First time in Seoul? Start here.

Before you fly

Most of what makes a first trip to Seoul stressful happens in the first two hours after landing: no data, the wrong map app, no idea how to pay for the subway. Fix those at home and you'll walk out of the airport like a regular.

• Entry rules: depending on your passport you may need a visa or an electronic travel authorisation (K-ETA). Rules change — check the official Korean government sites for your nationality well before you book.
• Data: an eSIM is the easiest option for most people. Compare eSIM, USIM and pocket WiFi.
• Apps: Naver Map, Kakao T and Papago. Here's why and how to set them up.
• Money: foreign cards work almost everywhere; bring some cash to change in the city. Where to change money.
• When to go: spring and autumn are the sweet spots. Seoul month by month.

Your pre-trip checklist

Tick things off as you go — your progress is saved in this browser.

Landing at Incheon

Incheon is one of the smoothest airports in the world. In the arrivals hall:

1. Turn on your eSIM or pick up your pre-ordered SIM
2. Buy a T-money card at the convenience store if you're taking the all-stop train
3. Change just enough cash for day one — the city has better rates
4. Head to the AREX train or the limousine bus, depending on your hotel: which one to take

Your first 24 hours

Keep day one simple: check in, get a Climate Card for the next morning, wander your neighbourhood, and eat something great. Our trip planner builds a day-by-day plan around it. If you land late, a convenience store dinner is a legitimately good first meal.

The unwritten rules

• Don't tip — anywhere. Why.
• Pay at the counter in casual restaurants, and call staff with "jeogiyo!"
• Subway manners: queue at the marked lines, let people off first, keep calls quiet, and leave the pink seats for pregnant women and the priority seats for elderly and disabled passengers.
• Hand things over with two hands (cards, cash, gifts), especially to older people.
• Carry your rubbish — public bins are rare; recycling is sorted.
• Shoes off where you see a raised floor or a shoe rack — some restaurants, homes, temples and guesthouses.
• Pour for others when drinking, and learn a few Korean phrases.

Staying safe & getting help

Seoul is one of the safest big cities in the world — people leave laptops on café tables. Normal city sense applies in nightlife areas late at night.

Lost something on the subway or in a taxi? Ask at the station's lost-and-found or call 1330 — a surprising amount gets returned. Tap water in Seoul is officially safe to drink, though many locals use filtered water.