3. Getting Around Korea: Daily Transportation for Residents & Visitors
Navigate Korea with confidence—practical tips and insider advice for getting around like a local
Best for bus/subway routes, walking, and accurate address searches.
How to Use the T-Money Card
Practical tips and clear directions to help you move freely throughout Korea.
A rechargeable smart card used for subways, buses, taxis, and even convenience stores throughout Korea. It makes your travel seamless without needing to buy single-trip tickets every time.
* Keep at least 10,000 KRW on your card to avoid declined transactions during rush hour.
Convenience Stores: GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, Emart24.
Subway Stations: Ticket vending machines and information centers inside all stations.
Incheon Airport: Kiosks and convenience stores located in the arrival hall.
*Buy your card here immediately upon arrival to use it for the airport railroad into Seoul
Subway Stations: Use the ticket vending machines (look for the “Reload” sign). Note: Most subway machines only accept cash (KRW).
Convenience Stores: You can top up with cash at any major convenience store.
*All major stores (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven) reliably process recharges in under 30 seconds
Tap On & Off: Always tap your card on the reader when getting off the bus.
Free Transfers: This allows you to transfer between buses or between subways and buses for free (within 30 minutes) instead of paying a new fare.
Get any unused balance refunded (minus a small service fee of approx. 500 KRW) at most convenience stores or at airport refund desks before departing Korea.
Note: The cost of the card itself is non-refundable.
Initial Top-up: Start with 10,000 ~ 30,000 KRW for several days of city transit.
Stay in Seoul? If you are staying only in Seoul for 1, 3, or 5 days, check out the “Climate Card (Tourist Pass)” for unlimited rides on subways and buses.
Check Balance: Your remaining balance is displayed on the screen every time you tap your card at turnstiles or on buses.
Public Transportation Guide (Subway, Bus, KTX, SRT)
Seoul’s public transportation system offers convenient connectivity across the metropolitan area with free transfers within 30 minutes between different modes of transport.
- Coverage: Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju
- 23 lines in Seoul with multilingual signage (English, Korean, Chinese, Japanese)
- Base fare: 1,450 KRW with T-money card(1,550 KRW for single-ride tickets)
- Single-ride tickets available for cash purchase at vending machines
*During rush hours (7:30-9:00 AM, 6:00-7:30 PM), trains run every 2-3 minutes on major lines. Outside peak hours, expect 5-8 minute intervals.
Types of Buses (Seoul)
| Color | Type | Use |
| Blue | Trunk | Cross-district/major routes |
| Green | Branch | Neighborhood/local |
| Red | Express | To/from suburbs |
| Yellow | Circular | Downtown Seoul loops |
Fares range from 1,450-2,500 KRW depending on route type. Electronic boards display real-time arrivals.
- Blue/Green: 1,450 KRW (T-money)
- Red: 2,400 KRW (T-money)
- Yellow: 1,450 KRW (T-money)
KTX (Korea Train eXpress)
- Seoul ↔ Busan: Under 2.5 hours (fastest route: 2 hours 15 minutes)
- Top speed: 305 km/h on dedicated high-speed tracks
- Pricing: Economy class from ~59,800 KRW (varies by time/demand)
* Book at least 7-10 days in advance for 20-30% early bird discounts, especially for Friday/Sunday travel.
SRT (Super Rapid Train)
- Budget-friendly alternative departing from Suseo Station (eastern Seoul)
- Routes: Primarily serves southeastern corridor
- Average savings: 10-15% cheaper than KTX for similar routes
*If you’re in Gangnam area, SRT from Suseo Station is often more convenient and cheaper than traveling to Seoul Station for KTX.
KR Pass(Multi-day unlimited rides for foreigners)
- Available in 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7-day options
- Cost effectiveness: Breaks even at roughly 2 long-distance trips (e.g., Seoul-Busan-Seoul)
* Requires advance seat reservations even with the pass. During peak seasons (cherry blossom, autumn foliage), trains can be fully booked days ahead.
Payment: T-money card required for buses; cash not accepted. Transportation card/app mandatory.
Etiquette: Priority seating for elderly, disabled, and pregnant passengers. Keep quiet and avoid eating/drinking.
Taxi & Ride-Hailing Apps
Payment Notice: Only officially marked taxis accept T-money cards. This is a crucial detail many first-time visitors miss — not all taxis that look legitimate actually accept card payments.
| Taxi Type | Description | Color/Sign |
| Regular Taxi | Standard city taxi | Orange silver white |
| Deluxe Taxi | Larger, more comfortable, higher fare | Black (“Deluxe”/모범) |
| Jumbo Taxi | For large groups (up to 8) | Van style |
| International Taxi | Multilingual service (EN/JP/CN) | Marked “International” |
- On the street: Raise your hand or use taxi stands (빈차 sign available)
- At malls/stations: Use designated taxi stands outside main entrances
- Use apps: Kakao T for booking, tracking, and payment (English available)
- First 2km: 4,800-5,000 KRW (regular taxis)
- Additional distance: 100-200 KRW per 132m
- Time-based (when slow/stopped): 100 KRW per 31 seconds
- Night surcharge: Higher fares 10pm-4am (typically +20%)
- Long-distance/Airport trips: May incur additional fees (negotiable)
Payment: Cash (KRW), credit card, mobile pay; some accept T-money
Navigating with Naver Map & KakaoMap
Google Maps is highly unreliable for navigating public transport and precise walking routes in Korea. Use these local applications instead.
Why Use These Apps?
Google Maps is highly unreliable for navigating public transport and precise walking routes in Korea. Use these local applications instead.
They provide real-time bus/subway routes, exact address searching, and accurate turn-by-turn navigation.
Key Tips for Foreigners:
Language Support: Both Naver Map and KakaoMap offer interfaces in English, making them easy to use.
Public Transit: Rely on these apps for accurate estimated arrival times and transfer information for subways and buses.
Address Search: When searching, inputting the name of the place (e.g., “Gyeongbokgung Palace”) or the phone number is often more reliable than using the English street address.
Walking & Driving: They offer highly accurate walking directions, crucial for finding specific buildings or shop entrances in dense city areas.
Vegan Restaurants in Seoul (2025 Edition)
For more details and directions, click the below button.
What’s driving this change:
- Growing health consciousness among young Koreans
- Environmental awareness (climate change concerns)
- Buddhist temple food gaining mainstream popularity
- K-pop idol influence (several idols publicly vegan)
- Social media food culture highlighting creative vegan dishes