-themed T-Money Card, you can find them in some convenience stores or in K-Pop merchandise stores in areas such as Gangnam, Hongdae, or in the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

Where Can You Use T-Money In Korea?

The T-Money Card is primarily a transportation card that can be used to pay for bus and subway journeys in most Korean cities. However, it also functions as a payment card that can be used to make small purchases in certain Korean shops, cafes, restaurants, and attractions.

If you bought the Korea Tour Card from the Incheon Airport Transit Centre, you will be eligible for discounts at tourist attractions, shops, entertainment, restaurants, and other locations. For example, you get 30% off entry fees at N Seoul Tower and 20% off entry fees at COEX Aquarium.

Here are the places you can use the T-Money Card in Korea:

On Buses

It’s really simple to use T-Money on Korea’s buses. Touch the T-Money Card to the card reader when you enter the bus to start your journey, then touch it again when you exit the bus. In most city buses in Korea you enter at the front of the bus and get off in the middle. There will be a T-Money Card reader in both locations.

Most bus journeys cost the same price, however, if your bus travels more than 10km, you will be charged an extra fee. If you don’t tap-off when you leave the bus, you may be charged this fee.

On The Subway

The T-Money Card is accepted on all subway systems in Korea, including in Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, and Gwangju, Touch the T-Money Card when you enter the security gates at the start of your journey, then touch again to exit. If you run out of credit, there are machines inside the gates to top-up (but you’ll need cash).

Like bus journeys, most short journeys on the subway will be the same fee. If you travel a long way on the subway, or make many transfers, the fee can be higher.

Transfer discounts: When you transfer between subway or bus rides within 30 minutes, you’ll get a discount on your next ride as long as you tapped-off when on your previous journey. Also, if you accidentally enter the wrong subway gate, you can leave within 10 minutes for free on some lines.

For Taxis

You can use a T-Money Card to pay for taxis in Korea. It’s quick, easy, and allows you to avoid using a credit card or having the right change. As long as the taxi driver has the T-Money logo displayed, you can pass your T-Money Card to the driver who will touch it to the card reader and complete the payment.

You can call taxis directly to you using the Kakao Taxi app, which is available on Android and iPhone and can be used in English, Korean, and Chinese. My guide to using Kakao Taxi will show you how to order and pay for a taxi in Korea.

For Shopping

The T-Money Card is really useful when you want to buy small items, such as a bottle of water, coffee, or some snacks. When you see the T-Money logo, you can use the card to pay for goods and services. You can use T-Money to pay for purchases in convenience stores (CU, GS25, Emart 24, 7/11).

You can use the T-Money Card in Korea’s supermarkets and chain stores, including Home Plus (supermarket) Emart (supermarket) Face Shop (cosmetics) Innisfree (cosmetics) Tony Moly (cosmetics) and others.

Using the T-Money Card for shopping: As the T-Money Card needs to be topped-up in cash (KRW), using it for shopping isn’t really that convenient. Instead, I recommend getting a WOWPASS in Korea, or bringing a travel money card like the Wise Travel Card or Revolut Travel Card.

In Cafes

Food and beverage outlets also accept the T-Money Card, including Starbucks, McDonald’s, Angel-in-Us Coffee, Ediya Coffee, Gong Cha Tea, and Paris Baguette and more.

It’s best to check for the T-Money logo before trying to pay with your T-Money Card or asking if T-Money is accepted. Again, using the T-Money Card is possible for this, but usually not the most convenient way to pay.

At Attractions

You can use T-Money to pay for entry fees for major attractions, including theme parks and sports stadiums, as well as other locations like pay-phones and vending machines.

Here are some of the locations you can use T-Money: vending machines, public pay-phones, Everland theme park, sports stadiums (including Wyverns Baseball Club), and at festivals (to pay for food and drinks).

Where Can’t You Use T-Money In Korea?

You can’t use T-Money to pay for intercity train tickets, including the KTX – Korea’s high speed train network. You also can’t enter intercity buses and pay with T-Money like you can when entering a regular city bus. However, you can use T-Money to buy intercity bus tickets and board with those.

Generally, the T-Money Card is accepted in major cities across Korea, especially destinations popular with tourists. If T-Money isn’t accepted, there will be other options available, such as using Cashbee or paying with cash.

