Kakao T vs Uber in Korea: How Tourists Can Take Taxis (Fares, Apps, Payment & Phrases)

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Taxis in Korea are plentiful, cheaper than in many big cities abroad and running when the subway has stopped. The hard part for visitors is calling one and telling the driver where to go. I am Jin, I live in Korea, and this guide compares Kakao T, Uber and simply waving down a taxi, plus taxi types, fares, payment and Korean phrases to copy. If you are still building your plan, start with my Korea trip planner for first-timers. Apps, rules and prices can change, so always check the current screen before you book.

A typical wide Korean city street: a good spot to wait for a taxi. Photo: Jin from Korea

Kakao T vs Uber vs Street Taxi at a Glance

Option	Sign-up	Best for
Kakao T	Kakao account plus text-message verification	Everyday rides if sign-up works for you
Uber (Uber Taxi)	Your existing Uber account	The easiest start for most tourists
Street taxi / taxi stand	None	Busy streets, stations, hotels, backup

• Kakao T: Korea’s biggest taxi app, used by most locals. Overseas card: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex can be registered for taxis. English: built for Korean users; English destination search is hit and miss. Number of taxis: very high, especially outside the capital.
• Uber (Uber Taxi): global app; in Korea it calls licensed local taxis. Overseas card: card saved in your account, or pay in person. English: familiar English interface. Number of taxis: good in big cities, thinner elsewhere.
• Street taxi / taxi stand: wave one down or join the queue at a stand. Payment: pay the driver by card, T-money or cash. English: show the address in Korean. Number of taxis: depends on the street and time.

What Is Kakao T and Why Do Locals Use It?

Kakao T (카카오T) is the taxi app from Kakao, the company behind KakaoTalk, the messenger almost everyone in Korea uses. Most drivers are connected to it, so a taxi usually arrives within minutes, even in smaller cities. You see the car number, follow it on the map and, with a registered card, pay automatically.

The regular call (일반호출) is a normal metered taxi that you can pay the driver for directly. Premium options such as Blue, Venti (vans) and Black may add a call fee or use other fare rules, shown before you confirm.

Can tourists use Kakao T?

Often yes. You can sign up for Kakao T with an overseas phone number: SMS verification works with foreign numbers. If the verification text never arrives, install KakaoTalk (Kakao’s messenger app) first and create a Kakao Account there with your email address. Then open Kakao T, choose 'Log in with Kakao Account', and it links without a separate SMS verification. Kakao Mobility’s help pages say overseas Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards can be registered for taxis, in the same name as the account, though some issuers refuse. If it fails, make a regular call and pay the driver. Set it up before your flight.

Kakao Mobility also runs k.ride, a separate app for visitors with Google, Apple or email sign-up and overseas cards, which I mention in my Google Maps vs Naver Map vs KakaoMap guide too.

Kakao T has an English interface, but if you type a place like Gyeongbokgung in English letters, the search can show many similar addresses. Copy and paste the place’s Korean name instead (see the Copy & Paste Korean box below), or check the spot in Naver Map or KakaoMap and move the map pin to the exact location before you call the taxi.

Uber in Korea: It Calls Regular Taxis

Uber works in Korea, but not the way it does at home: private drivers in their own cars are not allowed, so the app connects you with licensed taxis. The Korean service, once called UT, was renamed Uber Taxi in 2024. Options include Uber Taxi, a standard taxi, a faster “Speed Call” with a small fee, Green (electric cars) and a deluxe taxi.

The big advantage: you use the Uber account you already have, in English, with your saved card. Uber says you can pay in the app or choose in-person payment by card or cash. The catch is supply: in big cities Uber usually finds a taxi quickly, but in smaller towns or late at night Kakao T normally has more cars.

Download links (official stores)

• Kakao T: App Store | Google Play
• Uber: App Store | Google Play

If you search the store in Korean, type 카카오T (Kakao T). To find taxi stands on Naver Map, search 택시 (taxi) or 택시승강장 (taxi stand). You can copy both from the box below.

