South Korea Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors (2026): 20 Things to Know Before You Land

Korea is easy to travel in once you know a handful of local habits, and slightly confusing until you do. Most first-time visitors run into the same small surprises: Google Maps that will not give directions, a card that will not top up a transit card, a restaurant that only takes orders at a tablet, a palace that is closed on the day you planned to see it.

These 20 tips are the ones we would tell a friend before their first trip, grouped by when you need them. Each links to a detailed guide where we have one. Checked in October 2026.

Before you fly

  1. Check your entry paperwork. Many nationalities need a K-ETA; 22 countries and territories are exempt until December 31, 2026, and everyone without a K-ETA (including visa holders) fills in the free online e-Arrival Card. Our K-ETA and e-Arrival Card guide walks through it.
  2. Arrange mobile data. An eSIM bought before you leave is easiest; local SIMs and pocket Wi-Fi are the alternatives. Compared in our SIM, eSIM and pocket Wi-Fi guide.
  3. Install Naver Map and Papago. Google Maps gives limited directions in Korea. Set Naver Map to English using our Naver Map guide, and switch on Papago's honorifics setting before showing translations to people.
  4. Book trains and popular tours early. KTX tickets now go on sale two months ahead (since October 1, 2026), and weekend trains to Busan sell out.
  5. Check palace closing days before fixing your itinerary: Gyeongbokgung closes on Tuesdays; Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung on Mondays. Our 5-day Seoul itinerary is built around them.

When you land

  1. Get a transit card at the airport. A T-money card from a convenience store, loaded with cash, pays for the subway, buses and many taxis. Our T-money guide explains everything, and our WOWPASS comparison covers the foreigner-only alternative.
  2. Take the train into Seoul. The all-stop AREX train is cheap and goes to Hongdae and Seoul Station; the express is faster. All options in our Incheon Airport to Seoul guide.
  3. Carry a little cash. Cards work almost everywhere, but you need cash to top up T-money and for market stalls. Withdraw from ATMs marked “Global ATM”.
Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul with the statue of King Sejong and Bugaksan mountain behind
Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul, a good first walk from many hotels. Photo: Tristan Surtel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Getting around

  1. Tap in and tap out on buses as well as the subway; tapping out is what gives you free transfers. Our Seoul subway guide covers fares, transfers and the express-train trap.
  2. Think in exit numbers. Big stations have a dozen exits; your map app tells you which one to use.
  3. Show taxi drivers the destination in Korean. Or book through a taxi app so the address goes straight to the driver.
  4. Watch the last train. Most lines stop around midnight; check before 11 p.m. if you are out late.

Eating and shopping

  1. Side dishes are free and refillable, water is free, and there is no tipping.
  2. Many restaurants use tablets or kiosks for ordering. If a kiosk rejects your foreign card, pay at the counter.
  3. Barbecue is ordered by the serving, usually with a two-serving minimum. Everyday meals cost about ₩9,000–₩13,000.
  4. Carry your passport when shopping. Most big stores take the tax refund off the price at the till for purchases of ₩15,000 or more. Details in our Olive Young guide.

Etiquette that locals notice

  1. Leave priority seats free on the subway, even when they are empty, and keep phone calls quiet.
  2. Take shoes off when you see a raised floor, shoe racks or slippers at the entrance (homes, some restaurants, temples, guesthouses).
  3. Use two hands (or one hand supporting the other wrist) when handing something to an older person, and when receiving a drink from them.
  4. Be quiet in residential areas such as Bukchon and Ihwa, where people live in the houses you are photographing. Bukchon's red zone is closed to tourists in the evening; our Seoul neighbourhood guide has the hours.

Three more things worth knowing

  • Korea is very safe, including at night, and lost phones and wallets are often returned. Usual city sense still applies.
  • Save 1330, the free tourist helpline, which can interpret for you over the phone. Emergencies: 112 (police) and 119 (fire and ambulance).
  • Bins are rare on the street. Carry a small bag for rubbish and use the bins in convenience stores and stations.

Summary

Sort your entry paperwork and mobile data before you fly, get a transit card and a little cash when you land, use Naver Map and Papago instead of the apps you use at home, carry your passport for shopping, and check palace closing days before you plan each day. That covers almost everything that trips up first-time visitors, and leaves you free to enjoy the food, the neighbourhoods and the people.

Checked October 2026. K-ETA exemption, e-Arrival Card, transport fares, palace closing days and tax refund thresholds are sourced in the linked guides.

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