Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
driving, coupled with crowds and cramped seating, means inner-city buses are not the most
comfortable way to get around, particularly during rush hours.
TAXIS
Taxis are one of South Korea's great conveniences; they're inexpensive, reliable, and read-
ily available enough that residents rarely have to think twice about hailing one. While their
design varies from place to place and they come in different sizes—sedans, minivans, even
SUVs—they're easily identified by plastic signs mounted on the roof and a display moun-
ted in the front windshield that, somewhat counterintuitively to Westerners, is lit red if a cab
is available. Yellow or green lights or characters tend to mean the taxi is on call or reserved;
no lights indicate that it's occupied or otherwise unavailable.
Taxi meters are nearly universal, and there's very little variation in fares nationwide,
with the initial fare usually set at 2,400 won and rising in 100 or 200 won increments based
on distance traveled. Tipping is far from universal or expected, but allowing drivers to keep
the small change from a fare is a nice gesture if they've been helpful.
Some cities also have mobum, or deluxe, taxis, identified by their jet-black bodies and
gold accents. Compared to normal cabs, these offer more spacious seating, more room
for luggage, and accept more modes of payment, usually including credit cards (though
more and more standard cabs now do that too). They also offer, at least in theory, a higher
standard of service from drivers. While they're a good backup option when run-of-the-mill
cabs aren't available, most passengers find they're not really worth the substantial premi-
um—they cost around twice as much—for most trips, especially since newer cabs rival
them for amenities and comfort.
Cabs can usually be found at taxi stands, which are strategically located in the vicinity
of major bus or subway stops; in front of major hotels and shopping complexes; or simply
flagged down on the street. You can also call a taxi, usually for a small surcharge. Very few
drivers speak any amount of English, so it's helpful to have your destination written down
in Korean, as well as a few nearby landmarks, since in the absence of a logical address sys-
tem for most South Korean cities, landmarks are used to navigate. Many cabs claim to offer
translation help via mobile phone interpretation services, but you shouldn't count on these
always working, or the driver even knowing they're available.
While not unheard of, rigged meters and instances of drivers taking lengthy detours or
otherwise trying to bump up fares are rare. A far more common gripe is the bizarre system
that takes hold when demand for cabs outweighs supply, such as Friday nights after the sub-
way closes. When this happens, obviously unoccupied cabs will often inch their way along
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