Navigating South Korea: A Traveler’s Guide to Getting Around

The train was clean and comfortable, and the comfy seats also had built-in phone chargers to charge your phone on the way to your destination. The ride was fast and smooth, and watching the Korean countryside zoom by at lightning speed through the window was an amazing experience! When I arrived, it felt surreal to see the exact bus stop featured on the album jacket for BTS' You Never Walk Alone, one of my favorite albums.

Short Distance Travel

Walking is a huge part of life in South Korea. Every day, I hit my step goal on my phone without even trying! It's a great way to stay active, and on nice days, strolling through the city is quite enjoyable. But… walking isn't always fun.

• Rainy Days: South Korea's rain is no joke. Even with an umbrella, I've gotten completely soaked just walking a few blocks.
• Snowy Days: The sidewalks get super slippery, and I feel like my shoes have zero grip. One wrong step, and—bam!—I'm on the ground.
• Hilly Streets: Since 70% of South Korea is covered in mountains, many sidewalks are super steep, and some areas have tons of stairs. Carrying heavy bags while climbing a long flight of stairs? Not fun.

To make walking easier, some people rent electric scooters or bikes using their T-money cards. I haven't tried them yet because riding through Seoul's busy streets scares me a little, but I see people zipping around on them all the time.