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South Korea
🇰🇷 South Korea
Naver Map instead of Google, T-money for transit, Kakao for everything social.
Ready-made routes
Know before you go
The practical facts for South Korea, at a glance.
Currency
South Korean Won (KRW)
roughly ₩1,350 to US$1 — drop three zeros and divide by 1.35
Tap to pay
Cards tap almost everywhere, but transit expects a T-money card.
Power
Type C / F (European two round pins)
220V, 60Hz
Tap water
Tap water is safe though most Koreans drink filtered. Free filtered water is everywhere in restaurants.
Tipping
Not practised. Do not tip; it causes confusion.
Emergency
Police 112 · Ambulance 119
112 · Works with no SIM, no signal
Best months
April–May and September–October: mild and clear
Entry requirements
Many passports need K-ETA pre-authorisation before boarding, though it has been temporarily waived for some nationalities. Check your own passport well before you fly — this is a board-or-not requirement, not a formality.
Paying in South Korea
Cards tap almost everywhere, but transit expects a T-money card.
Tap to pay works
Convenience stores and cafés
Restaurants and department stores
Taxis, including hailed ones
Supermarkets
Carry another way to pay
Traditional market stalls
Street food carts
Small temples and donation boxes
Seoul metro and bus readers expect T-money or Cashbee. Buy one at any convenience store, top it up at the machine, and tap on *and* off the bus — you are charged for distance.
Apps to download
The apps people in South Korea actually use, in the order to set them up.
Naver Map
Free
Critical
Google Maps legally cannot provide navigation in South Korea — Naver Map is the actual map of the country.
Before you fly
T-money
₩2,500–4,000 for the card, then load cash
Critical
One card for every subway, bus and most taxis in the country, plus convenience stores.
KakaoTalk
Free
Critical
Effectively universal in Korea — guesthouses, tour guides and new friends all use it instead of SMS.
Before you fly
Kakao T
Free app; ₩4,800 flagfall in Seoul
Important
The taxi app Koreans actually use — Uber barely exists here.
Papago
Free
Critical
Naver's translator handles Korean far better than Google Translate, including menus and honorifics.
Before you fly
Airalo / KT tourist SIM
eSIM from ~US$8; airport SIM ₩27,000–55,000
Critical
Korean apps are data-hungry and public wifi, while common, requires Korean-language registration.
Before you fly
K-ETA
₩10,000
Critical
For many nationalities it is required to board the plane, and it takes up to 72 hours to process.
Before you fly
Wise / Revolut
Free account; ~0.4–0.6% conversion
Important
Korea is card-friendly, so a low-FX card does more work here than cash withdrawals.
Before you fly
Step-by-step setup for each app is in the iPhone app.
First 60 minutes after landing
1
Buy a T-money card at the airport convenience store
₩2,500–4,000 for the card, then load cash. It covers every subway, bus and most taxis nationwide, plus convenience stores.
2
Install Naver Map before you land
Google Maps cannot route you in Korea. This is the single most important thing to do before arrival — do it on the plane or at home.
3
Check your K-ETA status before you leave home
For many nationalities it is required to board the flight, not just to enter. Apply at least 72 hours ahead.
4
The AREX train beats a taxi into Seoul
₩4,150 on the all-stop train, or ₩11,000 on the express to Seoul Station in 43 minutes. A taxi is ₩70,000+ and slower at rush hour.
Where to stay in South Korea
2 cities
Seoul
Enormous, hilly and superbly connected. The subway has 23 lines and is signed in English throughout.
Watch out for
Google Maps cannot give walking or driving directions in Korea — a legal restriction on map data export. Use Naver or Kakao.
Subway exits are numbered and can be 500m apart. Always note the exit number.
The last subway is around midnight; taxis surge hard immediately after.
Busan
Coastal, slower, and easier to navigate. Four subway lines plus buses along the beaches.
Watch out for
T-money works here exactly as in Seoul — no separate card needed.
The city is long and thin; cross-town journeys take longer than the map suggests.
Getting around
Incheon Airport → central Seoul
50 km. The express train is almost always the answer.
AREX Express
Non-stop reserved-seat train from the basement of either terminal.
₩11,000
43 min to Seoul Station
AREX All-stop
Tap T-money and board. Same line, more stops, no reservation.
₩4,150
59 min
Airport limousine bus
Buy at the counter in arrivals; buses stop at major hotels.
₩17,000
70–90 min
Getting around Seoul
The subway is exceptional. Everything else is a supplement.
Subway
Tap T-money in and out. English signage and announcements throughout.
₩1,400–2,000
Fast and frequent
Bus
Tap on and off. Blue buses are long-distance, green are local, red are express to suburbs.
₩1,500
Good for cross-town gaps
Taxi (Kakao T)
Hail in the app or on the street. Pay with card or T-money.
₩4,800 flagfall, ₩8,000–20,000 typical
Traffic-dependent
Seoul → Busan and beyond
KTX makes the whole country a day trip.
KTX high speed rail
Book on Korail or at the station. Reserved seats, frequent departures.
₩59,800
2h 40m
Express bus
From Seoul Express Bus Terminal. Premium buses have wide reclining seats.
₩24,000–35,000
4h 30m
Domestic flight
Gimpo to Gimhae on Korean Air, Asiana or low-cost carriers.
₩40,000–90,000
55 min plus airports
Staying connected
Yes — a carrier-locked phone cannot use a local SIM or eSIM
Airalo
Jang — South Korea
5 GB · 30 days · US$12
Data only. Fine for maps, messaging and Naver over a week.
Ubigi
South Korea
10 GB · 30 days · US$19
Reliable, good hotspot performance for remote work.
KT
Tourist SIM (physical)
Unlimited · 10 days · US$33
Includes a Korean phone number, which some local services require. Airport counter, passport needed.
When to go
Best months
April–May and September–October: mild and clear
Hardest months
July–August monsoon and humidity; January cold with sharp wind
Languages
Korean, English signage in transit and tourist areas
Getting it right socially
Use two hands to give and receive, especially with older people.
Pour drinks for others, never for yourself, and turn away slightly when drinking with elders.
Take shoes off in homes, guesthouses and many traditional restaurants.
Do not write someone's name in red ink.
Priority seats on the subway stay empty even when packed — do not sit in them.
Ready-made routes
Seoul and Busan in 5 days
5 days · about US$95 a day
Palaces and neon in the capital, then two hours south on the KTX for the coast.
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