One of the most commonly asked questions in our South Korea Travel Tips and Planning Facebook group is about Korea driver recommendations or the best private transfers in Seoul and South Korea.
Whilst public transport in South Korea is very good (especially the Airport Limousine Bus), sometimes you may want to create a more personalised itinerary using a private driver which might also include some out of the way South Korea locations.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Driving in Korea’s cities is also not for the faint of heart so getting a driver is a safer way to see more of South Korea.
From private transport to airport transfers, it is all easily bookable via sites like Klook, Trazy or dedicated Korean taxi companies like Kakao Taxi, K.ride or TADA all with their own apps you can download – you might be relieved to know there are Korean Uber taxis too.
And remember, it is always important to book your Korean drivers and transfers through reputable companies so as not to get scammed.
You might like – Our first timer’s guide to Seoul including Korean SIM cards and eSIMs
South Korea checklist
We love using agoda.com, expedia.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, Trazy or Klook.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars. For private drivers and taxis, check out our Transfer guide >
Check out our South Korea travel booking resources >
All set for South Korea? Do one final check with our Seoul first timers guide and our South Korea packing list
Why hire a driver in South Korea?
Getting a Korean driver or guide is beneficial when you have a larger group or family and want to benefit from local knowledge and insights, covering a lot of places in a short space of time.
Public transport is great but if you have lots of luggage, it isn’t always so convenient.
By booking through an official travel website like Klook, you can easily book a driver without any language barriers, often requesting your own home language / ‘mother tongue’.
You also know the fare upfront so you know what you have paid or will be expected to pay.
Traffic in the cities like Seoul and Busan can be a little overwhelming if you don’t know Korea’s roads, plus buses to Gyeongju or Jeonju may not be suitable for your schedule or group size.
You might like our guide to South Korea phone apps >
Join our Facebook South Korea Travel Planning and Tips Group!
Need help with your itinerary or have any South Korea related questions? Head on over to our friendly and active Facebook group with over 160,000 members!
Click here to join our group >
Or if you just want to see more of our South Korea photos, follow our South Korea Facebook page >
Driver Scams
South Korea is generally very safe. It isn’t very common but sometimes, travellers to South Korea have been scammed by fake drivers – usually if a price is too good to be true, it probably isn’t legit.
As with any deals, products or services, we highly recommend you don’t transfer money to those who have contacted you randomly via Facebook. This is true of travel and taxis in any country.
Book on a reputable travel website which has lots of honest reviews and is a known brand – we’ll share some examples below.
You might like these Seoul neighbourhood guides:
Dongdaemun
Euljiro
Gangnam
Hannam-dong
Hongdae
Ikseon-dong
Insadong
Itaewon
Myeong-dong
Seongsu-dong
Sindang
Or check out our best neighbourhoods in Seoul Guide >
Where to book Korean drivers and chartered cars
The great thing about booking South Korean drivers and chartered cars online via sites like Klook is that you know the price up front (and can potentially pay in your own currency).
Many also offer refunds or Customer Service teams who can assist if you have issues or don’t get what you exactly what.
In fact, Klook has a “Satisfaction Guarantee” as an upgrade option that provides refunds for activities that do not meet a customer’s expectations.
Klook South Korea Drivers and Car Rentals
- Private taxi transfers between Incheon Airport and Seoul City. Book now >
- Gimpo International Airport private transfers. Book now >
- Seoul car rental with driver for 8 or 10 hours per day. Book now >
- Seoul private car charter. Book now >
- Premium car rental with driver from Seoul to Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, and surrounding areas. Book now >
- Seoul to Busan chauffeur service. Book now >
See more Seoul transport options including KTX tickets >
You might like – Our Seoul Incheon Airport Limousine bus guide >
Regional departures
- Busan Gimhae International Airport transfers. Book here >
- Busan private transfer to or from Chuncheon / Sokcho / Gangneung. Book here >
- Busan private vehicle with licensed tour guide. Book here >
- Jeju International Airport transfers. Book here >
You might also like the private car charters with Get Your Guide or Viator.
