Best Taxi Apps to Use in Korea for Tourists

Planning your first trip to Korea can feel exciting—and a little daunting. You’re navigating a new city, possibly a new language, and wondering how you’ll move from airport to hotel or across town after a long day of sightseeing. That’s where reliable ride-hailing plays a big role. In this post, I’ll walk you through the best taxi apps for tourists in Korea, explain how to use them step-by-step, share real-life tips, and link you to handy services such as book hotel in Seoul, buy KT&G SIM card, purchase T-money card, rent WiFi Korea, and order Korean cosmetics so your Korea travel planning is seamless.

🌟 Why Use a Taxi App in Korea?

Using a taxi app during your Korean trip gives you confidence, saves time, and avoids the uncertainty of trying to hail a cab when you don’t speak Korean. Apps show you driver details, estimate fares, accept international payment methods, and support English interfaces. Especially after a long flight or when you’re carrying luggage, being able to tap your phone and get moving is a relief.

In this guide to “Korea taxi apps”, we’ll cover three top-options: Kakao T (and its foreign-friendly spin-off), k.ride, and TABA. I’ll show you features, pros/cons, how to book, and real-traveller tips.

📱 Top Taxi Apps for Tourists in Korea

1. Kakao T

The most widely used taxi/ride-hailing app in Korea. The app interface supports English, Japanese and other languages. You can book a regular sedan, mini-van, or luxury taxi (Black class). Service is available not just in Seoul but many major cities and even Jeju Island. It’s stable and reliable.

Pros:

Large driver pool → short waiting times in major cities
Transparent: driver photo, licence plate shown before pickup
Multiple payment options: cash, credit card or T-money card when you select “Pay to Driver” method

Cons:

To register full app features (like paying by card) you may need a Korean phone number or Korean bank card. But there’s a workaround for payment to driver.
Foreigner-tailored features are less than apps built specifically for tourists.

How to use it (quick steps):

Download the app on Android or iOS.
Create a Kakao account (you can use your overseas mobile number, though some features may ask for Korean number)
Open the “Taxi” booking, enter your pickup location and destination.
Choose your vehicle type (Standard, Deluxe, Mini-van etc.).
For payment: if you don’t want to register a Korean card, in the payment screen select “Pay to driver” and then you can pay cash or with a card at the end of ride.
Confirm request → wait for driver details and track arrival.

Real-life tip: If you’re arriving at Incheon International Airport after a late flight, this is one of the best apps to pre-book a taxi and avoid fumbling with language or cash.

Check hotel deals near your arrival city here.

2. k.ride

This is a new taxi-hailing app by the same operator as Kakao (Kakao Mobility Corp.) but built with **foreign visitors in mind**: it supports international credit cards, no Korean phone number requirement, English interface and multilingual support.

Pros:

International-friendly setup: you can sign up with your overseas mobile number.
Upfront fare estimate shown, multilingual support (133 languages).

Cons:

Coverage still more limited than Kakao T in some remote areas or smaller cities.
May be slightly higher fares because it’s tailored for convenience.

How to use it:

Download k.ride (Android or iOS).
Sign up with your international number and register a payment card (international credit/debit supported).
Enter pickup and destination; check fare estimate.
Confirm and wait for driver details. Payment is handled through the app (cashless).

Real-life tip: Use this app for airport pickup or if you prefer paying by card without needing local currency or dealing with paying the driver directly.

Click to explore Korea Rail Pass options for getting around once you land.

3. TABA

Designed specifically for international travellers, this app is even more relaxed about Korean numbers and is promoted by the local government (Seoul Metropolitan Government) in cooperation with the T-money Card system. It supports English interface, supports overseas phone numbers, global cards, and even links to city attractions.

Pros:

No Korean number required; you can register with an international mobile number.
Multiple payment methods including Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay etc.

Cons:

Smaller driver pool compared to Kakao T; in peak hours you might wait longer.
App still relatively new — coverage may be less in smaller towns outside major cities.

