Essential Korea Travel Apps You Need in 2025
: Smart & Convenient Travel Guide in Korea
Planning a trip to Korea?
Planning a trip to Korea? Whether it’s navigating the subway, finding the best restaurants, booking accommodations, or ordering food, having the right apps can make your journey smoother and more enjoyable—even without a local phone number.
Transportation & Navigation Apps in Korea
Did you know that popular apps like Google Maps or Uber are not the most convenient choices in Korea? While you can technically use them, locals rely on different apps for daily navigation and transportation. If you want to travel like a local, here’s what you need to know:
Naver Map or Kakao Map
❗️Important: Google Maps does not work well in Korea!
Instead, Naver Map and Kakao Map are the most reliable navigation apps. They provide accurate, real-time directions for subway, bus, and walking routes all across the country.
✔️ You don’t need a Korean phone number to use them for route planning.
✔️ Officially, these apps do not provide full offline maps.
✨ Extra Tip: There’s a travel hack! Naver Map in particular caches some recently searched routes, so pre-searching your itinerary before leaving Wi-Fi is always a good idea. If you search your destination and zoom in the day before (or earlier), the app often saves the preview for later use. Adding your destinations to “Favorites” is also a smart way to make sure you don’t lose your planned routes.
KakaoTaxi (Kakao T)
In Korea, KakaoTaxi is far more popular than Uber. Although Uber is available, its availability and success rate are much lower compared to KakaoTaxi.
In the past, KakaoTaxi required a Korean phone number, which made it inconvenient for visitors. Thankfully, things have changed. Nowadays, you can verify your account through your KakaoTalk ID.
✔️ To make it easier, try installing and setting up the KakaoT app before arriving in Korea. Please note that in some countries the app may not be available for download.
✔️ Alternatively, once you arrive in Korea, you can purchase a prepaid SIM card and register with your Korean number. This gives you full access to all features, such as direct calls to your driver.
Tips for Using Transportation Apps in Korea
✔️ Be mindful of rush hours—subways in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do during commute times can be extremely crowded.
✔️ Save your key destinations in advance on Naver Map or KakaoMap to avoid confusion when offline.
✔️ Public transport in Korea is punctual and efficient, so these apps will save you a lot of time and stress.
Accommodation & Booking Apps in Korea
When it comes to booking accommodations in Korea, the good news is that most of the global platforms you’re already familiar with—like Airbnb, Booking.com, Agoda, and Trip.com—work perfectly fine. You don’t need a local app to make reservations, but if you’re curious, here are some local options that Koreans often use:
Yanolja & Yeogi(여기어때)
Koreans frequently stay in “pensions”—a type of guesthouse or vacation rental you’ll often find outside the big cities. These used to be bookable only through local Korean websites, but now many pensions are also listed on global platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Trip.com.
Yanolja and HereO (여기어때) are two of the most popular travel apps in Korea. They cover everything from hotels and pensions to activity bookings. However, both apps are currently available only in Korean. If you speak some Korean (or don’t mind using a translator app), they can be useful for searching local deals and comparing prices.
- Yanolja: https://nol.yanolja.com/
- Yeogi: https://www.yeogi.com/
Airbnb, Agoda, Booking.com, Trip.com …
These international platforms are the most reliable choices for visitors. You can find everything from traditional guesthouses and hanok stays to luxury hotels and budget hostels. No Korean phone number is required to make a booking, and international credit cards are accepted.
Creatrip & Stayfolio
Both Creatrip and Stayfolio are fully available in English, making them convenient for international travelers to browse and book accommodations in Korea without a local phone number. You can reserve everything from guesthouses and boutique hotels to hanoks (traditional Korean houses).
Creatrip goes beyond accommodation by offering guides to restaurants, cafes, cultural spots, and shopping, making it a practical all-in-one travel app.
Stayfolio specializes in boutique and design-focused stays. With curated listings, high-quality photos, and detailed descriptions, it’s ideal for travelers seeking a stylish, memorable experience rather than just a place to sleep.
- Creatrip: https://creatrip.com/en
- Stayfolio: https://www.stayfolio.com/en
Tips for Accommodation Booking in Korea
✔️ Book early for popular destinations like Seoul, Busan, and Jeju, especially during weekends and holidays.
✔️ Double-check cancellation policies—some local pensions and small guesthouses may have stricter rules.
✔️ If you want a unique cultural experience, consider staying in a hanok (traditional Korean house), which is available on both Airbnb and Booking.com.
Food, Restaurants & Delivery Apps in Korea
With the navigation apps we’ve covered earlier, you can already check restaurant menus, prices, availability, and detailed reviews. But Korea also has apps specifically designed for food reservations and delivery, which can make your dining experience much smoother.
CatchTable
CatchTable is an essential app for booking popular restaurants in Korea. Many hot spots have long waiting lists, and this app lets you reserve your place in line in advance. You can even see how many parties are ahead of you in real time, so you can time your arrival perfectly and save waiting time.
✔️ If you don’t have a Korean phone number, you can use CatchTable Global, which allows international travelers to sign up and book without a local number.
Food Delivery Apps:
Baedal Minjok & Yogiyo & Coupang Eats
These three are the largest food delivery apps in Korea and are widely used by locals. Delivery in Korea is extremely convenient—not just for meals but for almost everything you can imagine. You can receive warm, accurate, and timely deliveries almost anywhere in the country.
✔️ Currently, only Baedal Minjok (Baemin) allows international travelers to sign up with a foreign phone number. Yogiyo and Coupang Eats, which often offer free delivery promotions, require a Korean phone number to register.
Tips for Using Food Apps or Restaurants in Korea
✔️ Many restaurants accept credit cards, but cash is useful for small local eateries.
✔️ Use Google Translate or Papago to read menus when English is unavailable.
✔️ For long-term stays, consider getting a prepaid SIM card or Korean mobile plan to fully access app features, including delivery services.
Traveling in Korea can be simpler and smarter
Traveling in Korea can be simpler, smarter, and more enjoyable when you know which apps to use. For long-term stays, having a prepaid SIM card ensures full access to all app features and makes your experience even smoother.
It’s true that information for international travelers in Korea is still somewhat limited. Hopefully, more services will offer English support in the future, making it easier for everyone to explore and enjoy Korea. Next time, I’ll introduce even more apps and services specifically designed to help foreign visitors plan their Korean adventures with ease!
