First trip to Korea
Arrive, ride, and sleep without guessing.
Short English guides for the questions you search before landing: the airport train, a transit card, a neighborhood, and what the official fare was on the day we checked.
The first eight guides
Start with the airport train, then the card, the map, and a neighborhood. Prices that change are dated. Prices we did not check are left out.
Getting Around
Airport trains, subway lines, and the ride into the city.
How to Get from Incheon Airport to Seoul (2026 Guide)
Take the AREX Express or the cheaper all-stop train from Incheon Airport to Seoul, with adult fares copied from the operator on October 6, 2026.
How to Use a T-money Card in Korea (2026 Guide)
Buy a T-money card with cash, tap it on the subway and bus, and reload it before the balance runs out. Card price and reload rules are from VisitKorea.
Google Maps in Korea: What to Use Instead (2026 Guide)
Google Maps can miss transit and walking detail in Korea. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap for the subway ride, and keep Google for place names you already know.
Connectivity
eSIM, pocket Wi-Fi, roaming, and the maps that actually work.
eSIM vs Pocket Wi-Fi vs Roaming in Korea (2026 Guide)
Pick an eSIM if your phone supports it, a pocket Wi-Fi if several people share one connection, or roaming if you want the fewest steps. Prices are not listed here.
Where to Stay
Which Seoul neighborhood to sleep in, not a hotel ranking.
Where to Stay in Seoul for First-Time Visitors (2026 Guide)
Pick one Seoul neighborhood for the whole trip. Jongno for palaces, Myeongdong for shops and subway, Hongdae for a younger night, and not a new hotel every night.
Itineraries
Short first-visit plans with realistic transit between stops.
Seoul 3-Day Itinerary for First-Time Visitors (2026 Guide)
Three days in one neighborhood base: land and sort the card, walk the palace district, then leave a margin for the airport. No invented ticket prices.
Money
Budgets, cards, tax refunds, and what to pay before you land.
Korea Trip Budget for First-Time Visitors (2026 Guide)
The costs to add up before a first Korea trip, and the ones this site will not invent. Use the dated fare guides, then price the hotel yourself.
How to Get a Tax Refund in Korea (2026 Guide)
Who can claim a Korea tax refund, the 15,000 won minimum, and what to do at Incheon Airport. Figures are from VisitKorea's guide dated October 20, 2025.