Taxis in South Korea, and the Kakao T app

Kakao T is the app to install: nearly everyone in Korea uses it, and it hails a regular metered taxi with the destination set in the app, which solves the language barrier. Uber works too, as Uber Taxi, dispatching the same licensed taxis, since Uber private ridehailing is restricted in Korea.

You can pay in the app or in the car. Coverage is excellent in Seoul, Busan and other cities, and the app can show an English interface, so you rarely need to speak Korean to get where you are going.

From Incheon (ICN), the AREX express train runs to Seoul Station in about 45 minutes for a modest fare, and the all-stop AREX is cheaper still. Airport limousine buses run to hotel districts across the city and are easy with luggage.

A taxi into Seoul is reliable but pricey (roughly 60,000 to 90,000 won plus tolls, more late at night), so it mainly makes sense for a group or very late arrival. Buy a T-money card on arrival and the trains and buses become tap-and-go.

Regular taxis are orange or silver, metered, cheap and honest, so there is nothing to haggle over. Black deluxe (mobeom) taxis and larger jumbo taxis cost more for extra space and service, which is worth knowing so a higher fare does not surprise you.

Hailing on the street works, but the app is easier for visitors. A red light in the windscreen means the taxi is available. At Incheon, an International Taxi stand offers English-speaking drivers on set fares if you prefer.

Fares are metered: a low base fare plus distance, with a late-night surcharge (roughly 22:00 to 04:00). Nearly all taxis take cards and the T-money transit card as well as cash.

You do not tip in Korea, and there is no need to round up. Just pay the metered fare. For more, see tipping in South Korea, cash or card in South Korea, and the South Korea money guide.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on South Korea

The little money things nobody warns you about.

• Tipping in South KoreaSouth Korea is not a tipping country. At restaurants, cafes and in taxis, no tip is expected, and trying to leave one may be politely refused. Here is what you actually owe.
• Do US citizens need a K-ETA for South Korea?Short answer: not right now. For US travelers the K-ETA is waived through the end of 2026, but there is a free arrival card you still must file, and the K-ETA comes back in 2027. Here is what you actually need, and when.
• Do I need cash in South Korea, or can I use cards?Short answer: mostly cards, a little cash. Korea runs on plastic, so a Visa or Mastercard covers almost everything, but markets and street food still want won. Here is how to pay, get around, and which apps to skip.
• Bringing your dog or cat to South Korea.South Korea is the most straightforward of the strict-looking Asian destinations. There is no import permit to chase for a personal pet, and a dog or cat that meets the microchip and rabies-titer rules is typically released the same day it lands. The one thing that sets your timeline, and that you must not skip, is the rabies antibody titer. Here is the route.
• Staying connected in South Korea.Korea has close to the best mobile coverage in the world and free wifi almost everywhere, so there is nothing to plan around. This is a pure cost question, and unusually for Asia the local unlimited SIM is the expensive option.
• What does getting sick in South Korea cost a visitor?South Korea is one of the easier countries in Asia to be unwell in. Care is fast, modern and widely available, and the only real complication is that none of the national insurance is yours.