Korea travel essentials

What visitors wish they had known on day one in Korea: the apps that work here, how to take a taxi, cards and the T-money card, SIM or eSIM, tax refunds, table manners and emergency numbers.

Apps to install before you fly

Naver Map or Kakao Map: The best maps for Korea: subway, bus and walking directions, in English. Google Maps shows transit but not walking or driving routes here.
k.ride or Uber: Taxi apps that work for visitors: sign in with Google, Apple or your Uber account and pay with your own card. Kakao T may ask for a Korean phone number.
Papago: Translation by Naver; point the camera at a menu or sign to read it in English or Spanish.
Korail+: Train tickets (KTX and others) in English. Express buses: the Kobus website or the T-money GO app.
Catch Table Global: Restaurant bookings in English for popular places with long waits.

Taxis

Where to get one: Use the taxi rank at airports, stations and hotels. On the street, a red light reading 빈차 behind the windscreen means the taxi is free.
Show the address in Korean: Use the taxi card in this app (on every stop and hotel). Drivers rarely speak English.
Paying: Most taxis take foreign cards and T-money. Expect a surcharge late at night (from about 22:00).
International Taxi: Drivers who speak English, Japanese or Chinese; book ahead, it costs a bit more. Handy from the airport with luggage.

Calling a taxi with an app, step by step

1. Pick the app: k.ride is Kakao Mobility’s app for visitors: you sign up with Google or Apple and pay with your own card. Kakao T is the app Koreans use; it works for visitors too, but signing up needs a text message, which is easiest with a Korean SIM or eSIM.
2. Sign up: Open the app, choose English, sign up (Google or Apple on k.ride; your phone number and the code by text on Kakao T).
3. Add a card: Add your Visa, Mastercard or AMEX in the payment settings, so the fare is paid in the app when you get out. You can also pay the driver by card or T-money.
4. Pick-up and destination: Pick-up comes from your location; check the pin. For the destination, type the English name or paste the Korean address from this app’s taxi card.
5. Choose the taxi type: A regular taxi is the cheapest. Blue taxis cost a little more but come faster. Large taxis (for luggage or groups) cost more.
6. Get in: The app shows the car number and colour. Check the plate, get in, and say hello (annyeonghaseyo).

Money and transport cards

Cards work almost everywhere: Visa and Mastercard are taken in shops, cafés and most restaurants. Keep some cash for markets and street food.
T-money card: Buy and top it up with cash at convenience stores (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven) or subway machines. Tap in and out on subway and bus; transfers within 30 minutes are cheaper.
ATMs: Look for ATMs marked "Global" or for foreign cards, in subway stations, banks and convenience stores.

Phone and internet

SIM or eSIM: Buy one before you fly or at the airport arrivals hall. You need data for maps, translation and taxis.
Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is common in the subway, cafés and public places, but do not count on it outdoors.

Shopping and tax refund

Tax Free shops: Bring your passport. A purchase of about ₩15,000 or more in one shop can be refunded.
On the spot or at the airport: For purchases under about ₩1,000,000 many shops take the tax off at the till. Otherwise use the refund kiosks at the airport before check-in. Ask the shop for the current rules.

Eating out and manners

No tipping: Prices include service. Water is free and usually self-serve.
Ordering: Many places use a tablet or a kiosk at the door. Some ask for one dish per person.
Small things that matter: Leave the pink priority seats on the subway free, keep your voice low on trains, and take your shoes off where you see a raised floor or shoe shelves. Bins are rare: carry a small bag.

Safety and emergencies

Numbers: Police 112, ambulance and fire 119, Korea Travel Hotline 1330 (24 hours, by phone or chat, foreign languages).
Lost something: Ask the subway line's lost-and-found centre or search lost112.go.kr; Korea is very good at returning lost items.
Pharmacy and doctor: Pharmacies show 약국 and a green cross. Big hospitals in Seoul and Busan have international clinics.

Practical

Plugs: Type C and F, 220 V (the round two-pin plug). Bring an adapter.
Convenience stores: Open 24 hours almost everywhere: snacks, drinks, umbrellas, phone chargers, T-money top-ups.
Toilets: Free and clean in subway stations and malls.

Questions

Does Google Maps work in Korea?

The best maps for Korea: subway, bus and walking directions, in English. Google Maps shows transit but not walking or driving routes here.

Can I use Uber or a taxi app in Korea?

Taxi apps that work for visitors: sign in with Google, Apple or your Uber account and pay with your own card. Kakao T may ask for a Korean phone number.

Do I need cash in Korea?

Visa and Mastercard are taken in shops, cafés and most restaurants. Keep some cash for markets and street food.

What is a T-money card?

Buy and top it up with cash at convenience stores (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven) or subway machines. Tap in and out on subway and bus; transfers within 30 minutes are cheaper.

Should I get a SIM or an eSIM for Korea?

Buy one before you fly or at the airport arrivals hall. You need data for maps, translation and taxis.

How do tourists get a tax refund in Korea?

For purchases under about ₩1,000,000 many shops take the tax off at the till. Otherwise use the refund kiosks at the airport before check-in. Ask the shop for the current rules.

Do you tip in Korea?

Prices include service. Water is free and usually self-serve.

What is the emergency number in Korea?

Police 112, ambulance and fire 119, Korea Travel Hotline 1330 (24 hours, by phone or chat, foreign languages).