Taxi apps (Kakao T)
Getting around

Taxi apps for visitors: k.ride, Kakao T, Uber

Start with k.ride — Kakao Mobility's app for foreign visitors: sign up with your phone or a social account and pay with a foreign card, Alipay+, WeChat Pay or PayPal. Kakao T needs a Kakao account; Uber works in Korea as Uber Taxi. 4 options compared, 4 ways to get a ride and 6 tips for paying the driver.

Apps compared — filter + sort + search

4 results

k.ride (Kakao Mobility, for visitors)

k.ride (케이라이드)
🟢 Tourist-friendly
ENJAZHForeign card
Signup:
Install k.ride (iOS / Android) and sign up by verifying your phone or linking a social account. Add a credit/debit card, an Alipay+ wallet, WeChat Pay or PayPal.
Good for: Kakao Mobility’s taxi app for foreign travellers: English, Japanese or Chinese interface, foreign-card payment and in-app chat translation with the driver.
Watch out: It is a separate app from the Korean Kakao T — install k.ride itself.

Start here: no Kakao account and no Korean card needed.

Uber (Uber Taxi in Korea)

우버 택시
🟢 Tourist-friendly
EN
Signup:
Use the Uber app you already have — in Korea it books licensed taxis as Uber Taxi (formerly UT, now wholly owned by Uber).
Good for: No new account if you already use Uber at home.
Watch out: Check in the app which of your payment methods it offers in Korea before you rely on it.

A good backup to k.ride. Older guides and signs still say "UT" — it is the same service.

Street taxi (hail or taxi stand)

일반 택시
🟢 Tourist-friendly
Cash OK
Signup:
No app: hail one or queue at a taxi stand, then show the driver your /address-card screen.
Good for: Zero setup. Seoul taxis are metered (₩4,800 base fare) and take cards and T-money as well as cash.
Watch out: No fare preview. If the meter is not running, ask: "미터기 켜주세요" (please turn on the meter) — see /scams.

The fallback when apps fail. Combine with /address-card.

Kakao T

카카오 T
🟡 Workaround required
ENJACash OK
Signup:
Create a Kakao account through KakaoTalk first (VisitKorea: you can sign up with your own mobile number), then log in to Kakao T with it.
Good for: Kakao Mobility’s main taxi app in Korea; available in Korean, English and Japanese.
Watch out: Kakao does not document registering a foreign card in the app — plan to pay the driver directly (cash, card or T-money).

Worth it if you already use KakaoTalk; otherwise k.ride is the simpler route.

Ways to get a ride

Use k.ride — no Kakao account needed

✓ High reliability
  1. 1Install k.ride from the App Store or Google Play.
  2. 2Sign up by verifying your phone, or link a social account.
  3. 3Add a card, an Alipay+ wallet, WeChat Pay or PayPal.
  4. 4Enter your destination; chat with the driver through in-app translation if needed.

Cost: Metered taxi fare, paid in-app

Caveats: Separate from Kakao T — an account on one does not carry over to the other.

Kakao T with a Kakao account

~ Medium reliability
  1. 1Install KakaoTalk and create a Kakao account (VisitKorea says your own mobile number works).
  2. 2Log in to Kakao T with that Kakao account.
  3. 3Request a taxi and pay the driver directly by cash, card or T-money — or set up auto-pay if your card is accepted.

Cost: Metered taxi fare

Caveats: In-app foreign-card registration is not documented by Kakao — keep a way to pay the driver directly.

Your existing Uber account

~ Medium reliability
  1. 1Open the Uber app you already use.
  2. 2In Korea, taxi requests run as Uber Taxi (formerly UT).
  3. 3Check which payment methods the app offers you before the trip.

Cost: Metered taxi fare

Caveats: Uber does not publish which foreign cards work in Korea — have a backup.

Street taxi and pay the driver

✓ High reliability
  1. 1Make an /address-card screen for your destination before you get in.
  2. 2Hail a taxi or queue at a taxi stand, and show the driver the card.
  3. 3Pay at the end by card, T-money or cash — Seoul taxis take all three.

Cost: Metered fare — ₩4,800 base in Seoul

Caveats: No fare preview; late-night surcharges apply (see below).

Paying the driver directly

  • Have a little cashWithdraw some won at an ATM that takes foreign cards, in case a card reader fails.
  • Confirm the meterSay "미터기 켜주세요 (mi-teo-gi kyeo-ju-se-yo) — Please use the meter." See /scams for the meter-off taxi pattern.
  • Show, don’t pronounceUse /address-card to make a Korean address screen BEFORE getting in the taxi, and show it to the driver.
  • Late-night surcharge (Seoul)+20% from 22:00 to 23:00 and 02:00 to 04:00; +40% from 23:00 to 02:00 (Seoul City).
  • Ask for the receiptSay "영수증 주세요" — handy if you leave something behind or want to file a complaint through 1330 / touristcomplaint.or.kr.
  • Transit cards work in taxisSeoul taxis accept T-money, and WOWPASS works as a transit card — so you can pay without cash or an app.

See also

Can I pay with my card?Scam patterns + 1330ATMs & banksCab address card