🚇 How to Commute in Korea (Subway, Buses, and Apps)
Planning to travel around Korea or live here as a student or language learner? Public transportation is clean, fast, safe — and a great way to practice your Korean on the go! This guide will teach you how to use the subway, buses, and essential apps, along with Korean phrases to help you navigate like a local. 🚌🚉📱
📘 Table of Contents
- 1. Why Korean Public Transportation Is Amazing
- 2. How to Use the Subway
- 3. Taking the Bus
- 4. Best Apps for Getting Around
- 5. Must-Know Korean Phrases
- 6. 💡 Did You Know?
- 7. Learn More Korean for Travel
1. Why Korean Public Transportation Is Amazing
✅ On-time and frequent service (especially in big cities)
✅ Affordable — subway rides start at about ₩1,250 (~$1)
✅ Integrated payment (use one card for subway, bus, taxi!)
✅ Multilingual signage and announcements (Korean + English + Chinese + Japanese)
✅ Subway stations often have shops, lockers, restrooms, and free Wi-Fi
2. How to Use the Subway
Korea’s major cities — including Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju — have modern and extensive subway systems.
🎫 Step-by-step:
- Buy a rechargeable T-money card (티머니 카드) at a convenience store
- Charge the card (충전하다 – chungeonhada – to recharge)
- Tap your card at the subway entrance gate
- Use signs or apps to find the right platform and direction
- Tap out when you exit
Popular Korean subway apps: KakaoMetro, Subway Korea, Naver Map
3. Taking the Bus
Buses in Korea are color-coded and cover the entire country:
- 🟦 Blue = city-to-city
- 🟩 Green = local routes and subway connections
- 🟥 Red = express routes to/from suburbs
- 🟨 Yellow = neighborhood circular routes
Board at the front, tap your T-money card. Tap again when you get off. Some routes show upcoming stops in English and Korean.
📍 Tip: Say the bus stop name clearly if asking for directions. It’s okay to ask the driver, but keep it short and polite.
4. Best Apps for Getting Around
📱 These apps make commuting in Korea easy — even if you don’t speak much Korean:
- KakaoMap – Great for walking + public transport
- Naver Map – Excellent in rural areas
- KakaoMetro – Subway times, transfer info
- KakaoBus – Live bus arrival info (only in Korean)
- Papago – Instant Korean translation app
Many of these apps support English mode. Still, learning a few Korean expressions will boost your confidence and communication.
5. Must-Know Korean Phrases for Commuting
| Korean (한글) | Pronunciation (로마자) | English |
|---|---|---|
| 지하철역이 어디예요? | jihacheol-yeogi eodieyo? | Where is the subway station? |
| 이 버스는 서울역에 가요? | i beoseuneun seoul-yeoge gayo? | Does this bus go to Seoul Station? |
| 티머니 카드 충전해주세요. | timoni kadeu chungjeonhae juseyo. | Please recharge my T-money card. |
| 몇 번 출구예요? | myeot beon chulguyeyo? | Which exit number is it? |
| 다음 역은 어디예요? | daeum yeogeun eodieyo? | What’s the next station? |
| 잠시만요! | jamsimanyo! | Excuse me! (e.g., when passing) |
| 버스 정류장은 어디예요? | beoseu jeongryujangeun eodieyo? | Where is the bus stop? |
✅ Practice reading these aloud before your trip.
✅ Try shadowing subway announcements (e.g., “이번 역은 강남, 강남역입니다.” – "Next station is Gangnam, Gangnam Station.")
6. 💡 Did You Know?
💡 Seoul’s subway base fare is only about $1.00 USD (₩1,250) for the first 10km, and you can transfer to buses for free within 30 minutes if you tap with the same T-money card. Korea offers one of the cheapest and most integrated transit systems in the world.
💡 Bus fares are similar: about ₩1,200–₩1,500 ($0.90–$1.15 USD), depending on distance and type (green, blue, red). Express red buses cost slightly more (~₩2,400 or $1.85 USD).
💡 The KTX (Korea Train Express), Korea’s high-speed train, connects Seoul to major cities in under 3 hours. Here are some sample one-way fares:
- 🚄 Seoul → Busan: ₩60,000–₩65,000 ($46–$50 USD)
- 🚄 Seoul → Daegu: ₩40,000–₩45,000 ($31–$35 USD)
- 🚄 Seoul → Gwangju: ₩47,000–₩52,000 ($36–$40 USD)
- 🚄 Seoul → Daejeon: ₩24,000–₩28,000 ($18–$22 USD)
💡 In many subway stations, you’ll find elevators, lockers, Wi-Fi zones, and even small libraries or cafés inside the station. Korean subway culture blends transit and lifestyle!
💡 Bus drivers and subway announcements often say “조심하세요 (josimhaseyo)” — meaning “Be careful.” It’s one of the most commonly heard Korean phrases on public transport.
7. 🎓 Learn More Korean for Travel
Want to practice these phrases in real conversations? Or role-play commuting in Korean with feedback from a native speaker?
👉 Book a 1:1 Korean lesson with me on italki We’ll go beyond the textbook and get you confident with subway signs, ticket machines, and polite questions!
