To get around South Korea, a rechargeable T-money card handles almost everything: subway, buses and many taxis. In Seoul, the subway is king (base fare around 1,400 won). Between cities, the KTX links Seoul to Busan in about 2 hours 15 minutes. For taxis, the English-language Kakao T app removes the language barrier. And since everything runs through local navigation apps, data from the moment you land changes the whole trip.
South Korea is a country where you move fast and easily. Transport is clean, punctual, and most journeys come down to one card and two or three apps. The trick is knowing the local rules, because a few habits catch travellers out on arrival, starting with the maps you rely on at home.
Here is how to do it like a regular: from the card to buy first, to the train that races south, by way of the taxis you summon with a tap.
The T-money card: your pass for everything
The first thing to do on arrival, before you even think about the subway, is to grab a T-money card. It is the contactless, rechargeable card that opens up almost the entire transport network.
You will find it everywhere: in the 24-hour convenience stores (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, Emart24) and at the machines inside subway stations. The card itself costs between 2,500 and 4,000 won, then you top it up with cash, either at a convenience-store till or at the station machines. Keep some notes on you, as those machines often take cash only.
Its usefulness goes well beyond the subway. The same card works on buses, in many taxis, and even to pay for a coffee or a snack at a convenience store. My advice: get it at the airport, load the equivalent of 20,000 to 30,000 won for a few days, and you will never fumble for change again.
Worth knowing, and it is what makes the network so smooth: T-money works out a combined fare. Chain a subway ride and a bus within 30 minutes and you skip the base fare on the second leg, paying only for the total distance. Which means one habit to build on buses: tap your card both when you board and when you get off.
The subway in Seoul and other cities
In Seoul, the subway is the fastest and cheapest way around, no contest. The network has 23 lines and more than 700 stations, with signage, announcements and maps in English. Every station carries a number, which helps enormously when the Korean name escapes you.
The base fare is around 1,400 won with T-money for the first few kilometres, then it edges up gently with distance. Busan, Daegu and Daejeon also have their own subways, on the same principle and with the same card.
Two things to remember. First, the Seoul subway closes around midnight: if you are out late, plan for a taxi or a night bus. Second, at peak times (8-9 am and 6-7 pm) the central lines are packed, so it is better to shift a visit than to squeeze in.
For a busy stay in the capital, look at Seoul’s Climate Card. This transport pass now offers short options aimed at visitors: 1 day at 5,000 won, 3 days at 10,000 won, 5 days at 15,000 won, with unlimited use of the subway, city buses and Ttareungi share bikes. If you make more than four trips a day inside Seoul, it pays for itself quickly. Below that, pay-as-you-go T-money stays more flexible.
From Incheon Airport to the city: the AREX
Almost all international flights land at Incheon (ICN), about fifty minutes from Seoul. To reach the centre, the simplest option is the AREX train, which leaves straight from the basement levels of the terminals.
There are two options, and the right one depends on your luggage and your schedule:
- The Express train, non-stop to Seoul Station: about 43 minutes from Terminal 1 (51 minutes from Terminal 2), for 9,500 won, departing every 20 to 40 minutes.
- The All-Stop train, calling at around ten stations along the way: about 60 minutes for 4,150 to 4,750 won, departing every 5 to 10 minutes, and you board it straight with T-money.
My take: if you are travelling light, the All-Stop with T-money is the smart, cheap choice, barely slower and far cheaper. Save the Express for heavy bags or a train to catch.
Taxis and the Kakao T app
Taxis in Korea are affordable and honest, but the language barrier can make hailing one on the street awkward. The tool everyone uses locally is the Kakao T app, which handles most rides in the country and works in English.
The idea is simple: you call a car to your exact spot, type the destination into the app (no need to pronounce it), and watch the driver approach on the map. You can register with a foreign number and pay in cash, by card, with T-money or directly to the driver, all without a Korean bank account.
On fares, the base in Seoul starts at around 4,800 won for the first 1.6 km, then the meter adds roughly 100 won every 131 metres. Expect a 20 to 40% surcharge at night, between 10 pm and 2 am. The black, gold-trimmed deluxe taxis are more comfortable and pricier, with a base fare around 7,000 won.
One handy detail: a taxi flagged on the street is the same car and the same driver as on the app. Kakao T simply spares you the wait at the kerb and the need to explain your address. For the other apps worth having on the ground, see our pick of the eSIM for South Korea.