Street Hailing and Taxi Stands

You do not need an app at all. On a busy road, stand where cars can stop safely and raise your hand. A red “빈차” (empty car) light behind the windscreen means the taxi is free.

Hailing a taxi at a city crosswalk in Korea. Photo: Jin from Korea

At train stations, bus terminals, airports, big hotels and department stores you will find a taxi stand (택시승강장, taeksi seunggangjang). Join the line and take the first car. Late at night in nightlife areas, an app helps a lot.

Taxis lining up at a taxi stand in a Korean city. Photo: Jin from Korea

Taxi Types in Korea

Taxi colors vary by city and company, so look at the roof sign rather than the color.

Korean taxis come in many colours; look for the roof sign. Photo: Jin from Korea

• Regular taxi (중형택시, junghyeong taeksi). The standard sedan or electric car for up to four passengers.
• Deluxe taxi (모범택시, mobeom taeksi). Usually black, with experienced drivers and more room, but noticeably pricier.
• Large taxi (대형택시, daehyeong taeksi). Vans for groups or lots of luggage, at deluxe-level fares.
• International Taxi. A Seoul-designated service with English, Japanese or Chinese-speaking drivers. Book ahead online; it costs extra but has fixed zone fares between Incheon Airport and Seoul.

How Much Are Taxis in Korea?

Taxis use a meter, and the official Seoul fares for a regular taxi are:

Base fare (day)	₩4,800 for the first 1.6 km
After that	₩100 per 131 m, or ₩100 per 30 seconds when the car moves slowly in traffic
Late night	+20% from 22:00 to 23:00 and 02:00 to 04:00; +40% from 23:00 to 02:00 (base fare ₩5,800 or ₩6,700)
Leaving the city	+20% outside city limits, plus tolls
Deluxe and large taxis	₩7,000 for the first 3 km, then ₩200 per 151 m or per 36 seconds

Other cities set their own fares, usually the same as Seoul or a little lower, and premium app options follow their own rules. Fares are reviewed every few years, so check the official Seoul taxi page for the latest.

Example taxi fares

To give you a feel for real prices, here are taxi fare estimates I checked on Naver Map's car directions for a few common trips (regular taxi, daytime). Traffic, the route the driver takes and late-night surcharges can push the real fare up or down, and tolls may be added on expressway routes.

• Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to Myeongdong Station (Seoul): about ₩55,000 (around 62 km, roughly an hour), plus about ₩3,200 in tolls.
• Seoul Station to Gyeongbokgung Palace: about ₩9,700 (around 4.4 km, 25 minutes in traffic).
• Gimhae Airport to Haeundae Beach (Busan): about ₩26,000 (around 29 km, 40–45 minutes), plus about ₩2,500 in tolls.

Wide roads and apartment towers: a common view from a Korean taxi window. Photo: Jin from Korea

Airport Taxis

At Incheon and Gimpo airports, follow the signs to the official taxi stands outside arrivals and ignore anyone in the terminal offering a ride. From Incheon to central Seoul is a long metered ride plus tolls, so for one or two people the airport train or limousine bus is much cheaper. A taxi makes sense for families, heavy luggage or a late arrival. For a fixed price and an English-speaking driver, book an International Taxi at least a day ahead.

Another way to lock in a fixed price is a pre-booked private transfer with a driver waiting at arrivals, such as Welcome Pickups or Kiwitaxi. Prices are higher than the train, but it can make sense for a group with lots of luggage.

Paying: T-money, Card or Cash

Almost every taxi has a card reader. You can tap a T-money card, and Visa or Mastercard cards work too; some taxis also accept Apple Pay. Cash in won is fine too; have small notes ready. You can register an overseas card in Kakao T, but if it won't go through, don't keep forcing it. Set your destination, then on the payment screen swipe to 'Pay to driver' (기사님께 직접 결제) and pay in the taxi. Paying the driver directly works with Visa or Mastercard, a T-money card, or cash, and some taxis also accept Apple Pay. If you paid in the app, do not pay the driver again; if you are charged twice, contact the app’s support with your receipt.

