Home › Taxi fare

Seoul Taxi Fare Calculator

Quick answer A regular (mid-size) Seoul taxi starts at ₩4,800 for the first 1.6 km, then adds ₩100 every 131 m — or every 30 seconds when crawling at 15 km/h or less. Late night adds 20% (22:00–23:00, 02:00–04:00) or 40% (23:00–02:00), leaving Seoul adds 20%, and tolls are extra.

Source says Seoul Metropolitan Government, mid-size taxi fares — sets the base fare, the distance and time charges and the late-night surcharge for regular Seoul taxis official text

Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, mid-size taxi fares in effect since 1 February 2023 (checked September 2026)

TL;DR — the 30-second answer
  1. Daytime base fare ₩4,800 for 1.6 km
  2. Late night (22:00–04:00) +20% to +40%
  3. Leaving Seoul +20%, tolls extra
  • Meter not on? Ask, or take another taxi

Estimate what the meter should show in a regular (mid-size) Seoul taxi, so you can tell a fair fare from a rip-off.

Estimated meter fare
-

Tolls are extra and paid by the passenger. The range assumes that during slow traffic the car creeps at up to 15 km/h (charged by time instead of distance). The surcharge is taken from your departure time.

Coming from Incheon Airport? Compare first

Our meter estimate for Incheon Airport T1 → Myeongdong in the daytime is ₩52,100–₩55,400, plus tolls. Alternatives:

Affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and terms are set by Klook — check the listing.

Ad · Affiliate link

Book ahead on KKday

Affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. Prices, availability and terms are set by KKday — check the listing.

30-second versionSeoul taxi: same ride, different price (day vs late night)
More quick Korea tips on YouTube →

How Seoul taxi fares work

Base fare₩4,800 for the first 1.6 km
Distance fare+₩100 per 131 m
Time fare (at or below 15 km/h)+₩100 per 30 seconds
Late night 22:00–23:00 and 02:00–04:00+20%
Late night 23:00–02:00+40%
Outside Seoul city limits+20% (max +60% with late night)
TollsExtra, paid by passenger

Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, mid-size taxi fares, in effect since 1 February 2023 (current as of September 2026) — news.seoul.go.kr.

You might also need: Korea Trip Budget Calculator (2026) — Seoul, Busan & Jeju

Example routes

Daytime = 14:00 departure. Night = 23:00–02:00 (+40%). Tolls not included.

Incheon Airport T1 → Myeongdong *
~52 km · 15 min slow traffic
☀️ Day ₩52,100–₩55,400🌙 Night ₩69,400–₩73,900
Gimpo Airport → Myeongdong
~19 km · 10 min slow traffic
☀️ Day ₩18,100–₩20,000🌙 Night ₩25,300–₩28,000
Seoul Station → Gangnam Station
~11 km · 15 min slow traffic
☀️ Day ₩12,100–₩14,900🌙 Night ₩16,900–₩20,900
Hongdae (Hongik Univ. Stn) → Myeongdong
~7 km · 10 min slow traffic
☀️ Day ₩9,000–₩10,900🌙 Night ₩12,600–₩15,300
Myeongdong → Gyeongbokgung
~3 km · 5 min slow traffic
☀️ Day ₩5,900–₩6,800🌙 Night ₩8,300–₩9,500

* Includes the +20% outside-Seoul surcharge (+60% at night). Distances are approximate road distances; traffic varies a lot, so treat these as a sanity check, not a quote.

What if the driver doesn’t turn on the meter?

  1. Ask before you go. Point at the meter and say “Miteogi kyeo juseyo” (미터기 켜 주세요 — “Please turn on the meter”).
  2. Don’t accept a flat price for a normal city trip. If the driver insists, get out before the car moves and take another taxi.
  3. Take a photo of the taxi number plate and the driver ID card on the dashboard.
  4. Ask for a receipt — “Yeongsujeung juseyo” (영수증 주세요). It shows the car number and time.
  5. Call 1330 if you need an interpreter on the spot or help reporting overcharging.
1330
Korea Travel Hotline
24/7 interpretation and travel help in English, Japanese and Chinese (more languages during the day). Dial 1330 in Korea; from a foreign phone +82-2-1330.

Ready-made answers: Taxi fares by distance (3–30 km, Seoul & Busan)

Quick answers

Going to or from Incheon Airport, or visiting Busan?

Compare the train, bus, taxi and pickup in Incheon Airport to Seoul. Busan fares differ from Seoul’s — use the Busan taxi fare calculator.

Who pays the tolls?

The passenger. On airport routes the tolls are added on top of the meter fare.

Can I pay by card?

Most Seoul taxis accept credit cards and T-money. If you only have cash or one specific card, ask before you get in.

See also Paying in Korea and taxi apps without a Korean number.

Is the late-night surcharge based on when I leave?

The meter applies the surcharge for the time band you are driving in. This calculator uses your departure time, so a trip crossing 23:00 or 02:00 may differ a little.

Add this calculator to your blog or site (free)

Copy the code below and paste it into a blog post or web page to use this calculator there. The height adjusts itself, and the widget has no ads.

  • WordPress: paste into a Custom HTML block (WordPress.com free plans may block iframes)
  • Blogger: switch the post editor to HTML view and paste
  • Squarespace / Wix / Ghost: use an Embed / HTML block
  • Can't add iframes? Use 'Copy page link' and share the link instead

Please keep the credit link under the widget. When fares or rules change, the widget updates automatically.

Free tools for this trip