How To Top-Up A T-Money Card

The T-Money Card can be recharged (reloaded) at subway stations and convenience stores throughout Korea. Vending machines at subway stations are the easiest locations to recharge a T-Money Card and will also allow you to check your balance before or after the top-up

These machines can be found in each major city in Korea where you can use T-Money. They are available in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. These T-Money recharging machines only accept cash and the T-Money Card can’t be reloaded with a credit card.

This is how to top-up a T-Money Card using a ticket machine in subway stations in Korea. The T-Money card can only be topped-up using cash and can’t be topped up using credit or debit cards or money transfers. This method works for other transportation cards in Korea, too.

1: Go to a ticket machine in a subway station

Go to a ticket vending or transportation card at a subway station. These machines are usually close to the entrance barriers to the subway inside the station.

2: Select ‘Recharge Transportation Card’

Change the language of the ticket recharge machine as desired, then select ‘Recharging the Transit Card’ or a similar option to begin to top-up your T-Money Card.

3: Select the value to top-up

Select the amount of money that you wish to add to your existing T-Money balance. The screen should show you what balance the T-Money Card already has. New T-Money Cards usually have no balance. You can recharge the T-Money Card with as little as 1,000 Korean won.

4: Confirm the value to top-up

Once you’ve selected the desired amount you wish to top-up the T-Money Card with in Korean won, confirm the top-up value by pressing ‘confirm’ on the screen.. You should select the amount that you have available in cash as you can’t top-up the T-Money Card in any other way.

5: Insert cash

To top-up a T-Money card, enter cash into the ticket vending machine up to the value you wish to top-up. Insert each bank note separately. Please note: only KRW can be used to top-up a T-Money Card.

6: Place your t-Money Card on the card reader

After inserting cash to top-up your T-Money Card, place your T-Money Card on the card recharge plate, which is usually located below the main screen of the recharging machine. Make sure the card is placed flat on the reader.

7: Wait for the T-Money Card to be recharged

The T-Money Card will be recharged once the recharging machine recognised the T-Money Card placed on the card recharge plate. Wait for the recharge to complete, which should take about 5 to 10 seconds in total.

8: Take your T-Money Card and start using it

Once the T-Money Card has been topped-up, take the card from the card recharge plate and you can use it to travel on the subway, on buses, and in other places. Tap to start your journey, and tap again when you finish.

Besides subway stations, you can also recharge a T-Money Card at a convenience store. The same rule about only charging with cash applies. You can’t recharge a T-Money Card with a credit or debit card. Here’s how to top-up the T-Money Card at convenience stores in Korea:

1: Go To A Convenience Store

Go to any major convenience store in Seoul or other towns and cities across Korea, including CU, GS25, Emart 24, and 7/11.

2: Ask To Top-Up T-Money

Show your T-Money Card to the cashier and ask to top-up the balance. Use Papago to translate into Korean if you’re not sure what to say.

3: Give the amount of cash to top-up to the cashier

You can only use cash to top-up T-Money balances, so make sure you have cash available to pay with. Give it to the cashier.

4: Place your T-Money Card On the Card Reader

Place your T-Money Card on the electronic card reader and wait for confirmation from the cashier that the balance has been updated.

There is a T-Money office at Seoul Station where you can ask for advice, purchase & reload the card, and get your remaining balance refunded when you leave Korea. T-Money Headquarters Address: 1st Floor. T-money Town, Seoul City Tower Building, Namdaemun-ro 5-Ga, Jung-gu, Seoul.

How Much Money Should I Add To A T-Money Card?

How much money to add to a T-Money Card depends on how you intend to use it. If you will use your T-Money Card mostly for transportation, I recommend adding ₩10,000 per day. This should cover all subway / bus travel costs within a city like Seoul, which cost ₩1,400 /₩1,500 per journey.

If you plan to use your T-Money Card to pay for small purchases, such as snacks, bottled water, and coffee, then add ₩20,000 per day, which includes transportation costs. A coffee in Seoul costs between ₩2,000 – ₩5,000, water is ₩1,000, and snacks from ₩1,000 – ₩5,000.

