Everything you need to decide before you book

Most first trips are built around Seoul, with a few days added for a second city — usually Busan (2.5 hours south by high-speed train) or Jeju (a one-hour flight). Korea is compact and exceptionally easy to get around: fast trains between cities, world-class subways within them, English signage almost everywhere, and very low crime.

The three things worth settling early are the season, the number of days, and whether you want one base or two. Everything else can be decided later — or on the day.

If Seoul is where most of your trip is happening, the Seoul Like a Local — 5-Day Itinerary is built exactly for this: a real day-by-day plan through the neighbourhoods, markets and viewpoints that actually make the city — not just the landmark checklist. Every stop comes with exact directions and addresses ready to copy straight into Naver Map, plus Fun Fact boxes on the history you’re walking past. It genuinely covers everything you need to know for those five days, worked out for you in advance.

Korea has four sharply distinct seasons:

• Spring (April–May) — mild, cherry blossom in early April, very popular.
• Autumn (late September–November) — clear skies, cool air, autumn foliage. The other peak, and many people’s favourite.
• Summer (June–August) — hot and humid, with a rainy monsoon spell in July and a chance of typhoons into September.
• Winter (December–February) — cold and dry in Seoul, colder inland; good for skiing and quiet sightseeing, with far fewer crowds.

Spring and autumn are the safe choices for a first visit. If you can only travel in summer or winter, the trip still works — you just plan around the weather.

• 4–5 days — Seoul only, done properly.
• 7 days — Seoul plus Busan or Jeju, at a comfortable pace.
• 10 days — Seoul, a second city, and a historic stop like Gyeongju without rushing.
• 2 weeks — add the coast, a national park, or a slower loop of the south.

A week is the sweet spot for a first trip. See the itineraries for day-by-day versions of each.

Accommodation is the big variable; everything else is moderate. Food can be very cheap — a good meal at a local restaurant costs little, and convenience stores are everywhere. Intercity trains and city transport are inexpensive, and most temples, palaces and parks charge only a small entry fee or none at all.

Roughly, plan for three tiers: budget (hostels and guesthouses, market food, transit only), mid-range (3-star hotels, a mix of restaurants, the odd taxi), and comfortable (4-star and up, no thinking about cost). Ask Mr. Kim for current figures in your style of travel.

For a sense of scale: a filling meal with plenty of side dishes at a local restaurant is often around ₩10,000 (roughly $7–8 USD). A subway or city bus ride is around ₩1,400–1,550 (roughly $1), and a T-money card lets you transfer between bus and subway for free within a set time window rather than paying twice. Prices vary depending on the city and season — see the money & payments guide for more detail.

Many nationalities can visit Korea visa-free for short stays. Depending on your passport and the current rules, you may also need a K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation) — a quick online application made before you fly. Only nationals of countries eligible for visa-free entry can apply; some countries are temporarily exempt from needing K-ETA at all, and the list changes, so check your specific passport.

Apply only through the official K-ETA website or its official mobile app — the fee is a fixed 10,000 KRW (roughly $7–8 USD), and approval generally comes back within 72 hours, though it can take longer. Third-party sites charging more to “process” your application for you are not affiliated with the Korean government — apply directly and skip the markup.

Check the official K-ETA application site and your government’s travel advice for your passport before booking, and again closer to departure. On arrival you’ll also complete an arrival card and customs declaration (increasingly done via app).

Working, studying, joining family, or investing instead of visiting? K-ETA doesn’t cover that — see the full South Korea visa guide for every visa category, from student and work visas to marriage and permanent residence.

Seoul→Busan takes about 2.5 hours on the fastest services. Trains have two classes — Economy and First (roughly 40–50% more, 2+1 seating and more legroom) — and fares are fixed regardless of when you book, so booking early secures a seat rather than a discount.

The KTX network

KTX is Korea’s high-speed rail operator, run by KORAIL — in service since 2004, with trains reaching 305 km/h in regular operation. There are four main lines: the Gyeongbu Line (Seoul → Daejeon → Daegu → Busan, plus a branch to Gyeongju and Pohang), the Honam Line (Seoul/Yongsan → Gwangju → Mokpo), the Jeolla Line (a branch off Honam down to Suncheon and Yeosu), and the Gyeonggang Line (Seoul → Gangneung, the ski and coast route). SRT runs on the same Gyeongbu/Honam tracks from Suseo in southern Seoul, usually a little cheaper.

Use Naver Map or KakaoMap for directions — Google Maps transit and driving are limited in Korea.

Korea is largely cashless — cards (including foreign Visa and Mastercard) work almost everywhere, and contactless is standard. Carry a modest amount of won for traditional markets, small family restaurants, and topping up a T-money card.

International-friendly ATMs are in convenience stores, banks and airports (look for a “Global” label). Tipping is not expected anywhere — not in restaurants, taxis or hotels.

Top tip: have some won ready for when you land — you’ll need it to top up a T-money card before you can tap onto a bus or the subway. T-money can be topped up at convenience stores or at machines inside subway stations. Airport ATMs work fine in a pinch, but may charge a withdrawal fee on top of the exchange rate.

Three options, cheapest effort last: an eSIM you activate before landing; a physical prepaid SIM picked up at the airport arrivals hall; or a pocket Wi-Fi device (“egg”) if several people are sharing. Coverage is excellent everywhere, including subways and mountains, and public Wi-Fi is widespread as a backup.

• Shoes you can walk all day in — and slip on and off easily, for temples, guesthouses and some restaurants.
• Layers for the season — summer is humid (breathable clothes, a compact umbrella); winter needs a proper coat, hat and gloves.
• A plug adapter — Korea uses 220V, 60Hz, with round two-pin Type C / F sockets (same as most of continental Europe).
• Any regular medication in its original packaging — some over-the-counter drugs elsewhere are restricted here.

• Take your shoes off when entering homes, many guesthouses, and some traditional restaurants with floor seating.
• Give and receive things — money, cards, drinks — with two hands or a hand on the forearm, especially with older people.
• It’s normal to pour drinks for others, not yourself, and to let the eldest start eating first.
• Keep your voice down on public transport, and stand right / walk left on escalators.