🚇 Korean Transportation Vocabulary: How to Get Around Like a Local
Planning to travel in Korea? 🇰🇷
Whether you're riding the subway in Seoul or taking a taxi in Busan, knowing basic Korean transportation words can make your trip smoother and more enjoyable. 🚌🚕
In this post, you'll learn essential vocabulary and phrases to navigate buses, subways, taxis, and directions — just like a local!
🚦 Basic Transportation Words
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 지하철 | jihacheol | subway |
| 버스 | beoseu | bus |
| 택시 | taeksi | taxi |
| 기차 | gicha | train |
| 비행기 | bihaenggi | airplane |
| 자전거 | jajeongeo | bicycle |
| 자동차 | jadongcha | car |
| 정류장 | jeongryujang | bus stop |
| 역 | yeok | station |
| 교통카드 | gyotongkadeu | transportation card |
| 환승 | hwanseung | transfer |
| 출구 | chulgu | exit (of station) |
🧭 Common Transportation Phrases
| Korean Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 몇 번 버스예요? | What bus number is it? |
| 어디에서 내려요? | Where do I get off? |
| 다음 정류장은 어디예요? | What’s the next stop? |
| 지하철 몇 호선을 타요? | Which subway line should I take? |
| 환승해야 돼요? | Do I need to transfer? |
| 이 역에서 내려요. | Get off at this station. |
| 택시 타고 가고 싶어요. | I want to go by taxi. |
| 공항까지 얼마나 걸려요? | How long does it take to the airport? |
| 교통카드 있어요? | Do you have a T-money card? |
| 카드로 계산할게요. | I’ll pay by card. |
🚇 Subway Tips in Korea
✅ Most cities use line numbers (1호선, 2호선...)
✅ Stations are announced in Korean, English, and Chinese
✅ Use T-money or cash-beep apps for payment
✅ Many stations have free Wi-Fi, convenience stores, and underground malls
💡 Example:
-
홍대입구역 2호선에서 갈아타세요.
→ Transfer at Hongdae Station, Line 2.
🚕 Taking a Taxi in Korean
-
택시 불러 주세요. → Please call a taxi.
-
이 주소로 가 주세요. → Please go to this address.
-
영수증 주세요. → Please give me a receipt.
📌 Tip: Use Kakao T (카카오택시) for easy booking with English options.
🗺️ Asking for Directions
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| [장소]에 어떻게 가요? | How do I get to [place]? |
| 이 근처에 지하철역 있어요? | Is there a subway nearby? |
| 걸어서 갈 수 있어요? | Can I walk there? |
| 오른쪽 / 왼쪽으로 가세요. | Go right / left. |
| 직진하세요. | Go straight. |
🎯 Practice Prompts
-
Practice saying: "지하철 3호선을 타고 강남역에서 내리세요."
-
Write out your commute to school or work in Korean.
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Try role-playing a taxi ride with a friend or teacher.
👩🏫 Want to Practice Korean Transportation Conversations?
Whether you're learning for travel or daily life, I can help you master real-world expressions for subways, taxis, and directions in Korean!
👉 Book a class with me on italki:
https://www.italki.com/ko/teacher/7916559
Let’s get you moving — in fluent Korean! 🚍🗣️
