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How to Ride the Bus and Subway in Seoul: Cards, Transfers, Bus Lanes

Every day on my commute I transfer between the bus and the subway, going to work and coming home again. For Seoul commuters it's so normal that nobody even mentions it. But if you're visiting, a Seoul bus stop can look like a test you didn't study for. The route maps are mostly in Korean, the numbers run to four digits, and three buses pull in at once while everyone around you already seems to know which one is theirs. Good news, though. Once you've got one transit card in your pocket, most of that stops mattering. Quick facts Fares with a card: subway 1,550 won, city bus 1,500 won Transfer window: 30 minutes after tapping off (1 hour, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.) Tap on and off, or the transfer chain breaks Overseas contactless cards cannot tap on buses yet, planned around 2027 Tmoney Travel Card for foreigners: 4,000 won One card, one fare, the whole city Fares first, because they're cheap. A subway ride costs 1,550 won with a card (it went up from 1,400 on June 28, 202...

Seoul Royal Palaces: Gyeongbokgung vs Changdeokgung vs Deoksugung

Pick one palace. That's my advice if you've got a single free afternoon in Seoul, and I know it sounds stingy. On a map the five Joseon palaces look like neighbors (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung), so it's tempting to think you'll knock out all five before dinner. Your feet will vote against that by about 3 p.m. One palace, maybe two if you skip lunch. That's the real number for most people. So which one? "It depends" is a lazy thing to read on a travel blog, so here's my straight answer up front. Never been to Seoul before? Gyeongbokgung. Hate crowds and love trees? Changdeokgung. Only free after dinner? Deoksugung. Now the details. Seoul palaces at a glance Palace Closed Admission Good for Gyeongbokgung Tuesdays 3,000 won A first visit, the throne hall and Gyeonghoeru pond Changdeokgung Mondays 3,000 won (Secret Garden: guided only, +5,000 won) The Secret Garden and a palace that follows the hill Deoks...

Ginkgo Season in Seoul: Golden Streets, That Smell and Where to Go

It's early October, and Seoul has started walking with its head down. Not because of bad news. Because of ginkgo seeds. They've been dropping on the sidewalks since mid-September, squishy little yellow balls that look harmless and very much aren't. This morning, too, I walked to work watching my feet, step by careful step. So here's my one piece of advice before anything else. Watch out for the yellow fruit under your feet, or the smell will follow you all the way into your room. I mean it. Quick facts Seoul’s official tree since April 3, 1971 2026 peak color expected around October 30 (Korea Forest Service) Samcheong-ro: about 1.2 km of ginkgo-lined road Hongcheon Ginkgo Forest: October only, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free Shaking street trees for nuts can mean a fine of up to 100,000 won So what is that smell? The yellow "fruit" isn't really a fruit. It's the fleshy outer coat of the seed (botanists call it the sarcotesta), and when your shoe squashes...

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