# Korea Trip Facts

> Practical answers for first-time visitors to Korea: entry rules, airport transfers, transit cards, money, phones and safety, each checked against official sources with the date shown.

Full text of every guide: https://trip.kimwon.com/llms-full.txt

## Entry & visas

- [Do I Need a K-ETA for Korea? 2026 Exemption List and Fee](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/k-eta-requirement/): Not if you hold a passport from one of the 25 countries or regions on Korea's temporary exemption list, which runs until 31 December 2026. Other visa-free visitors need an approved K-ETA (₩10,000) before boarding. Visa holders and travelers aged 17 or under or 65 and over do not need one. (checked 2026-10-05)

## Airports

- [Gimpo Airport to Seoul: AREX, Line 5, Line 9 or Taxi](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/gimpo-airport-to-seoul/): Take the subway. AREX reaches Seoul Station for ₩1,750 with a transit card, Line 9 express trains run toward Yeouido and Gangnam, and Line 5 crosses the city. A taxi to Myeongdong is estimated at about ₩20,000 and 50 minutes without traffic. (checked 2026-10-05)
- [Incheon Airport to Seoul: AREX, Airport Bus or Taxi](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/incheon-airport-to-seoul/): The AREX all-stop train is the cheapest way: ₩4,750 from Terminal 1 to Seoul Station with a transit card, in 59 minutes. The nonstop AREX express costs ₩13,000 and takes 43 minutes. Limousine buses (₩18,000 on K Airport Limousine) and taxis go door to door. (checked 2026-10-05)

## Getting around

- [Climate Card Seoul: Short-Term Pass Prices and Rules](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/climate-card-seoul/): Buy a ₩3,000 Climate Card at a Seoul subway machine or a convenience store near a station, then load a short-term pass: ₩5,000 for 1 day up to ₩20,000 for 7 days. It gives unlimited Seoul subway and Seoul bus rides. From October 1, 2026 it works only within Seoul, plus trips ending at Incheon Airport. (checked 2026-10-05)
- [KTX Booking for Foreigners: Korail Site, App and SRT Merger](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/ktx-booking-foreigners/): Book on Korail's English website or the Korail+ app and pay with a foreign credit card. Since 1 October 2026, sales open at 07:00 two months before departure. SRT was merged into KTX on 1 September 2026, so trains from Suseo are now booked through Korail as well. (checked 2026-10-05)
- [Naver Map and KakaoMap in Korea: Directions Without Google](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/naver-map-kakao-map/): Install Naver Map or KakaoMap before you fly. As of late August 2026, Google Maps in Korea still shows places and public transit routes but no turn-by-turn walking or driving directions, even though the government conditionally approved Google's map data request on February 27, 2026. (checked 2026-10-05)
- [Seoul Subway Basics: Fares, Tickets, Transfers, Etiquette](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/seoul-subway-basics/): Tap a T-money or other transit card at the gate and pay ₩1,550 for an adult ride of up to 10 km, or buy a ₩1,650 single-journey ticket plus a ₩500 deposit you get back at your exit station. Trains run from about 05:30 to around midnight. (checked 2026-10-05)
- [T-money Card in Korea: Where to Buy, Top Up and Refund](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/t-money-card/): Buy a T-money card at a convenience store (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven and others) or at Incheon Airport for about ₩3,000 to ₩5,000. Top it up with Korean won cash, tap it on buses and subways, and refund the leftover balance before you fly home for a ₩500 fee. (checked 2026-10-05)

## Money

- [Cash or Card in Korea: ATMs, Exchange, WOWPASS, Transit](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/cash-cards-korea/): Cards are accepted at most hotels, department stores and general shops, but carry some won for small shops, traditional markets and street stalls. Withdraw cash at ATMs marked Global. You still cannot tap a foreign card at Seoul transit gates, so use a transit card such as T-money, Climate Card or WOWPASS. (checked 2026-10-05)
- [Korea Tax Refund for Tourists: Limits, Kiosks, Deadlines](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/tax-refund-korea/): Spend ₩15,000 or more on one receipt at a Tax Free or Tax Refund store. Purchases under ₩1,000,000 can be refunded at the till, up to ₩5,000,000 per trip. Larger purchases are claimed at the airport after customs confirms you are taking the goods out within 3 months. (checked 2026-10-05)
- [Tipping in Korea: Do You Tip, and What Service Charges Mean](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/tipping-in-korea/): You do not need to tip in Korea. Seoul's official tourism site says tipping is not a Korean custom and staff do not expect it. Some major hotels and upscale restaurants add a 10% service charge on top of the 10% VAT, so read the bill rather than adding extra. (checked 2026-10-05)

## Phones & maps

- [eSIM, SIM Card or Pocket WiFi in Korea: Your Options](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/esim-sim-wifi-korea/): For most short trips, a carrier tourist eSIM is the simplest option: KT and SK Telecom both list unlimited-data eSIMs at ₩18,000 for 3 days (October 2026). Choose a physical SIM if your phone has no eSIM, or a pocket WiFi router if several devices will share one connection. (checked 2026-10-05)

## Safety & help

- [Emergency Numbers in Korea: 112, 119, 1330 and More](https://trip.kimwon.com/guides/emergency-numbers-korea/): Call 112 for the police and 119 for fire, rescue or an ambulance. If you need help in English, the 112 line has English and Chinese interpreters around the clock, and the 1330 Korea Travel Hotline answers in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese 24 hours a day. (checked 2026-10-05)