High-speed rail: KTX and SRT
For travel between major cities, high-speed rail is hard to beat. The KTX runs at 300 km/h and covers Seoul to Busan in about 2 hours 15 minutes, with close to 87 trains a day. A standard-class ticket costs around 59,800 won, much less than a domestic flight once you factor in the airport run.
Alongside the KTX runs the SRT, a second high-speed service that leaves from Suseo station in southern Seoul. It also serves Busan, slightly cheaper at around 52,600 won. If your stay is in the south of the capital, it can shave time off the trip to the station.
Planning several cities? The KORAIL Pass, for foreign tourists only, gives unlimited travel on KORAIL trains (KTX, ITX) over 2 to 5 days, now on non-consecutive dates. The 2-day pass costs around 130,000 won. It starts paying off from three long trips onward, and it covers neither the SRT nor city subways. For a simple Seoul-Busan return, point-to-point tickets stay cheaper. Buy it on the official site or at KORAIL travel centres in Seoul, Yongsan and Busan stations. Once you reach Busan, keep our guide to what to do in Busan close at hand.
- T-money first: bought at a convenience store, it pays for subway, buses and taxis nationwide.
- On the bus: tap the card both boarding and getting off for the right fare.
- Seoul subway: last trains around midnight, then taxi or night bus.
- Between cities: KTX or SRT for speed, express bus for spots without rail.
- Navigation: Naver Map and KakaoMap, not Google Maps.
Express buses between cities
Where the train does not go, the bus takes over, and it reaches the whole country. There are express buses (gosok), which link big cities non-stop, and intercity buses (sioe), which serve mid-sized towns and more remote spots such as some national parks.
In Seoul, the main departure point is the Seoul Express Bus Terminal, in the Gangnam district. The buses are comfortable, often cheaper than the train, and many offer wide, reclining “premium” (udeung) seats for a few thousand won more. To reach a quiet beach or a mountain valley, it is regularly the best option.
Hiring a car: when it is worth it
Let us be clear: in Seoul and the big cities, a car is a poor idea for a visitor. The subway is faster, far cheaper, and spares you the headache of parking and nervy driving.
Car hire comes into its own elsewhere: on Jeju Island, in the countryside, or for a road trip between sites that rail links poorly. You will need an International Driving Permit alongside your national licence to hire. Outside those cases, leave the car aside and trust the train and the bus.
Finding your way without getting lost
Here is the catch that surprises everyone: Google Maps does not work properly in South Korea. Driving directions are restricted and transit routing is often incomplete, for local regulatory reasons. Relying on it will send you in circles.
The right tools are local. Naver Map is the standard for transport: real-time subway and bus times, reliable routing, an English interface. KakaoMap shines for walking, with an arrow that turns to match the way your phone is pointing. Add Kakao T for taxis and you have the winning trio. Install them before you travel and set up your accounts at leisure, because these apps all run on an active data connection.
What transport costs
Here is a rough guide to the main fares for 2026, standard class and excluding special offers. Prices can change, so check them on the official sites before you go.
| Journey | Mode | Indicative price | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul subway (base) | T-money | ~1,400 won | by distance |
| Incheon → Seoul | AREX All-Stop | 4,150-4,750 won | ~60 min |
| Incheon → Seoul | AREX Express | 9,500 won | ~43 min |
| Seoul taxi (base fare) | Kakao T | ~4,800 won | +100 won / 131 m |
| Seoul → Busan | KTX | ~59,800 won | ~2 h 15 |
| Seoul → Busan | SRT | ~52,600 won | ~2 h 30 |
Book it all from your phone
In Korea, your journeys live on your phone: topping up T-money, starting a route on Naver Map, calling a taxi on Kakao T, booking a KTX or checking the time of the last subway. Without a connection the moment you land, you are stuck hunting for flaky Wi-Fi at the exact point you need a ride.
Rather than queue for a SIM card on arrival, the simple move is to activate an Orange Travel South Korea eSIM before you leave. Thanks to the roaming agreements Orange has negotiated, you are online from Incheon on one of the fastest 4G/5G networks in the world, and every transport app responds from the arrivals hall.
With Orange, the service of more than 300 million customers, you stay in control everywhere: 200+ destinations covered, human support 24/7, and 100% refunded if you do not use your eSIM.
Online from arrival, your journeys ready in one tap.