When you first top-up a T-Money Card, add ₩50,000 for the starting balance. This balance should last most travellers for a week if they use their T-Money Card just for bus and subway rides. You can check your balance during your travels and top-up when the balance gets low (under₩ 5,000).

Can You Recharge A T-Money Card With A Credit Card?

It is not possible to recharge a T-Money Card with a credit or debit card. Only cash can be used to top-up the T-Money Card. There are restrictions that only allow cash top-ups. The app version of T-Money can be topped-up by card payments or online transfers, but not physical T-Money Cards.

How To Your Check T-Money Card Balance

There are a number of ways to check your balance. When you use the T-Money Card on the subway or a bus, the electronic card reader will show you the fee for the ride and the remaining balance. This is the most common way to check your balance.

You can also check your card balance at subway ticket machines and T-Money recharge stations. When you recharge your card, it will show your balance before you add credit. This is a good way to check your balance, even if you don’t intend to recharge the T-Money Card right then.

Using T-Money Mobile App To Check Your Balance

The T-Money mobile app is an online-only version of T-Money that doesn’t come with a card. Instead, you can use your phone’s NFC function to use your T-Money balance. You can also use your phone’s NFC function to scan a physical T-Money Card and check the balance when logged into the app.

However, I don’t recommend using the T-Money mobile app to check your T-Money balance. There have been reports by travellers in Korea that the app sometimes accidentally wipes the T-Money Card, making it useless. I can’t confirm this myself, but it is much easier to check your balance elsewhere.

How To Refund A T-Money Card Balance

You can refund the existing balance of your T-Money Card at major convenience stores and subway stations across Korea, as well as at the T-Money headquarters in Seoul. These are the locations you can top-up a T-Money Card. Refunds will be paid in cash and partial refunds aren’t possible.

There’s a ₩500 fee to refund a T-Money balance, which is deducted from the existing balance. The cost of the T-Money Card won’t be refunded, but you can keep the T-Money Card after the balance is refunded. The T-Money Card doesn’t expire, so you can use it if you visit Korea again.

Tip: The credit balance on the T-Money Card will stay active for 5 years from the date of the last top-up. If you plan to visit Korea again in the next 5 years and have a small balance left, it might be best to keep the balance on your T-Money Card so you don’t need to top-up the card when you return.

Alternative Korean Transportation Cards & 1 bonus (UPDATED with Climate Card Tourist Pass July 2024)

There are several alternative transportation cards to T-Money, including the Cashbee Card (pictured above), Namane Card, which uses Rail+, and varieties of the T-Money Card that offer slightly different benefits from the original T-Money Card. Here’s a summary of those cards and what they offer:

Cashbee Card

The Cashbee Card by Lotte can be purchased and used in most of the same locations as T-Money. You can purchase a Cashbee Card at convenience stores and subway stations across Korea. The CU chain of convenience stores only offers the Cashbee Card, not T-Money.

The Cashbee card can be used to pay for journeys on buses and subway across Korea. Tap the card when you enter the bus or subway, then tap again when you finish your journey. Transfer discounts should also be applied. Cashbee can be used in Lotte shops, including Lotte Department Store and Lotte Cinema.

Price: ₩2,500

Where to buy: Convenience stores, subway

Namane Card

The Namane Card by KB Bank uses the Rail+ transportation card system by Korail, Korea’s national train service. One big advantage the Namane Card has over T-Money and Cashbee is you can use it to pay for train services, including Korea’s high-speed KTX trains.

The other big difference with the Namane Card is that you can personalise your card by uploading pictures of yourself or other designs you upload using the Namane app. The Namane Card is available from locations across Korea, including inside major train stations, department stores, stationery stores, and book shops.

Price: ₩7,000

Where to buy: Convenience stores, subway, Namane machines, online from Klook

Korea Tour Card

The Korea Tour Card was designed for tourists travelling to Korea and provides not only with the standard T-Money functions, but also offers lots of discounts. This is the version of T-Money that’s available at Incheon Airport.