How to use it:

Download the TABA app from the store.
Register your phone number (international accepted) and payment method.
Select standard, luxury or 5-seater vehicle depending on your group/luggage.
Book the ride, confirm, track the driver, pay via card.

Real-life tip: If you’re travelling in a group with lots of luggage, choose a 5-seater option in the app. Use it for late-night rides when buses/subway may be less convenient.

See the best travel packages for Korea to bundle transport & taxi apps.

🧭 How to Choose the Right App for You

Here’s a quick comparison:

If you’re looking for the widest coverage and reliability across Korea: go with Kakao T.
If you want the smoothest card payment + international-friendly signup: choose k.ride.
If you prefer simple sign-up, no need for Korean number, and are comfortable maybe waiting a little longer: use TABA.

Also consider the following travel tips:

In peak hours (commute, weekend nights) wait times increase. Pre-book where possible.
Have your destination address ready in Korean or use map pin in the app—this speeds things up.
If paying cash, make sure to have some Korean won notes/coins or a Korean-issued card ready.
For late arrivals or airport transfers you may pay a bit extra for convenience—factor that in.

✅ Step-by-Step Guide: Booking a Taxi App in Korea

Here’s a typical workflow (for any of the apps above):

Download the app (Android or iOS) and install it before your Korea trip, or as soon as you land with roaming/WiFi.
Create an account: enter phone number (international or Korean depending on app), email, payment details if required.
Open the app, allow location permissions. The app will detect your pickup location or let you drag pin to correct spot.
Enter your destination address or place name. You can use English-Korean translation to ensure accuracy.
Select vehicle type: standard sedan, larger car if you have luggage or group, premium if you want comfort.
Check fare estimate (if available) and confirm booking. Ensure you see driver name, vehicle number, estimated arrival time.
Meet the driver at the indicated location; verify the vehicle and driver details match the app.
At ride end: pay via the method you selected (cash/card/app). Don’t forget to tip if you feel driver service was great—though tipping isn’t common in Korea.
Rate your experience in the app (optional but helps future passengers) and continue your travel.

💡 Pro Tips for Using Taxi Apps in Korea

Insert your destination in Korean characters to avoid confusion—use the map pin or copy from Google Maps.
If you stay in a hotel, write down the hotel’s Korean name and address to show the driver if needed.
Late at night, fewer taxis travel to suburbs, so allow extra time or pick up near a major station/airport.
For airport rides (arrival or departure), book ahead if possible, and choose a larger car if you have heavy luggage or group members.
Keep your mobile phone charged; you may need to contact the driver via the app or receive notifications.
If you encounter any issues, the international-friendly apps (k.ride, TABA) have English customer support which can help you.

🌍 How This Fits Into Your Korea Travel Plan

Using taxi apps is one piece of the travel puzzle. Alongside booking your ride-share, make sure you also consider:

Book hotel in Seoul or wherever you’re staying early for best deals.
Buy KT&G SIM card or local e-SIM to ensure you have mobile data—very useful for apps and translation.
Purchase T-money card for public transit (subways, buses) which complements taxi use.
Rent WiFi Korea (portable WiFi hotspot) if you want to connect multiple devices while moving around.
Order Korean cosmetics via online delivery or local stores—easy to pick up on your ride between destinations.

📝 Conclusion

Making sure you have a solid taxi-hailing app set up before your trip to Korea can remove a lot of stress and let you focus on enjoying your travel. Whether you go with Kakao T, k.ride or TABA, each offers foreign-friendly features that make getting around easier. Use them wisely along with your hotel booking, mobile connectivity, transport cards and shopping plans, and you’ll have a smoother, more relaxed Korea experience.

If you found these app tips useful, share the post with fellow travellers—and if you have any questions, leave a comment below. Which city in Korea are you visiting first, and which app will you try out? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Remember: All information is accurate as of 2025, based on public and personal experience. Conditions may vary slightly depending on environment and region, so use this as a guide only. 8. The environment and region may differ slightly, so please use it for reference only.

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is based on personal experience and publicly available sources. Actual experiences may differ.

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