Korea Travel Guides
Practical tips and info for traveling in Korea
Eating at a Korean Restaurant
Getting a table, ordering at a kiosk or a table tablet, calling staff, self-serve water and free side-dish refills, paying at the counter -- a Seoul restaurant from start to finish
Using Naver Map and KakaoMap
Which app to install, language settings, finding a place by its Korean name and opening a route from Harugil, reading a transit result (exits, express trains, last trains, the fast-exit door), reviews and opening hours, and saved lists
How to Pay in Korea
Where foreign cards get declined, whether a traveler can use Naver Pay and Kakao Pay, prepaid cards for visitors, where Alipay and WeChat Pay work, and instant tax refunds
Riding Ttareungyi, Seoul's Public Bike
Renting Seoul's shared bike without a Korean phone number -- the app's foreigner mode, day passes from ₩1,000, renting with a QR code and returning to a station, the rules of the road, and when a bike beats the subway between two places
Riding Seoul's Subway and Buses
The rush hours to avoid and how much the subway, buses and taxis slow down in them, the busiest stations and the lines that crowd in one direction at each end of the day, stations closed on event days, express and local trains, bus colours, and last trains and night buses
Why Korean Apps Ask for a Korean Phone Number
What identity verification is, which apps lock a traveler out and which don't, and how to get by without a Korean number
Storing and Sending Luggage in Seoul
Subway lockers, shop storage, same-day delivery between the airport and your hotel, and check-in at Seoul Station -- how to spend the day between check-out and your flight without your bags
Restaurant Reservations and Waitlists in Korea
CatchTable Global, Naver booking, Tabling and the waitlist tablet at the door -- how to get a table in Seoul without a Korean phone number
How to Get a Taxi in Korea
Hailing on the street, booking by app, fares and payment -- a Seoul taxi guide for international travelers
Why Google Maps Doesn't Work Well in Korea (and What to Use Instead)
Essential map app guide for traveling in Korea
How Harugil Finds the Optimal Route
How we calculate the best visit order for 2–5 tourist spots using real transit data
How to Get a T-money Card in Korea
A must-have for Seoul public transit — how to buy and use a T-money card