things you need to know before going to korea 🇰🇷✈️

hellu zesties, as someone who recently went to korea, here are my tips for you if you are planning to visit korea! 🇰🇷

1. climate card (to access public transport) 🚍🚊

- climate cards can be purchased from 7-11 or GS25 in seoul korea! i highly advise you NOT to buy from incheon airport as its either OOS & you have to activate the card at the subway station anyways! (the limousine bus doesn’t accept climate card so it’s ok to just buy from seoul)

- climate cards are like sg mrt hybrid concession pass allowing you to have unlimited rides with their bus & subway services! (climate card is more worth as on average 1 way ticket is about KRW1400) $

- climate cards are short term concession passes ranging from 1 day, 3 days, 5 days & 7 days for tourists!

2. food (restaurants & cafe)

- to put it simply, one person needs to order one main! they don’t allow you & your partner/friend to share one main! 😔

- in cafe, drinks included, 1 person 1 drink! however in some cafe, for eg i went to soha salt pond cafe with a group of 5, we were only required to order at least 3 drinks!

3. toilet 🚽🚻

- they have toilets in restaurants, cafes and subway stations! but if im not wrong, you are only allowed to use their toilets in restaurants and cafes if u are eating there! if not toilets very hard to find 😭😭

- you CANNOT flush your used toilet paper into the toilet bowl, they have a separate bin for you to dispose your used toilet paper(s) which is why their toilets are usually smelly~ 😣

- also pls put down the toilet seat first before flushing!

4. navigation 🧭

- use navermap to navigate your way during your trip! google map might not work! before your trip, you can play around with the navermap & you can use it! (it’s in english)

- navermap allows you to pin location as well as save the routes for eg from chungmuro station to myeongdong shopping street etc etc

5. data/korean phone no. 📞

- i personally purchased an E-SIM prior to my trip using LGU+

- have options like data only & data+voice! data only means can only receive incoming calls/text but unable to give outgoing calls/text! whereas data+voice allows you to do both but this option can only be purchased at the airport!

- it’s very flexible bcos you can choose how many days u want to buy, ranging from 1 day to 60 days!

- highly recommended to get the data only online prior to your trip so you can save time when you arrive korea!

6. mode of transportation to take out of incheon airport to seoul

- 3 different ways: airport limousine (bus)/AREX train/airport transfer!

- airport limousine (bus) is around sgd$17 per pax, stops at multiple location, pls see their web as they have a lot of different buses that can drop you off at like myeongdong for eg bus 6015! however, need to pay via cash or i think they accept T-money card as well! but NOT climate card!

- AREX train is the most affordable ranging from sgd$4 to sgd$9! free wifi on the train as well, no eating in the train & there’s a toilet available too!

- airport transfer is the most comfortable option if you just want to head to your hotel doorstep directly! personally my family and i used this service as it was able to fit all of our luggage & yet providing us a comfy spacious ride to our hotel doorstep! just need to meet them when you arrive at the airport & then they will drive you to your destination! different cars available for selection!

happy travelling & stay safe 💋✨