Korean phrases / Getting Around in Korean: Subway, Taxi and Directions

Getting Around in Korean: Subway, Taxi and Directions

Korean cities are easy to navigate with a map app, but there are moments when asking a person is faster: a station exit, a bus that might be the wrong one, a taxi driver who wants to confirm the address.

The key pattern here is 어디예요? (where is…?). Put a place in front of it: 화장실 어디예요?, where is the restroom?

Voice:

Asking the way

  • 화장실 어디예요?

    hwajangsil eodiyeyo?

    Where is the restroom?

  • 지하철역 어디예요?

    jihacheollyeok eodiyeyo?

    Where is the subway station?

  • 여기서 멀어요?

    yeogiseo meoreoyo?

    Is it far from here?

  • 걸어서 갈 수 있어요?

    georeoseo gal su isseoyo?

    Can I walk there?

  • 길을 잃었어요

    gireul ireosseoyo

    I am lost

Subway and bus

Seoul subway lines are numbered (1호선, 2호선…) and colored; station signs and announcements are also in English.

  • 명동역 가려면 몇 호선 타야 돼요?

    myeongdongyeok garyeomyeon myeot hoseon taya dwaeyo?

    Which line do I take to Myeongdong Station?

  • 어디서 갈아타요?

    eodiseo garatayo?

    Where do I transfer?

  • 이 버스 서울역 가요?

    i beoseu seoullyeok gayo?

    Does this bus go to Seoul Station?

  • 다음 역이 어디예요?

    daeum yeogi eodiyeyo?

    What is the next station?

  • 교통카드 충전해 주세요

    gyotongkadeu chungjeonhae juseyo

    Please top up my transit card

    Convenience stores and station machines both do this.

  • 내릴게요!

    naerilgeyo!

    I am getting off!

    Useful on a crowded bus when you need people to let you through.

In a taxi

Showing the address on your phone is perfectly normal; these lines cover the rest.

  • 인천공항으로 가 주세요

    incheongonghangeuro ga juseyo

    To Incheon Airport, please

  • 이 주소로 가 주세요

    i jusoro ga juseyo

    To this address, please

  • 얼마나 걸려요?

    eolmana geollyeoyo?

    How long does it take?

  • 여기서 세워 주세요

    yeogiseo sewo juseyo

    Please stop here

  • 트렁크 좀 열어 주세요

    teureongkeu jom yeoreo juseyo

    Could you open the trunk?

  • 카드로 할게요

    kadeuro halgeyo

    I will pay by card

Example conversation: Taking a taxi

A passenger rides to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Driver is voiced by Naeun and passenger by Jinhee.

  1. Driver

    어디로 가세요?

    eodiro gaseyo?

    Where are you going?

  2. Passenger

    경복궁으로 가 주세요.

    gyeongbokgungeuro ga juseyo.

    To Gyeongbokgung, please.

  3. Driver

    네. 길이 좀 막히네요.

    ne. giri jom makineyo.

    Okay. The traffic is a bit heavy.

  4. Passenger

    얼마나 걸려요?

    eolmana geollyeoyo?

    How long will it take?

  5. Driver

    이십 분쯤 걸려요.

    isip bunjjeum geollyeoyo.

    About twenty minutes.

  6. Passenger

    저기 정문 앞에서 세워 주세요.

    jeogi jeongmun apeseo sewo juseyo.

    Please stop in front of the main gate over there.

  7. Driver

    네, 만 이천 원입니다.

    ne, man icheon wonimnida.

    Sure, that is 12,000 won.

More everyday Korean

The romanization follows the Revised Romanization of Korean, which spells words rather than showing every sound change. The recordings are synthesized voices speaking standard Seoul Korean. For how sounds change between syllables, see how to pronounce Korean names.