HOW TO GET AROUND

Seoul’s subway system is very efficient, so much so that you probably won’t need any other form of transportation when you’re there. We never took a taxi and the only times we ever got on a bus was to go to places outside of Seoul like Paju, Suwon, and Jinhae.

It can be a little confusing at first, but as long as you remember your destination’s subway stop and the line number that it’s on, then you shouldn’t have any problems. You sometimes have to walk far to transfer between lines so it’s important to know the line number of your stop. Otherwise, you won’t know which way to go to transfer lines. Whenever I include directions in our Seoul travel guides, I always include Line and Exit numbers.

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It’s a good idea to invest in a T-money card. It’s a transportation card that eliminates the hassle of buying single journey tokens and saves you KRW 100 per journey. It can be used to transfer between subway lines, buses, or from subway to bus and vice versa (within a transfer time limit) at no extra charge. The card itself costs KRW 2,500 and can be purchased at most convenience stores and subway stations. You can top it up with any amount you want at recharge stations found at every subway stop. If there’s any amount left over at the end of your trip, then you can have it refunded at a convenience store or refund station (minus a KRW 500 service charge).

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Another option is to get a Korea Tour Card which is a variation of the T-money card. It has the same benefits as the T-money card, plus it gives you small discounts at some tourist spots, shopping centers, restaurants, and theaters. It costs KRW 4,000 per card.