Tips from a Local

• No tipping. Tipping is not expected in Korean taxis. Just pay the meter.
• Show the destination in Korean. Copy the Korean name or Hangul address from Naver Map instead of reading English aloud.
• Get in from the curb side and open the door yourself.
• Wear your seatbelt, back seat included. It is the law.
• Ask for a receipt (영수증). It shows the car number if you lose something.
• Lost something? Contact the app if you booked through one, or use the number on your receipt. Unclaimed items go to the police; search for them on Lost112, the police lost-and-found site.
• Keep data on. Taxi apps need mobile data. My Korea eSIM guide compares eSIM, SIM cards and pocket WiFi.

📋 Copy & Paste Korean
Copy the Korean text into Papago, or show it on your phone to the taxi driver.

Words

• 택시 (taeksi) — taxi
• 카카오T (kakao ti) — Kakao T (search name in app stores)
• 우버 (ubeo) — Uber
• 택시승강장 (taeksi seunggangjang) — taxi stand
• 모범택시 (mobeom taeksi) — deluxe taxi
• 대형택시 (daehyeong taeksi) — large taxi (van)
• 영수증 (yeongsujeung) — receipt
• 트렁크 (teureongkeu) — trunk
• 주소 (juso) — address

Places

• 경복궁 (Gyeongbokgung) — Gyeongbokgung Palace
• 명동역 (Myeongdong-yeok) — Myeongdong Station
• 서울역 (Seoul-yeok) — Seoul Station
• 인천공항 1터미널 (Incheon Gonghang Il Teomineol) — Incheon Airport Terminal 1
• 해운대해수욕장 (Haeundae Haesuyokjang) — Haeundae Beach
• 김해공항 (Gimhae Gonghang) — Gimhae Airport

Useful phrases

• 여기로 가 주세요. (yeogiro ga juseyo) — Please go here. (show the address)
• 여기서 세워 주세요. (yeogiseo sewo juseyo) — Please stop here.
• 카드로 계산해도 돼요? (kadeuro gyesanhaedo dwaeyo?) — Can I pay by card?
• 얼마예요? (eolmayeyo?) — How much is it?
• 트렁크 좀 열어 주세요. (teureongkeu jom yeoreo juseyo) — Please open the trunk.
• 영수증 주세요. (yeongsujeung juseyo) — A receipt, please.
• 공항으로 가 주세요. (gonghang-euro ga juseyo) — Please go to the airport.
• 천천히 가 주세요. (cheoncheonhi ga juseyo) — Please drive slowly.

FAQ

Is Uber available in Korea?

Yes. The Uber app works in Korea and calls licensed taxis through its Uber Taxi service. You can use your existing account and saved card.

Kakao T or Uber: which is better for tourists?

Uber is easier to start with; Kakao T usually has more taxis. Install both and use whichever finds a car first.

Can I use Kakao T with a foreign phone number and card?

Yes. You can sign up with an overseas phone number, and SMS verification works with foreign numbers. If the text never arrives, create a Kakao Account in KakaoTalk with your email and choose 'Log in with Kakao Account' in Kakao T. You can register an overseas card, but if it will not go through, swipe to 'Pay to driver' (기사님께 직접 결제) on the payment screen and pay in the taxi.

Do Korean taxis take credit cards?

Almost all do, and most accept T-money too. Cash is still accepted.

Should I tip taxi drivers in Korea?

No. Tipping is not part of Korean taxi culture.

Are Korean taxis safe at night?

Generally yes. App bookings show the car number and route.

Plan the Rest of Your Trip

For most daytime trips the subway and bus are cheaper, and my T-money card guide shows how to use them. For longer journeys between cities, see my KTX booking guide for foreigners. If you have not chosen a hotel, my where to stay in Seoul guide explains which areas make getting around easiest. A taxi is also the easy way home after a night at a noraebang (Korean karaoke) or a day in Bukchon in a hanbok. Every guide on this blog is linked from my Korea trip planner for first-timers.