Essential Apps for Getting Around in Korea
Short answer
Navigate Korea's subways, buses and taxis like a local.
Korea's public transport is excellent once you have the right apps and a T-money card. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap for routing, Subway Korea for offline metro maps, and Kakao T when you'd rather take a cab.
A single T-money card covers subway and bus fares nationwide and many taxis, so it's the one piece of hardware worth picking up at any convenience store.
Maps & Navigation
Transport & Transit
Naver Map
네이버 지도
Maps & Navigation
Korea's most accurate maps — where Google Maps falls short
English OKFree
Kakao T
카카오 T
Taxi & Ride-hailing
Korea's default taxi app — hail a cab without speaking Korean
Some EnglishFree + metered fare
KakaoMap
카카오맵
Maps & Navigation
Kakao's map app — clean interface with solid transit directions
Some EnglishFree
Subway Korea
지하철 종결자
Transport & Transit
Offline subway maps for every Korean metro line
English OKFree
T-money GO
티머니GO
Transport & Transit
Load and manage your T-money transit card from your phone
Some EnglishNeeds Korean cardFree
WOWPASS
와우패스
Payments
Tourist prepaid card and app for paying like a local
English OKFree app + card/top-up costs
NAMANE Card
나마네카드
Payments
Custom prepaid card with app top-ups and transit balance
English OKFree app + card/top-up costs
KorailTalk
코레일톡
Transport & Transit
Book KTX and intercity train tickets from your phone
Some EnglishFree + train fare
KakaoBus
카카오버스
Transport & Transit
Bus arrivals and route tracking when maps are not enough
Some EnglishFree
KakaoMetro
카카오지하철
Transport & Transit
Subway-first routing with station detail for Korean metros
Some EnglishFree
Taxi & Ride-hailing
Payments
T-money GO
티머니GO
Transport & Transit
Load and manage your T-money transit card from your phone
Some EnglishNeeds Korean cardFree
WOWPASS
와우패스
Payments
Tourist prepaid card and app for paying like a local
English OKFree app + card/top-up costs
NAMANE Card
나마네카드
Payments
Custom prepaid card with app top-ups and transit balance
English OKFree app + card/top-up costs
Frequently asked
What's the easiest way to navigate Seoul as a tourist?
A T-money card for tap-and-go transit, Naver Map for routing and Kakao T for taxis. Subway Korea is a handy offline backup underground.
Can I use one card for subway, bus and taxi?
A T-money card covers subway and bus everywhere and many taxis. Top it up at any convenience store; the T-money GO app helps manage the balance.