Let’s be real: for most Koreans, hopping in a taxi without Kakao T sounds weird. Still, tourists do it all the time. You just need to know a few backup tricks that still work.
Waving Your Hand Is Still a Thing
In Seoul, Busan, and the other big cities, the classic hand wave still gets the job done. Stand on any main road where taxis have a safe spot to pull over, and raise your hand. Look for a taxi with the lit-up empty sign on the roof. You’d be surprised how often it works—Korea has more taxis per person than almost anywhere else.
Try to avoid peak hours (7-9 AM, 6-8 PM) and rainy days. Friday nights near Gangnam or Hongdae? Good luck with that. But most other times, the taxi will pull up in just a few minutes.
Call the Taxi Genie: +82-2-120
In Seoul, the magic phone number is +82-2-120. This is the Dasan Call Center, and it’s the one-stop shop for all things taxi. The folks here can also book one for you. They speak English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Mongolian. The English isn’t perfect, but it’s good enough to get the job done.
Honestly, this taxi service is more dependable than a lot of folks think. Their team links you straight to real taxi dispatch centers. How quickly a cab arrives depends on where you are—business districts are speedy, while residential neighborhoods might take a little longer. The main thing is you’ll need to clearly describe where you are, and that brings us to a handy tip.
The Address Card Method
Most taxi drivers in Korea don’t speak English. The easy fix? Have your destination in Korean. Hotels usually give out little cards with their address in Korean—grab a few. You can also take a screenshot of your destination in Naver Maps and show that to the driver.
A common slip-up is trying to say Korean addresses out loud. Unless your Korean pronunciation is on point, showing the text is way clearer than telling.
Other Apps That Play Nice with Foreigners
TABA is Seoul’s official tourist taxi app. It supports multiple languages and you don’t need a Korean phone number. The driver pool isn’t as large as Kakao T’s, but every driver is trained for tourists.
K.ride lets you use foreign phone numbers and international credit cards. The design is a bit old-fashioned, but it links you to real taxis.
TADA is a premium option. It accepts foreign numbers and offers newer cars with professional drivers. It costs more, but think of it as Korea’s version of Uber Black.
Uber: In Korea, Uber only connects you to regular taxis, not its usual private rides. You can use foreign credit cards and the app is in English, but the coverage area is much smaller than Kakao T.
The Hotel Concierge Hack
Almost every hotel, even budget ones, will gladly call you a taxi. If you’re near a business hotel with a subway stop, there will be a taxi stand with staff who can talk to drivers for you. You can find the same assistance in department stores and big office buildings.
Many restaurants will call you a taxi after dinner, too. Just say, “택시 불러 주세요?” (taxi bulleo juseyo) and they’ll take care of the rest.
Payment Without Apps
Hailing a taxi off the street, you can pay with:
- Cash (always accepted)
- Korean credit and debit cards (T-money reload cards work in many taxis)
- International credit cards (Visa and Mastercard work, but the machines can be picky)
It’s smart to carry a little cash just in case. Seoul fares are cheap—most rides are under 15,000 won.
Why Some Methods Beat Others
The +82-2-120 help line is handy near big tourist sites, but it can get lost on residential addresses. Street hailing is best in downtown areas, but it won’t work in the suburbs. Hotel staff is always reliable, but you’ll be sent to a specific address.
The reason Kakao T runs the show is simple: it fixed every messy little problem the old system had. Still, the traditional setup is not dead. You’ll spot drivers still hunting down passengers on the street. That’s because not every Korean buys into the app world. Lots of older folks, some phone-skept millennials, and more than a few Gen Xers are happily keeping the old ways rolling.
What Foreign Visitors Should Know:
- Grab some offline maps that label Korean places before you lose WiFi.
- Stash 50,000 won in cash for the random taxi pinch.
- Snap a screenshot of your hotel’s Korean address—trust me, you’ll show it way more than once.
- TABA or Uber will work in tourist zones; for everything else, stick to street hails.
Korea’s taxi world runs way deeper than Kakao T. These side roads of transport aren’t just plan B; they’re living, breathing parts of Seoul’s travel system. Surprising, right?