1. K-ETA
Since 2022, many countries that do not require a visa for U.S. citizens have introduced an electronic travel authorization system, and South Korea is one of them. After researching further, I found that U.S. citizens are exempt from this requirement until the end of 2025. This means that if you plan to travel in 2026, you should check the official websites of both countries to see whether the exemption has been extended.
2. Where to Stay
Over the years, I’ve learned that the best place to stay in a big city like Seoul is the city center, where public transportation is easily accessible.
I don’t mind staying in a hostel instead of a hotel—it's cheaper and gives me the opportunity to meet travelers from all over the world. I used to think hostels were only for young backpackers and solo travelers, but that’s not true. I’ve seen older travelers and couples staying in hostels as well. Most of the time, hostels have excellent locations, usually near metro stations and major attractions.
I stayed in a hostel in Myeongdong, just a few minutes’ walk from Myeongdong Station (Exit 3). I had a private room since this hostel didn’t seem to offer shared rooms. I paid more than a typical hostel price but had my own bathroom. The room was very small—just enough space for a double bed. There was no TV, only a projector on the wall (which I didn’t bother figuring out). It had a small fridge and a compact bathroom where the toilet and shower are together, similar to typical European-style bathrooms.
3. Transportation From the Airport to the City Center
There is an airport limousine bus right outside the terminal that takes you directly into the city center without transfers.
As soon as you exit the terminal to the ground transportation area, you’ll see ticket machines. You just enter your destination (in my case, Myeongdong Station). The ticket shows your bus number and stops number. The bus stops are lined up right in front of the terminal, similar to a taxi line—just all buses instead of taxis.
The ride to Myeongdong takes about 1.5 hours. It’s the last stop on that line and makes around five stops before reaching the final destination.
There are other ways to get to Myeongdong—like taxi or train—but the bus is the most convenient and not too expensive.
4. Navigation App- Naver Map
Google map app does not work well in Korea, instead, down load "Naver Map" works well there.
5. Public Transportation (Metro Experience)
I walked to Myeongdong Station, Exit 3, to get a metro card. What I thought would take five minutes turned into a whole adventure! Here’s what happened:
1) First machine:
I stood in line and watched a young man using it. I learned this machine does NOT sell metro cards.
2) Second machine:
The woman next to me said she was buying a single-ride ticket using cash. I tried using my credit card, but it wasn’t accepted—two other women said their non-Korean cards didn’t work either.
3) Third machine — the "WOW PASS" machine:
This machine accepts foreign currencies like USD and CNY. The man in front of me used his passport.
But I didn’t bring mine—so I couldn’t complete the purchase.
4) Back to the hotel:
On my way back to get my passport, I stopped by a money exchange shop. The minimum exchange was $100, and I only had about $60, so I skipped it.
After getting my passport, I returned to the WOW PASS machine. I loaded $50 (the minimum) onto a WOW Pass card (the card itself costs 5,000 KRW). Only later did I find out that WOW Pass cannot be used for the metro or buses—only for store purchases.
I had to withdraw the money from the WOW Pass to get Korean won so I could buy a metro card. I withdrew 30,000 KRW.
5) Back to the metro machines:
I lined up again, hoping to buy a T-money card.
But the machine only offered top-ups, not new cards. I tried buying a single-trip ticket with my 10,000 KRW bill, but the machine didn’t accept it—probably too large for change.
A local woman suggested I buy a T-money card at a convenience store.
6) SUCCESS — at 7-11:
I walked into the 7-11 right outside the station and finally got a T-money card! The card cost 4,000 KRW, and I added 10,000 KRW.
After about 1.5 hours, I finally had a working metro card.
Lesson learned:
It’s MUCH easier to get a metro card at a convenience store like 7-11, CU, or GS25.
The machines inside the station were confusing, and not all of them sell cards. In many other countries, the station machines are straightforward—but not in Korea.
A young couple I met at the station was also frustrated, and the man said Korea feels “old-styled” in some ways. I agreed. In many modern metro systems, you can tap a credit card directly—no need for a transit card. But in Korea, you still need a T-money card.
