Getting Around Korea — Trains, Subway, Buses and Transit Cards

Korea has one of the easiest public transport systems in the world for visitors once you know two things: which card to tap, and which booking site to use for long-distance trains.

In cities, the subway and buses run on rechargeable contactless cards. Seoul, Busan and the other big cities share the same card systems, so one card covers most of a trip, and transfers between subway and bus are discounted when you tap in and out with a card. Paying with single-journey tickets costs more and gives you no transfer discount.

Between cities, high-speed KTX trains connect Seoul with Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Gangneung and more. Since 1 September 2026 the former SRT services from Suseo station in southern Seoul are part of the same integrated system, bookable on Korail’s English site or the KORAIL+ app, and tickets now go on sale two months ahead. Seats on popular weekend and holiday trains sell out, so booking early matters more than it does in many countries.

From the airport, the AREX airport railroad and airport limousine buses are the main options into Seoul; taxis are metered and use Kakao T for app booking.

The guides below go into the specifics — prices with the date they were checked, step-by-step booking flows, and the mistakes that cost visitors time. For first-day logistics, see also Practical Tips.