Choosing a taxi app, paying, and checking the fare — those three things are all you need to ride a taxi in Busan without trouble.
Which app to install first, what to do when payment won't go through, and how to show your destination even without a shared language — everything that makes taking a taxi in Busan easier.
Last checked September 12, 2026 — app screens and policies can change.
Choosing a taxi app, paying, and checking the fare — those three things are all you need to ride a taxi in Busan without trouble.
Made by Kakao Mobility — the same company behind Kakao T — specifically for foreign travelers. It dispatches from the same taxi fleet as Kakao T, but you can sign up with a Google, Apple, or email account — no KakaoTalk account needed at all. Installing this before your trip is the simplest way to start.
Since launching in June 2024, it has passed 600,000 cumulative rides and keeps growing.
Uber operates in Busan too — according to Uber's own list of official service areas, coverage now reaches most of the country, including 7 metropolitan cities: Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, and Ulsan. In practice it dispatches licensed taxis, so it draws from the same fleet as k.ride and Kakao T.
It generally follows the metered fare and, like k.ride and Kakao T, adds no fixed extra surcharge. That said, Uber Taxi in Korea has drivers enter the metered fare into the app manually rather than syncing it automatically — there are occasional user reports of mismatched charges from entry mistakes, so it's worth checking that the meter amount matches what you're charged when you get out.
If you already have an Uber account, you can just log in and use it — no Korean phone number or separate signup needed.
Kakao T is the most-used domestic app in Busan, so it tends to find a driver fastest. But a fresh install only shows one login option — "Log in with KakaoTalk" — there's no way to sign up directly with email or a Google/Apple account. In other words, you need a KakaoTalk account first to use Kakao T.
If you already have a KakaoTalk account, just use it. If you don't and still want one, the signup screen's country-code list includes most countries in the world, so you can sign up with an overseas number. (Verification texts don't always arrive depending on your carrier — if it fails, try switching carriers or waiting and trying again.)
Destination search works whether you type in English or Korean, regardless of the app's display language. You can also switch the interface itself to English from Profile > Language.
Most Korean taxis have a standard card payment terminal built into the car — even if you haven't registered a card in an app, there's not much to worry about once you're in. Still, knowing the order helps you avoid getting stuck.
Taxis that accept T-money have a T-money mark on the outside. Check for the mark before you get in, and it's safer to also ask the driver "티머니 카드 되나요?" (pronunciation: Ti-meo-ni ka-deu doe-na-yo?) — "Does T-money work?" — before you ride.
Busan's own transit-card infrastructure was originally built around Cashbee (Mybi), so Cashbee tends to work a bit more reliably here than T-money. Card payment still isn't guaranteed either way, so it's worth carrying a little cash just in case.
Where to buy and recharge a transit card itself is covered in detail in Busan Transit Cards Are Simpler Than They Look — Here's All You Need to Know
If you called a ride through k.ride, Uber, or Kakao T, your destination goes straight to the driver's terminal, so you won't need this. Use it when you flag a taxi on the street, or want to confirm the route with the driver directly.
How to switch Naver Map or Kakao Map to English is explained step by step with screenshots in Map & Subway App Guide.
The late-night surcharge applies from 11 PM to 4 AM. But standard taxis and deluxe/large taxis are handled completely differently.
| Type | Time | Surcharge |
|---|---|---|
| Standard taxi Base fare ₩4,800 | 23:00–24:00 | 20% |
| 24:00–02:00 | 30% | |
| 02:00–04:00 | 20% | |
| Deluxe/large taxi Base fare ₩7,500 | — | No late-night surcharge |
Deluxe and large taxis have no late-night surcharge at all, but their base fare and per-distance/time rates are set higher than standard taxis to begin with.
Standard taxis leaving Busan city limits add another 30% surcharge. If it overlaps with late-night hours, it climbs to 50% during 24:00–02:00, and up to 40% during the other late-night hours (23:00–24:00, 02:00–04:00).
Tour taxis run on an entirely different fare system (often time-based), so it's worth checking separately before you ride. These hours are also harder to catch a taxi in, so calling one through an app ahead of time beats waiting on the street.
Cross-verified against official data from Busan Metropolitan City Hall and the Busan Taxi Transport Business Association · In effect since June 1, 2023 · Checked September 12, 2026Install k.ride first — you can use the same taxi fleet without ever needing a KakaoTalk account.
If you already have an Uber account, that's an immediate alternative too — it runs on the same metered fare, so it's not necessarily pricier.
If you already have a KakaoTalk account, Kakao T is also a solid option that finds rides quickly — but it's not worth creating an account just for this.
If the language barrier worries you most, just remember one trick: search in English, then clear the search term to show the bilingual map.
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