Or Viator’s top private transfer companies in Korea. Book here >
You might like – Our 3 day Seoul itinerary or our 3 day Busan itinerary
Trazy
Trazy is a Korea based travel experiences company that is similar to Klook – they offer everything from Seoul day trips to K-pop tickets.
- Airport transfer options in Korea. Book here >
- Intercity Private Van Transfer: Incheon/ Gimpo Airport/ Seoul → Gapyeong/ Chuncheon/ Gangneung/ Sokcho/ Suwon/ Jeonju. Book here >
- Jeju Airport taxi transfer service (up to 12 passengers). Book here >
- Busan Gimhae Airport to Busan downtown private transfer. Book here >
- Premium Chauffeured Service: Incheon/ Gimpo Airport ↔ Private Van Transfer with English Speaking Driver. Book here >
You might like – 50 best things to do in South Korea including going to a Korean baseball game
Car hire in South Korea
Finally, after reading this, you just want to hire a car in Korea yourself as it usually works out cheaper than hiring a private car with a driver.
There are several reputable websites where you can rent cars in South Korea and book before you arrive, with the benefit of paying with your debit card in your own currency.
Please remember you will need an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) to hire a car in Korea.
You can hire a car with Klook in Seoul or in Busan.
Hire a car with Discover Cars
Discover Cars have access to hundreds of different car rental companies across the world including South Korea – they compare various rental companies and car types so you can see the best value for money.
Book your car with Discover Cars >
Ride hailing and taxi apps in South Korea
Before we run through Korean taxi apps, you’ll likely need to consider a SIM card or eSIM for your mobile phone / cell (unless your home provider offers a competitive roaming package).
SIM cards and eSIMs are available to purchase from most major Korean airports including Incheon and Busan airports. If you wish you can pre-book your SIM on Klook for a small discount or you can buy at the airport if you are arriving at a reasonable time.
Wi-Fi routers in South Korea are also available to hire from Trazy from as little as £1.70 a day / $2 USD / 2 Euros) or Klook.
If you wish to have data as soon as you land, then we recommend MobiMatter for purchasing cheap eSIMs. You can use the code CAROL86604 to receive cashback on your first purchase.
Check out our guide to South Korean SIM cards and eSIM packages >
Kakao T
Probably the most popular taxi / ride hailing app in South Korea, Kakao T is a multilingual taxi app and Korea’s answer to Uber.
Similar to how Uber works, you can see the driver’s details, registration and licence details in Kakao T and it works in most places including Jeju Island. You can pay the driver by T-Money card, cash or credit card.
Please note you need a Kakao ID / account and Korean number to use Kakao T so this is one you might need to download once you are already in South Korea.
Download app links: Apple (iOS)｜Android
Uber
If you have an existing Uber account, this can also be used in South Korea seamlessly without having to redownload the app or switch payment methods.
Taxis in South Korea are generally cheap, safe and reliable and Uber South Korea lets you know the fare upfront. Note that taxi availability is not as common as Kakao T and best in the big cities such as Seoul and Busan, and not always available in more remote spots.
Download app links: Apple (iOS)｜Android
K.ride (Foreigner Friendly Taxi App)
Another alternative to Kakao T is K.ride (also powered by Kakao) which is aimed at tourists and allows foreign payment cards – the K.ride app shows you the estimated taxi fare and you can pick which type of ride you want.
Download app links: Apple (iOS)｜Android
TADA
We haven’t used this ourselves but another alternative to Kakao T is TADA – the cars TADA use are generally more modern and to a higher standard (although fares may vary).
The TADA app is in both Korean or English – plus the main benefit of TADA vs Kakao T is that you can use an international phone number on this app.
The one downside is the driver pool for Kakao T is usually bigger as they have drivers from different taxi companies and TADA sometimes costs more as it is a more premium service.
Download app links: Apple (iOS)｜Android
TABA
Not to be confused with TABA (they sound so similar), TABA is a relatively new ride hailing app launched for foreigners to use and promoted by Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) (so it is legit).
It is available in many languages including English, Chinese, Japanese and Thai.
Download app links: Apple (iOS)｜Android
Found our article helpful?
Did you enjoy our South Korea private driver and taxi article? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow South Korea Hallyu on:
Instagram
Facebook group
Facebook page
TikTok
