Apps to install before you goTravel
KakaoMap — live subway and bus positions
KakaoMap is Kakao's map app, with routes and navigation, a subway map and real-time bus, traffic and ferry information.
Free appApp languages: English, KoreaniOS and AndroidUpdated Oct 20, 2026
Get data for the app
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Korea 5G eSIM (data only)
Maps, Papago and taxi apps all need data. This is a data-only eSIM for all of South Korea that you install before you fly; it comes with no Korean phone number.
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South Korea 5G eSIM
A second eSIM option on Trip.com. Read the product page for whether calls and texts are included; the standard plan is data only.
What it does
KakaoMap (카카오맵, kakaomaep) searches routes for driving, public transit, walking and cycling, with built-in turn-by-turn navigation. One search bar finds bus numbers, bus stops and places.
The app shows real-time bus, traffic and ferry location information and a subway map. You can save favorite places in groups and share the folders, and there are Road View and a 3D map.
How visitors use it
Language: the app store lists English and Korean.
Account: the store page does not say whether an account is required. Its optional permissions are location, microphone, camera, photos, notifications and health, and the page says the service still works without them. Features that show where your KakaoTalk friends are need KakaoTalk, so skip those if you do not use it.
The listing does not mention payment or a phone number for the map itself. Turn on location so the app can route from where you stand.
Good to know
App-store reviewers differ on English. A 2022 reviewer called it a strong alternative to Google Maps and recommended it to foreigners; a 2019 reviewer found English directions minimal, with on-screen text still in Korean. These are dated user reviews, so the app may have changed.
Many visitors install both KakaoMap and Naver Map and compare routes.
What else you can use
Naver Map offers maps in English, Japanese and Chinese, plus a booking tab. Pick whichever shows the clearer English for your route.
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