How to Get Around Seoul

So you’re in Seoul already hitting the books hard and enjoying all the delicious bulgogi you can stomach, now what? Well, you’re probably looking for new things to do over the weekend. After all, you’re in Korea, do you really want spend all weekend stuck in your dorm room/apartment? No, I didn’t think so either. So right now I want to take this time to discuss an all-important subject that you definitely need to know about and will make your life easier- specifically how to get around Seoul.

Seoul has one of the most efficient public transportation systems I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Not only do its several different modes of transportation run on time the majority of the time, are clean the majority of the time, but the majority of the people, in my opinion, are pretty darn respectful. However, Seoul’s public transportation is extremely extensive and deciding between its various options, not to mention navigating just its’ metro, can be a daunting and confusing experience. I know it was for me so I’m going to give you a rundown of how to get around Seoul in a step by step process.

Step 1- First thing you should definitely do is get something called a T-Money card. This handy little thing is a sort of prepaid/loadable card that can be used to pay for pretty much of transportation. Not only can you use it to pay for getting on the Seoul Metro, but you can also use it to pay for bus fares, and even taxi fares for those taxis that accept it. You can buy this card at pretty much any convenience store, any place bearing the T-Money logo, and the card reload machines within subway stations. Now, getting this card carries several great benefits. The first is that transfers within specific time limit between subway lines, subway to bus and bust to subway are free. The second is that you don’t have to worry about having cash to use public transportation every time.

Step 2- Second thing you should do is definitely get a Korean phone number or at least Korean data for your cell phone. The way I would recommend doing this is to get a simple prepaid Sim card. If you’re only in Korea for a semester this should be more than sufficient, however, if you’re staying for longer than you might want to consider getting an actual data plan from a Korean firm. For a prepaid Sim card, you can get one from companies like Evergreen (learn more about it here) or others that can easily be searched for on the web. As for the Korean data plan, you’ll have to get help from a Korean friend as I did not have to do this as most of the details will be in Korean. Now, this is especially important because you’ll definitely need some kind of Wi-Fi or data for the next step.

Step 3- The third step is to download a fair number of apps for your phone. The most obvious is probably Google Maps. Once you’ve downloaded this, the next is to download a Korean to English, and vice versa, translation app. The next app you should definitely download is an app to help you navigate the Seoul Metro. For these kind of apps, I can recommend Subway Navigation and MetroidHD due to having used them before (these are only for Android, but I’m sure there also some for Apple products.) The reasons for these apps are several. The Google Maps is mostly for finding the exact location of your destination on a map and use it determine the nearest mode of transportation, be it subway station, bus stop, or if you need a taxi. The translation app is essential for the odd case you get lost and need to show the location name to a Korean passerby. It is also supremely useful when you need to tell a taxi driver where you want to go in Korean. As for the subway navigation apps, these are a lifesaver because, once having found the nearest subway stop to your final destination, you can type in the destination station and the departing station and they will give you the optimal route to take. This includes which lines to take, where to transfer, approximate travel times, and train schedules.

Step 4- Once you’ve done the above, the next step is to decide which mode of transportation you want to take. As a student, your main options, and the ones you’ll most likely take, are the Seoul Metro, taking a bus, taking a taxi, or a combination of all of these. In order to give you an informed choice, I’ll now describe all of these options in detail one at a time.

               

            Seoul Metro- The Seoul Metro is, in all respects, an extremely efficient and extensive transportation network in Seoul. Consisting of eight numbered lines and several other name lines like the Jungang Line and the Arex (Airport Express) Line, the metro network covers most, if not all, of Seoul and even some nearby cities like Suwon and Yongin. Most signs within the metro system are also labeled in English so using them is very easy. You can likely get anywhere within Seoul by using the metro to get to the nearest station to your destination and walking the rest of the way. Trains on most lines run in two to five minute intervals and run on schedule the majority of the time. Trains, do however shut down around half past midnight on weekdays and before midnight on weekdays. They usually don’t start up again until five in the morning. As a student, the metro is also your most economical choice. You can get anywhere within Seoul for a little bit less than two dollars one way, and that’s at the high end of the spectrum when going from one side of the city to another. Of course, If you followed step 1 and got a T-Money card first you can then pre-load 20,000 won on the card and not have to worry about the fare until you run out and need to reload.

              

       Taxis- Another option available to you, is to take a taxi. Taxis within Seoul are, for the most part, pretty modern with newer cars and comfortable interiors. The vast majority of taxis in Seoul are honest with some exceptions. The starting fare is about 3,000 won though this can base rate can climb a bit higher late at night, particularly after midnight. The reasons to take a taxi can be that you don’t want to deal with the hassle of navigating the metro and that, late at night, after the metro shuts down they may be your only option. That is other than waiting for the metro to start up again. However, again be advised that this option is more expensive than taking the metro.

               

       Buses- Your other major public transportation is to take one of the many buses that service the entirety of Seoul. Most buses within Seoul I found to be very comfortable, however, when compared to the other methods of transportation above, they are definitely a slower method of getting to your final destination. Also, navigating the bus system as a foreigner, especially with little grasp of Korean can be an exasperating experience. For fares and further information be sure to check out this site.

Step 5- Step five, well, step five is basically just taking the method of transportation you chose and hoping you don’t get lost on the way. Of course, that is also part of the fun.

As a final note, if you’re the adventurous sort, or you just happen to be feeling brave, another option you have for getting around Seoul is walking or just ‘winging it.’ Pick a direction or destination and just walk towards it. Yes, you will likely get lost but it is a great way to discover Seoul and Korean life. After all, I found some of the best places in Seoul by just randomly wandering around. Sometimes it is not the destination that matters but how you get there.