How to Use Kakao T to Call a Taxi in Korea (2026)

Last updated: October 2026

Try flagging down an empty taxi outside Hongdae after 11 pm and you can stand there a long time. Call one through Kakao T at the same hour and it usually shows up in a few minutes. That's why people in Seoul almost always book taxis through an app.

The short answer for visitors: you can sign up for Kakao T with your overseas phone number. Your foreign card might not register, and that's fine. Pick "Pay to Driver" and pay when you get out.

1. Sign up before you fly

• Download "Kakao T" from the App Store or Google Play.
• Sign up with your home number (+1, +44 and so on). Approval for overseas numbers can take a while, so do it a few days before your trip.
• Switch the language to English in the app settings. All the screenshots below are from the English version. A few banners and pop-up tips stay in Korean, but the menus you need are in English.

2. How to call a taxi, step by step

Step 1. Tap the search bar or the Taxi icon. On the home screen, tap "Where shall you go?" at the top, or the Taxi icon under Favorites. You'll also see menus for parcels and bikes. You can ignore those.

Step 2. Check your pickup point and enter a destination. The app sets your pickup point by GPS. In my case it picked the nearest subway exit, "Samseong Stn. Exit 1." If you're outside a big building, drag the map so the pin sits at the entrance you're actually standing at.

Then type your destination in English under "Where are you going?" Small shops may not show up under an English name. If that happens, drop a pin on the map, or copy the Korean name from Naver Map and paste it in.

Step 3. Choose a ride type. Once you enter a destination, the app shows every ride type with an estimated fare and travel time. If it's your first time, pick General Request. It's the cheapest, and it's the one that lets you pay the driver directly.

Step 4. Check the plate number. When a driver accepts, the app shows the car model and plate number. Check the plate before you get in.

3. Which ride type? General Request is usually enough

These are the estimates the app gave me at 5:30 pm on a weekday, from Samseong Station Exit 1 to the western side of Seoul. It was rush hour, so the app estimated 1 hour 37 minutes.

In the app	What it is	Example fare	Pay the driver?
General Request	Any regular taxi nearby	₩33,700	Yes
Blue Partners	Kakao partner taxi; the app keeps searching until one accepts	₩36,700	App payment only
Venti	Van for groups of four or more, or lots of luggage	₩42,400	App payment only
Black	Premium car	₩82,300	App payment only

General Request and Blue Partners were only ₩3,000 apart. Black cost more than twice as much. The Schedule a Ride tab on the same screen lets you book ahead, which is handy for an early-morning flight.

After 10 pm, it takes longer to get a car. The app may offer an extra-fee option that gets you matched faster.

4. Paying: add a card, or pay the driver

Payment methods are under My Info, then Payment Method. Tap Add under Credit/Debit Card to register a foreign Visa, Mastercard, JCB or Amex. Some cards get rejected, depending on the issuer. KakaoPay, on the same screen, needs a Korean bank account, so most visitors can't use it.

If your card won't register, choose Pay to Driver when you call a regular taxi through General Request. At the end of the ride, pay with your foreign card, cash or a T-money card.

• Foreign cards have spending limits in the app, per ride and per month.
• Blue Partners, Venti and Black need a registered card.

5. The downsides

You can't tell in advance whether your card will register. I'd carry a little cash or a T-money card so you're never stuck.

On Friday and Saturday nights in Gangnam, Hongdae and Itaewon, even the app can take a long time. If it's close to midnight, check when the last subway leaves first.

There's also k.ride, an app made for foreign visitors. It calls the same taxis, and many travelers say foreign cards go through more easily. If Kakao T keeps rejecting your card, give it a try.

Kakao T checklist

• Sign up with your home number a few days before your trip
• Switch the app language to English
• Try adding your card (if it fails, choose Pay to Driver)
• Keep some cash or a T-money card as backup
• Check the license plate before you get in

For the other apps worth installing, see my list of essential Korean apps for travelers. If an app blocks you for not having a Korean number, read why Korean apps ask for a Korean phone number. Landing soon? Here's how to get from Incheon or Gimpo Airport to Seoul.