Getting Around Seoul: Transport Apps & Your First 48 Hours
Seoul has one of the best subway systems on earth — vast, spotless, cheap, and signed in English. The single most important thing to know is that Google Maps doesn't work properly here, so you need a Korean map app before you arrive. Here's what actually works.
Install a Korean map app first
Google Maps won't route you in Korea
Because of South Korean mapping-data rules, Google Maps can't give full driving or walking directions in Korea. Install Naver Map or KakaoMap instead — both are excellent, have English modes, and are what locals actually use. This is the one setup step most visitors get wrong.
The best default: the subway
Seoul's subway reaches essentially everywhere, runs frequently, and costs little (base fare around ₩1,550 with T-money). For nearly every visitor trip it's faster and cheaper than a taxi.
Get a T-money card
A rechargeable T-money card pays for the subway, buses and taxis, with free transfers between subway and bus. Buy one at any convenience store and top it up with cash. If you'd rather load a foreign card, a WOWPASS combines currency exchange with T-money.
Getting in from Incheon
Take the AREX train. The Express runs non-stop to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes (₩11,000),
while the cheaper All-Stop train (₩4,150–4,750 with T-money) stops at handy spots like Hongdae
and Gimpo Airport along the way.
The app for taxis
Kakao T for rides
Kakao T is the local default for taxis. Its English mode calls a cab anywhere in Korea, shows an upfront fare, takes international Visa/Mastercard, and sends your destination to the driver in Korean. Uber works too but mostly dispatches the same licensed taxis.
Arrived launches soon. Get the right transport setup the moment you land.
Join the waitlistYour first 48 hours
- Before you fly, install Naver Map or KakaoMap — not Google Maps — for directions.
- At Incheon, buy a T-money card, then take the AREX into the city.
- Default to the subway for getting around; tap your T-money card at the gates.
- Install Kakao T for taxis when the subway doesn't fit.
Do those four things and Seoul, despite its scale, becomes one of the easiest big cities to navigate.
Frequently asked questions
- Which transport app is best in Seoul?
- Naver Map or KakaoMap — not Google Maps. Google's routing is heavily limited in South Korea for legal reasons, so locals and savvy visitors use Naver Map or KakaoMap for directions, and Kakao T for taxis. Install one of the Korean map apps before you arrive.
- Why doesn't Google Maps work well in Korea?
- Due to South Korean mapping-data export restrictions, Google Maps can't offer full driving and walking navigation in Korea. It works for finding places, but for actual routing use Naver Map or KakaoMap, which are excellent and have English modes.
- Do I need a T-money card in Seoul?
- Yes — a rechargeable T-money card is the standard way to pay on the subway, buses and even taxis, and it gives free transfers between them. Buy one at any convenience store or station and top it up with cash. Tourists with foreign cards often use a WOWPASS, which combines currency exchange and T-money.
- How do I get from Incheon Airport to Seoul?
- Take the AREX train. The AREX Express runs non-stop to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes for around ₩11,000. The cheaper AREX All-Stop train costs roughly ₩4,150–4,750 with T-money and stops at handy places like Hongik University (Hongdae) and Gimpo Airport on the way.
- How much is the Seoul subway?
- The base fare is around ₩1,550 with a T-money card, rising a little with distance. It's cheap, fast, clean, and signed in English — for most trips it beats a taxi easily.
- How do I get a taxi in Seoul?
- Use Kakao T. Its English mode lets foreign visitors call a taxi anywhere in Korea, shows an upfront fare estimate, accepts international Visa and Mastercard, and sends your destination to the driver in Korean. It's far easier than hailing on the street.
- Is Uber available in Seoul?
- Uber operates in Seoul but mainly dispatches regular licensed taxis, similar to Kakao T. Kakao T has the widest coverage and is the local default, so it's the one to install first.