Getting Around Seoul
Travelling to Korea may seem like a distant dream in the midst of this pandemic, but it never hurts to be prepared, right? As vaccination rates increase, hopefully this means that infection rates decrease and the borders can once again be opened up for international travel.
Before going to Korea, here are some tips to make your travel around Seoul fuss-free.
Subway App
Image credit: Google Play Store
Korea has an intricate yet orderly metro systems. Featuring 22 different lines and a total of 728 stations, the Seoul Metropolitan Subway is a huge upgrade from Singapore's 6 lines at 122 stations.
As daunting as that might be, the metro system is actually well thought-out and you will be able to easily find your way around just by following the signs. These signs also have English, Chinese, and Japanese writings to make it easier for tourists.
You can also download the Subway app to make your journey on Seoul's metro even more seamless.
This is the interface that you will see when you open the app. Click on the subway icon at the bottom right.
You will find a list of options. Select ‘Search’.
Type the name of the station you are at. You can do this in English. For demonstration purposes, Hapjeong station is selected. Click on the station you want to depart from.
Select 'Depart from'. Then, go back to search for the station you want to go to.
For demonstration purposes, Ahyeon station is selected.
Select 'Arrive at' and you will find your route highlighted for you. You can even find details like the time needed, the number of stations you will travel, if transfers are needed, and how much the journey will cost you.
There is also a Bookmark function for you to bookmark places that you commonly visit, like your accommodation.
Tmoney Card
Image credit: Tmoney Global
The Tmoney card is like Singapore's EZ-Link card, except it can be used for a lot more than the metro lines. You can use it to pay for your taxi fare and for your purchases in convenience stores — just make sure that they have the Tmoney logo which shows that they are affiliated with the card.
You can purchase your Tmoney card from any participating convenience store or ticket vending machines in the Seoul metro stations.
Image credit: AREX Korea
If you would like a souvenir, you can even purchase a customised Tmoney card from the ticket vending machines at Digital Media City Station near exit 8 and 9, or Hongik University Station near exit 3.
Naver Maps
Image credit: Apple App Store
We are all familiar with Google Maps and depend heavily on it directions. But did you know that Naver Maps is actually a better option when you're in Korea?
It has a very similar interface to that of Google Maps so there shouldn't be too big of a jump when switching apps.
Naver Maps will be beneficial for those who will be doing a lot of walking, as it will likely be able to give better walking directions. (Trust me, I've once had Google Maps literally draw me a straight line from point A to point B. Didn't know I was the Hulk...)
Kakao T
Image credit: Kakao T
Kakao T, previously known as Kakao Taxi, is basically Korea's version of Grab, but with less delivery functions and more navigation abilities. You will need a Kakao account (that can be easily created) to use this service.
Sometimes, it may be difficult to find a vacant taxi when we're out. Or sometimes, we just don't feel like having to go through the entire charade of attempting to pronounce the Korean names of our destination only to be met with a confused driver that may or may not speak a lick of English.
Kakao Taxi solves this problem for you by letting you set a pick up and drop off point in the app — all you'll have to do is get into the right taxi.
The only downside is that you can't connect your Tmoney card with this app. You will have to connect a credit or debit card instead.
For those who are driving, Kakao Taxi also has a navigation feature to get you to your destination. In this feature, you can choose the type of car you are driving in case there are any restrictions for your type of car on the road.
Lastly, there is also a parking function that helps you find affiliated parking lots that you can reserve and pay for. This makes travelling around easier as you no longer have to worry about finding suitable parking.
You can also use your credit or debit card to pay for your parking through the app via the Parking Automatic payment Plus to make parking your vehicle even more convenient!
Travelling in a country where you don't speak the language can be daunting but technology has made things a lot easier for us. Do keep this in mind the next time you're planning your trip to Korea!