The green bikes are everywhere in Seoul. You've probably walked past dozens of Ddareungi (따릉이) stations without realizing they're basically free transportation sitting there unused. Thing is, most foreigners either don't try them or get stuck at the first station because the app makes zero sense.
Here's what locals know that doesn't show up in tourist guides.
Why Seoul's Bike System Confuses Foreigners
Ddareungi launched in 2015, and as of 2023, Seoul operates over 45,000 bikes across 2,762 stations. Sounds straightforward. Actually, there are two completely different bike types and two station colors, and mixing them wrong leaves you standing there looking confused while your Bluetooth refuses to connect.
LCD bikes are the originals. They need a rental number typed into a screen on the bike itself. QR bikes came in 2020 — you just scan a code with your phone.
The catch? Green stations handle both bike types. Yellow stations only work with QR bikes.
Most foreigners grab whichever bike looks available without checking the station color on the app. Then they can't return it. An LCD bike won't dock at a yellow station, and the app starts charging overtime fees at 200 won per 5 minutes.
The Pass System Nobody Explains Correctly
Here's where Seoul's system gets clever, but the English explanation is terrible.
You buy a "1-hour pass" for 1,000 won. Sounds like you get one hour total, right? Wrong.
The pass is valid for 24 hours from your first rental. Within those 24 hours, you can rent bikes unlimited times. The "1-hour" just means each individual ride needs to return within 60 minutes.
So a 1,000 won pass actually gives you all-day access if you keep returning and re-renting. A 5,000 won "all-day pass" just removes the per-ride time limit — useful if you're riding to Namsan and don't want to rush, but not necessary for most trips.
Koreans who use Ddareungi regularly buy monthly passes (5,000 won) or yearly passes (30,000 won). Tourists overpay because they don't realize the 1,000 won option works fine for a full day of sightseeing.
What Actually Happens When You Rent
Download the app (Seoul Public Bike or 서울자전거 따릉이). Select "Foreigner" mode. The app switches to English, sort of. Some buttons stay in Korean. Just ignore them.
Buy a pass using any Visa, MasterCard, or JCB card. No Korean phone number needed. The payment goes through immediately, and you get a pass valid for 24 hours starting when you first scan a bike.
Find a station on the app map. Green or yellow — doesn't matter if you're using QR bikes, which you should because they're simpler.
Turn on Bluetooth AND location services. Both required. The app won't connect without them.
Scan the QR code stuck under the bike seat, on the rear wheel device. Wait. The app takes 10-40 seconds to unlock. You'll hear a loud "clack" and feel the lock release. Sometimes it takes a full minute. Don't walk away thinking it failed.
Ride wherever you want. Seoul has dedicated bike lanes marked in red along most major roads. The Han River paths are completely separated from traffic.
The Return Process That Traps People
This is where foreigners lose money.
Find any Ddareungi station before your time limit (1 or 2 hours depending on your pass). Pull down the sliding lock lever on the rear wheel device. Make sure it clicks.
Then wait.
Wait for the voice message saying "반납되었습니다" (returned). Wait for the app notification. This can take up to 60 seconds.
If you walk away without confirmation, the bike isn't returned. The app keeps charging you. At 200 won per 5 minutes, a forgotten return adds up fast.
The other mistake? Station capacity. The app shows how many bikes are at each station, but it doesn't show how many empty spots exist. You ride somewhere, find the station completely full, and now you're stuck circling blocks while overtime fees accumulate.
If the station is packed, look for the white auxiliary lock attached to each bike. You can lock your bike to another Ddareungi instead of using a dock. The app accepts this as a valid return, but foreigners never try it because it seems wrong.
Common Mistakes Foreigners Make
Renting without checking station colors. LCD bikes only return to green stations. If you grab an LCD bike (they have a screen on the handlebars) and try returning at a yellow station, nothing happens. The lock won't engage.
Not checking brakes before riding. Ddareungi maintenance is generally good, but with 45,000 bikes in circulation, some slip through with weak brakes or loose chains. Test them before leaving the station. Once you're on the road, you can't easily swap bikes.
Riding on sidewalks. In Korea, bikes belong on roads or designated bike lanes, not sidewalks. Police don't enforce this much, but pedestrians will give you very sharp looks. Locals stay in bike lanes.
Forgetting about the 24-hour validity. Your pass expires 24 hours after the first rental, not 24 hours after purchase. If you buy a pass at 9 PM intending to use it tomorrow morning, you're wasting money. Buy it right before your first ride.
What You Can Learn
- The "1-hour pass" for 1,000 won actually provides unlimited rides for 24 hours, as long as each ride is under 60 minutes
- Yellow stations only accept QR bikes; green stations accept both bike types
- Returns aren't complete until you hear the voice confirmation — wait for it
- If a station is full, you can lock your bike to another Ddareungi using the white auxiliary cable
Seoul's Ddareungi system is legitimately cheap and convenient once you understand these quirks. The 2,762 stations mean you're rarely more than 500 meters from a dock. The bikes are heavy (they're built to prevent theft) but comfortable for cruising around neighborhoods.
The confusion comes from translation gaps and assumptions that foreigners understand the two-bike-type system. Now you do.
Most Seoulites use these bikes for short trips where walking takes too long but subway feels excessive — Gangnam to Apgujeong, Myeongdong to Seoul Station, anywhere along the Han River. The bike infrastructure is excellent in central Seoul. Less so in residential outer districts, but tourists rarely go there anyway.
The system works well if you know these unwritten rules. Otherwise you end up frustrated at a yellow station with an LCD bike, wondering why Seoul's "simple" bike sharing feels impossible.