Getting around Korea
From the airport train to the KTX, with the card, the map app and the taxi tips that make it simpler.
Getting around Korea is the easy part of the trip once three things are set up: a transit card, a map app that works here and a way to book trains. Subways and buses in Seoul and Busan take the same tap card, and the KTX gets you from Seoul to Busan in under three hours.
Start with how you’ll get from the airport to your hotel, because that decides whether you need cash or a card on day one. Then pick a transit card with our calculator, install Naver Map, and book weekend or holiday KTX trains a week or two ahead (seats open one month before departure).
Arriving
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Incheon Airport to Seoul: every option, priced (2026)
Train, bus or taxi. The right answer depends less on price than on where your hotel is and what time you land.
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Incheon Airport layover: what you can do in 6, 12 or 24 hours
Incheon is one of the better airports to be stuck in, and one of the few that will take you on a free city tour. The question is whether your layover is long enough to leave.
Inside the city
One tap card covers subways and buses. Pick it first, then get Naver Map, because Google Maps won't walk you to the door.
- Korea transit card pickerFour questions, then the cheapest card for how you'll actually travel.
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T-money vs WOWPASS vs Climate Card: which transit card to get in 2026
Three cards, one tap at the gate. Here's which one saves you money, depending on how you'll actually move around.
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How to use Naver Map (and KakaoMap) in English
Google Maps will get you onto the right subway line. It won't walk you to the door. That's what Naver Map is for.
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Taking taxis in Korea as a tourist (2026)
Seoul taxis are cheap by big-city standards and nearly all take cards. The trouble spots are late nights, airports and drivers who see a tourist.
Between cities
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How to book KTX as a foreigner (and change or refund tickets)
The trains are excellent. Buying the ticket is the hard part, and it got a lot easier in 2026.
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How to get to Jeju from Seoul: flights, ferries and getting around the island
Almost everyone flies, and for good reason. The ferry is a real option if you want the trip itself to be part of the holiday, or you're bringing a car.
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Busan or Jeju for a short trip? An honest comparison
One is a big port city you can reach by train and explore by subway. The other is an island that rewards a car. Which one fits depends on how you like to travel.
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Day trips from Seoul, ranked honestly
Seven trips people take out of Seoul, ranked by how much you get for the hours you spend getting there and back.