Korea apps for travelers: maps, transport, translation, taxis and food delivery

By the Real Korea 101 editorial team · Published November 13, 2026 · Facts checked November 13, 2026

Short answer: the apps most often listed for visitors to Korea are a Korean map app (NAVER Map or KakaoMap), a translator (Papago), a taxi app that accepts foreign cards (k.ride, Kakao Mobility's app for international visitors), a transport app (Korail+ for trains, Mobile Tmoney for transit) and, if you want food delivered, Baemin or a foreigner-focused service. What matters most is not which app is "best" but whether it works without a Korean phone number or a Korean bank card. This guide describes what each app does and what its official page says about foreign users, as checked on November 13, 2026.

The apps at a glance

The table lists apps named on the Korea Tourism Organization's (KTO) "Helpful Apps & Resources" page or published by the companies that run Korea's main map, taxi and delivery services. The order is by category, not a ranking.

Maps and directions

NAVER Map

KTO describes NAVER Map as the most widely used online map among Koreans. Its Google Play listing, updated November 10, 2026, says it offers:

• Transit directions with real-time departure and arrival times and alerts for when to get on and off.
• Driving navigation with real-time traffic, plus walking and street view.
• A Booking tab for restaurants, salons, classes and even train tickets.
• Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese maps, and English navigation.
• Android 8.0 or later. The listing mentions camera access for verifying passports among its permissions.

KakaoMap

KakaoMap is Kakao Corp.'s map app. Its Google Play listing, updated November 11, 2026, describes routes by car, public transport, walking and bicycle, built-in navigation, real-time bus and traffic information, a subway map and saved-place folders. The latest update notes add ferry schedules and ticket booking inside the app. The Jeju Tourism Organization's VisitJeju site says KakaoMap's real-time bus layer is available in Korean and English, which is handy on islands like Jeju where buses can be infrequent.

Both apps are free to download. Neither listing says you need a Korean phone number just to view maps and directions, but features such as reviews, bookings or saved lists may ask you to sign in.

Trains, subways, buses and bikes

• Korail+ app and Let's Korail website: KTO says these are KORAIL's official platforms for reserving and paying for trains, including KTX, SRT and tourist trains. Non-Korean visitors can also buy the KORAIL PASS for unlimited rides over set days.
• Mobile Tmoney: turns a phone into a transport card. Tmoney's listing says you place the back of the phone on the reader without opening the app, and some lines in Seoul and Incheon support tagless payment. KTO says the app accepts Mastercard, American Express and UnionPay. Our T-money card guide notes that the Seoul Climate Card in mobile form works only on Android, so iPhone users need a physical card for that pass.
• Seoul Bike (Ttareungi): the Seoul city bike share. KTO says you unlock a bike by scanning its QR code after buying a Daily Ticket (1, 2 or 3 hours) or an All Day Pass (24 hours), paid with your own credit card or the Discover Pass.
• Regional bus apps: Jeju Province runs a free real-time bus app in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, according to VisitJeju.

Translation

KTO calls Papago the most widely used online translator among Korean speakers. NAVER's Google Play listing, updated October 22, 2026, says it translates between 14 languages: Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Russian, German, Italian and Arabic. Listed features include:

• Text, voice and two-way conversation translation.
• Image translation: point the camera at a menu or sign. KTO adds that scanning Korean food names can pull up food information from VISITKOREA.
• Offline translation, handwriting, website and document translation.
• Android 9.0 or later; a web version at papago.naver.com.

Taxis

k.ride

k.ride is Kakao Mobility's taxi app for foreign visitors. KTO's guide says you can register with a phone number, email, Google or Apple account, and KTO's New Delhi office page adds that no Korean phone number is needed. Kakao Mobility's k.ride site says:

• You see the estimated fare before calling a taxi.
• Vehicle options are Standard, Comfort (minivan), Deluxe and Luxury.
• The app is in English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and Japanese, and destination search and driver chat use automatic translation in 133 languages.
• Payment is automatic by credit or debit card or mobile payment. KTO mentions Alipay+ among the supported methods.

KTO suggests installing k.ride and adding your card before you fly, so you can book from the airport.

Kakao T

Kakao T is Kakao Mobility's main app in Korea. Its listing describes taxi types (Blue, Venti, Deluxe and Black), bikes and scooters, designated drivers, parking, and booking for buses, KTX trains and domestic and international flights. The listing does not explain sign-up or payment rules for foreign visitors, so we cannot confirm how well it works with an overseas card. For airport arrivals, Incheon Airport has dedicated stands for app-booked taxis; see Incheon Airport to Seoul.

Food delivery and restaurant booking

• Baemin (Baedal Minjok): Woowa Brothers' delivery app for food, groceries and convenience store items. In public replies on its Google Play page in September and November 2026, the company said foreign customers can use Baemin as non-members after verifying an overseas mobile number, and pay with an overseas credit card. Because chat support needs a login, non-members are asked to call 1600-0987. The listing says some services are available only in selected areas.
• Shuttle Delivery: KTO says it delivers or prepares pick-up orders from restaurants in Seoul, Pyeongtaek, Daegu and Busan, in Korean and English, and can also deliver products such as clothes and cosmetics.
• Creatrip: KTO describes it as a K-culture booking platform that also handles restaurant reservations and food delivery orders without verifying a Korean mobile number.
• Catchtable: a restaurant reservation app with real-time queue status and reviews, in Korean and English, according to KTO.

Eating out instead? Our guide to ordering at a Korean restaurant covers call bells, kiosks and paying.

Payments and emergencies

• WOWPASS: KTO describes it as a prepaid card app for international travelers with a transport card and a debit card function, topped up at exchange kiosks or in the app.
• Emergency Ready app: a multilingual emergency guide made by the Korean government, with disaster alerts, shelters, emergency medical centers, police and fire stations, embassy information and first aid guides. KTO lists more than 20 supported languages.
• VISITKOREA app: KTO's official travel app, with attractions, festivals, a trip planner and travel tips.
• 1330 Korea Travel Helpline: not an app, but KTO lists +82-2-1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai, Malay and Indonesian.

Most of these apps need mobile data. Our guide to eSIM vs SIM card in Korea explains your options.

Apps change their features and sign-up rules often. For anything that affects your trip, the official pages below are the final authority.