Kakao T for Foreigners: How to Call a Taxi in Korea (Sign-up, Cards, Fares)

Kakao T accepts foreign cards — but only Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex, and only for taxis and a couple of other services. Rather not register a card? Use the regular call and pay the driver directly. Here is the sign-up, the taxi types and what the late-night surcharge does to the fare.

Last checked: 2026-10-06·Desk-researched — not yet verified on site

1. 1Sign-up — a Kakao account and an SMS code

   Install "Kakao T" from the App Store or Play Store and sign up with "Start with Kakao Account". Kakao's own help page says you verify the phone number you'll use by SMS, and the code must be entered within 3 minutes. Its FAQ doesn't address overseas numbers, but travel guides report that an overseas number works. Either way, that number has to receive texts while you're in Korea. iPhones need iOS 16.0 or later.

2. 2Registering a foreign card — four networks, same name

   Go to My Info (bottom right) → Payment methods. Kakao T's official FAQ says overseas-issued credit and debit cards can be registered only if they are Visa, Mastercard, JCB or Amex, and they work for taxi, bike and pet services. The card must be in the same name as your Kakao T account, and some cards may still be refused under the issuer's policy. UnionPay is not on the list.

3. 3In-app auto-pay vs paying the driver

   Registering a card is optional, per Kakao's help pages. You can call a taxi without one by choosing to pay the driver directly — but that applies to the regular call; options that are auto-pay only need a registered card. If auto-pay approval fails, switch cards, or call a regular taxi and pay the driver. If you booked with auto-pay and then paid in the cab as well, ask the driver to cancel the auto-payment before you get out — their app has an option for it. Tolls are on the passenger and are usually added to the meter fare.

4. 4Taxi types — regular, Blue, Venti, Black

   From Kakao T's official FAQ: the regular call has no platform fee and no cancellation fee. Blue (Blue Partners) adds a demand-based platform fee of ₩0–5,000, and cancelling more than a minute after a car is assigned costs ₩2,000. Venti (a large van) has no platform fee and a ₩4,000 cancellation fee; Black (premium) is ₩5,000. Venti and Black run their own fare tables — per the Seoul city government, Venti starts at ₩4,000 for 0.8 km with a 0.8–4.0× surge multiplier, and Black starts at ₩6,000 with no included distance and a 0.7–4.0× multiplier. Venti and Black are not offered everywhere. The FAQ does not say whether a foreign card works for Venti or Black, so check in the app.

5. 5Fares and the late-night surcharge (Seoul regular taxis)

   Per the Seoul city government, a regular (mid-size) taxi starts at ₩4,800 for the first 1.6 km. Late at night the fare rises 20% from 22:00–23:00 and 02:00–04:00 (₩5,800 base) and 40% from 23:00–02:00 (₩6,700 base). Trips that leave the Seoul city boundary add another 20%, with exceptions such as Incheon Airport. Large and deluxe (mobeom) taxis start at ₩7,000 for 3 km. Check before you call whether the app's estimated fare already includes these surcharges.

6. 6Enter the destination as a Korean address

   Searching by an English shop name often lands on the wrong spot. Every place page on this site has an Address box with the Korean road address — copy it and paste it into Kakao T's destination search. If the app isn't cooperating, just show that screen to the driver.

7. 7When Kakao T won't cooperate — K.Ride or Uber

   K.Ride is Kakao Mobility's app for foreign visitors. You sign up with a phone number plus a Google or Apple account or email — no Kakao ID needed — and pay automatically with an overseas-issued card. The interface comes in four languages, destination search and chat with the driver are auto-translated across 100+ languages (133 per the official site), and it can call Kakao T Blue, Venti, Black and deluxe (mobeom; shown as Deluxe in the K.Ride app) taxis. Your usual Uber app also works in Korea, hailing taxis as "Uber Taxi".