Price: ₩4,000

Buy: Incheon Airport

Discover Seoul Pass

The Discover Seoul Pass is a city-pass that offers free entry to more than 50 premium attractions in Seoul. It also includes T-Money functions to allow you to travel on public transport without having to buy one. Discover Seoul Pass comes in flavours of 24, 48, and 72 hours validity, and only starts counting down starting when you use it for the first free benefit.

Price: from ₩50,000

Buy: Online from Klook

Creatrip X Bellygom Transportation Card

The Creatrip X Bellygom transportation card is a colourful travel card from Creatrip, which really stands out thanks to its bright pink picture of Bellygom, a popular Korean character that’s big on YouTube. With the ‘Decoration Card’ feature, you can make your own special transportation card, too. This makes it a lovely souvenir of your trip.

Please note: this card is a version of Cashbee and can be used and charged in all the same locations as Cashbee can.

This card comes with ₩5,000 loaded, which means you don’t need to worry about charging it at the airport (which should be done in cash). Simply collect the card at Incheon Airport (either terminal) or Gimpo Airport and then take the all-stop train straight into Seoul with it. It’s really convenient.

You can use the Creatrip X Bellygom transportation card to pay for public transportation across Korea, as well as in franchises such as Paris Baguette, Baskin Robbins, Angel In Us, and Lotte Mart.

Price: Around ₩10,200 (includes ₩5,000 balance)

Buy: Online from Creatrip.

Climate Card Tourist Pass

The Climate Card Tourist Pass is a new public transport card that will give visitors unlimited access to Seoul’s subway, bus system for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days. n addition to getting unlimited access to Seoul’s public transport, tourist pass users can also benefit from the same discounts for cultural and performance facilities that are applied to the Climate Card, such as 50% off admission to the Seoul Science Center and Seoul Grand Park.

For more information, please read the Climate Card Seoul Tourist Pass Guide.

Bonus: Driving in Korea

If taking public transport is not your style of travelling, consider driving in South Korea. You’ll get to see things outside of the bigger cities, and also added convenient of not following rigid timetables. Check out our guide on driving in Korea for foreigners!

Tip: The Discover Seoul Pass includes a free Airport Express journey from Incheon Airport to Seoul. This can be useful to get yourself into the city before you top-up the T-Money balance on the card. Find out more tips and ways to use the pass in my list of Discover Seoul Pass itineraries.

Is The T-Money Card Worth Buying?

So, if you’ve read all this and you’re still not sure if you should get a T-Money Card or not, here is a simple summary to show why you might want to get one. This is based on my personal experience of using a T-Money Card, as well as opinions shared from members of my Korea Travel Group.

For travellers who want to pay for transportation across Korea’s bus and subway networks, the T-Money Card will be perfect and an essential purchase. However, if you’re looking for a way to pay for goods, services, and attractions in Korea, then the T-Money Card isn’t really what you’re looking for.

Instead of the T-Money Card to pay for things in Korea, I recommend getting a WOWPASS or Wise Travel Money Card. These are both more convenient and allow you pay in Korea using your card’s balance, which can be topped up in foreign currency (WOWPASS) or by bank transfer (Wise).

Learn more: Check out my guide to using Wise in Korea to learn how to get a Wise card, who is eligible, how to activate the Wise card, and all the ways it can save on your travel money expenses.

The T-Money Card is really useful and I can’t imagine travelling in Korea without one. I’d recommend buying one when you arrive in Korea. If you want to know more about T-Money and its alternatives, you can find lots of useful information in my complete South Korea travel guide.

Tips For Using T-Money In Korea

Here are a few quick tips to help you use the T-Money Card more effectively when in Korea:

1: Check the remaining balance as you travel so that you don’t run out by accident.

2: Don’t top-up too much. I’d recommend adding ₩50,000 starting balance and then ₩20,000 – ₩30,000 each time after that. Maybe less if you don’t plan to travel much.

3: Buy one as soon as you arrive. Get a Korea Tour Card at Incheon Airport.

4: Make use of the T-Money Card when you are shopping in convenience stores. You’ll end up with a lot less change.

5: Store the T-Money Card away from other cards that can be used to pay by touch as card readers can be confused by multiple cards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Finally, here are a few FAQs about using the T-Money card in Korea, in case the above information didn’t cover enough for you. If you have any other questions you’d like to ask, feel free to leave a comment.

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