GUIDES
Practical Korea guides.
Each guide answers the question in one sentence, then shows the steps, the alternatives, what goes wrong, and the official source behind every changing rule.
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Start with your next decision.
More guides follow as each one is verified on the ground. We publish a guide when it is checked, not to fill a list.Incheon Airport to Seoul
Take the AREX all-stop train if your stay is near a station, an airport limousine if the bus stops close to your door, and an official taxi if you land late or carry heavy luggage.
- Route
- Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 → Central Seoul
- Steps
- 7
- Sources
- 4 official
Your first 48 hours in Korea
Handle entry paperwork before you fly, then get online, arrange payment, save your address in Korean and pick your airport route — in that order.
- Route
- Before your flight → Your second day in Korea
- Steps
- 8
- Sources
- 5 official
Using the Seoul subway and buses
Tap one transit card for both subway and bus, plan by station exit number rather than street address, and check the last train before you commit to a late night out.
- Route
- Any Seoul station → Anywhere else in Seoul
- Steps
- 6
- Sources
- 3 official
Paying for things in Korea
Cards are widely accepted in Seoul, but carry some cash anyway — transit card top-ups, market stalls and older machines can still need it.
- Route
- Arrival with a foreign card → Paying without friction
- Steps
- 6
- Sources
- 3 official
Ordering food in Korea
Learn the kiosk, carry your dietary needs written in Korean, and confirm the payment method before you order in smaller places.
- Route
- Standing outside a restaurant → Eating what you meant to order
- Steps
- 6
- Sources
- 2 official
Getting help in an emergency in Korea
Call 112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance, and 1330 for the government travel helpline, which provides interpretation.
- Route
- Something has gone wrong → Reaching the right service
- Steps
- 6
- Sources
- 2 official