Planning Guides

The first hours in Korea are smoother if a few things are already decided before you board: how you will get mobile data, how you will pay, and which map and taxi apps to install. This section covers those decisions in roughly the order you meet them, plus what the trip will cost.

Entry. Check whether your passport needs a K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) or a visa well before you fly, and apply only on the official government site — look-alike agency sites charge extra. Rules depend on nationality and change from time to time, so each guide here links straight to the official notice.

Staying connected. Most visitors choose between an eSIM, a physical tourist SIM from a Korean carrier, or a pocket Wi-Fi router. The right one depends on whether your phone is unlocked, whether you need a Korean phone number, and how many people share the data.

Money and cards. Korea is close to cashless in shops and restaurants, but transit-card top-ups and some market stalls still want cash. A rechargeable transit card is the single most useful thing to buy at the airport.

Apps. Google Maps gives limited walking and driving directions in Korea, so locals use Naver Map or Kakao Map. Guides here explain which apps work with a foreign phone number.

Budget. Public transport is cheap by international standards and simple meals are affordable; where you sleep and how many long-distance trains you take move the total most. Every price on this site is in Korean won, taken from the operator’s own page where possible, and dated with a “facts checked” date.

Start with the essentials below, then move on to Getting Around for trains, buses and the subway.