Before you go to South Korea, sort four things: the mandatory e-Arrival Card if you have no K-ETA, a T-money card for transport, Naver Map instead of Google Maps, and a data plan so all of it works on arrival. Korea is cashless, safe and tip-free. Here are 12 tips that save you time and a few rookie mistakes.
South Korea is one of the easiest countries in Asia to travel, once you understand a few things that work differently here. The transport is flawless, crime is low, and you can eat brilliantly for very little. The friction comes from small surprises: a navigation app that does not work, a payment that needs a tap card, a piece of paperwork that changed recently.
So here is the briefing I wish someone had given me before my first trip, grouped by theme and ending with a tidy checklist you can screenshot.
1. Sort the paperwork first
The rules changed at the start of 2026, so ignore older guides. The K-ETA, Korea’s electronic travel authorisation, is still waived for visa-exempt nationals until 31 December 2026, which covers most short-stay tourists from Europe, North America, Australia and Singapore. You can enter on a valid passport alone.
But there is a catch worth circling. If you do not apply for a K-ETA, you must complete the e-Arrival Card, a free digital form that has been mandatory since 1 January 2026. Fill it in online within the three days before you land. Travellers who choose to apply for a voluntary K-ETA (a small fee) are exempt from the arrival card. Either way, do it before you fly, not in the airport queue.
2. Korea is cashless, but carry a little cash
Cards work almost everywhere: shops, restaurants, taxis, even small cafes. You can travel for days without touching a banknote. Keep a small amount of cash for traditional markets, street-food stalls and topping up a transport card, and you are covered.
3. Get a T-money card on day one
Buy a T-money card for around 3,000 to 5,000 won at any convenience store or station machine, load it with cash, and tap in and out. It covers the metro, buses and many taxis across the whole country, and it is far smoother than buying single tickets. Top it up at station machines or in any GS25, CU or 7-Eleven, up to 50,000 won at a time.
4. The metro is your best friend
Seoul’s metro is among the best in the world: clean, punctual, cheap and signposted in English, with announcements in English too. A ride starts around 1,550 won. Between cities, the KTX high-speed train links Seoul and Busan in just over two hours, while the intercity bus is the budget option.
5. Order taxis through the app
Taxis are reasonable, but the language barrier makes them easier through Kakao T, the local ride app. You set your destination on the map, watch the car arrive and track the fare, with no need to spell out an address in Korean. The metro stops around midnight, so this is your late-night fallback.
6. Download Naver Map, not Google Maps
This is the single biggest surprise for first-timers. Google Maps is restricted in South Korea for regulatory reasons, so walking and driving directions are incomplete and often wrong. Download Naver Map or KakaoMap instead, both far more accurate, plus Subway Korea for the metro.
7. Papago beats other translators here
Papago, built for Korean, handles menus, signs and conversations better than the generic tools. Point its camera at a menu and it translates on screen. Pair it with KakaoTalk, the messaging app everyone in Korea uses, and you are set. Every one of these apps needs a live data connection to be useful, which is the thread running through this whole list.
8. Do not tip
Tipping is simply not part of Korean culture, and leaving extra can cause confusion rather than gratitude. Restaurants, taxis and hotels do not expect it. Keep the habit at home.
9. Mind a few quiet customs
- Take your shoes off when entering homes, many guesthouses and some traditional restaurants with floor seating.
- Age matters in social hierarchy; receive and give items, especially money or business cards, with two hands as a sign of respect.
- Keep your voice down on public transport, where carriages are notably quiet.
None of this is a minefield. Koreans are forgiving of visitors, and a little effort goes a long way. Here is the etiquette at a glance.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Take your shoes off where asked | Tip in restaurants or taxis |
| Give and receive with both hands | Talk loudly on the metro |
| Pour drinks for others, not yourself | Stick chopsticks upright in rice |
| Use both hands to pour for elders | Write someone’s name in red ink |
10. Eat where the queues are
Korean food is a highlight, and the best meals are often the cheapest. Follow the local crowds to canteens and street stalls, refill the free side dishes (the banchan) without shame, and try the convenience-store meals, which are genuinely good. Korean BBQ, bibimbap, tteokbokki and a late-night fried chicken with beer are the rites of passage.
11. Drink the tap water with care, but relax about safety
Tap water is officially safe, though many locals drink filtered or bottled, which is free in most restaurants. More broadly, Korea is one of the safest countries you can visit, with very low crime and a culture where lost phones often find their way back. Stay sensible, but you can relax.
12. Stay connected from the moment you land
Every tip above leans on the same thing: data. Your maps, translation, taxi app, e-Arrival Card and bookings all need a connection, and you want it working before you leave the airport, not after a hunt for a SIM stall.
The simplest route is to activate an eSIM for South Korea before you fly. You land at Incheon already online, on Korea’s 4G/5G network, one of the fastest in the world, with no roaming fees and no queue.
The 12-tip checklist
- Complete the e-Arrival Card online if you have no K-ETA (mandatory since 2026).
- Carry a little cash, but expect to pay by card almost everywhere.
- Buy a T-money card on day one for the metro, buses and taxis.
- Use Naver Map or KakaoMap; Google Maps is restricted.
- Install Papago, KakaoTalk and Kakao T before you go.
- Do not tip, take your shoes off indoors, give and receive with two hands.
- Follow the local queues to eat well and cheaply.
- Get a data plan sorted before you fly so all of it works on arrival.
With Orange, the service from a brand trusted by over 300 million customers, you travel with peace of mind: 200+ destinations covered, 24/7 human support, and a full refund if you never use your eSIM.
Tick the last box on the list before you fly.
