Renting a Car in South Korea: What Every Traveler Needs to Know

With its massive cities and incredible public transportation systems, you may have written off renting a car in South Korea. But as someone who lived there for three years and explored every chance she got, let me tell you—it’s 100% worth it.

Want easy access to small towns and villages? Traveling in Korea for a limited amount of time? Want the freedom to explore this country’s stunning national parks, historic sites, and old temples? Rent a car.

City vs. Countryside: Understanding South Korea’s Diverse Terrain

South Korean cities are huge, with Seoul, Busan, and Daegu in the top three. You can expect your driving experience in these cities to include congestion, traffic, decent roads, and good signage (in English).

My biggest tip for driving in South Korean cities is to drive defensively. You’re not only sharing the road with general commuters, but you’re also sharing it with taxis, delivery scooters, and buses—and they want to get where they are going quickly. 

To get from city to city, South Korea has expressways and tollways (more on tolls in a bit) that are paved and in good condition with good signage (in English). Along these, you’ll also find nice rest stops called hyugeso where you can stop for views, a bathroom break, and food.

Once you get away from the main metropolitan areas—and into the smaller cities and villages that populate South Korea’s coastlines and mountains—the roads change. You can expect steep and/or narrow roads that are not always paved (although they usually are). And forget about English signage. 

It’s these smaller cities and villages though where you’ll catch a charming glimpse into the diversity of South Korea’s culture. From them, you’ll also have better access and freedom when it comes to exploring South Korea’s incredible nature, something that is difficult and time-consuming with public transit.

Don’t let the language barrier or roads intimidate you. Koreans are friendly and kind—they’ll help you get where you need to go.

Note: South Korea uses Hangul, their own unique writing system. Have the names of your destinations written down in both Hangul and Roman lettering so that you can recognize them on signs without English and so you can show them to people if you get lost.

Car Rental Agencies in South Korea and Which Car to Get

Of the big-name car rental companies (Enterprise, Hertz, etc.), Avis is the only one that has made its way to South Korea so far. There are several local South Korean companies, however, that are worth checking out. 

SK Rent-a-car, Lotte Rent-a-car, and Hi Rent-a-car are some popular ones and have English websites to help with the rental process. I chose Lotte the first time I rented and Avis the second time. Both were good experiences and both have numerous pick-up points around the country.

When it comes to which type of car to rent in South Korea, the sedan dominates. Most of your rental options will be sedans with a few SUVs sprinkled in. I rented a sedan the first time and an SUV the second time (we had a lot of camping gear) but looking back, a sedan would have been perfectly fine for both trips. 

Having a sedan will save you money on fuel and make parking in tight city spaces a lot easier.

But consider the number of passengers you’ll have and their luggage when choosing your rental car to make sure it fits your needs.

Note: In South Korea, if you want to rent a vehicle that seats 10 or more people, you must be over 26 and have 1–2 years of driving experience. Exact rules depend on the rental company.

Mastering South Korean Roads: Driving Etiquette and Road Signs

Most driving laws in South Korea will reflect what you already follow in your home country. But if you want to do a deep dive, you can check out this overview from the US Marine Corps. The last few pages have pictures of road signs and their meanings—great to print and bring with you on your trip.

Here are a few driving tips to keep in mind:

• Pedestrians will cross the road without looking! So be very careful in areas with lots of people walking around.
• Don’t use your horn unless absolutely necessary. You can be penalized for using your horn in a disruptive manner.
• Only use your phone if you have a hands-free device.

Parking in South Korea: From Automated Lots to Traditional Spaces

Parking options differ quite a bit depending on where you are in the country. In rural areas, you can expect traditional lots with some paid parking and some free parking. In urban areas, you’ll find that traditional lots are often replaced by large, sometimes automated, parking systems.

Automated parking is rapidly becoming more common in South Korea. For this system, you’ll drop your car off at the entrance where a series of automated lifts and conveyors will then whisk it away until you are ready to retrieve it. When it’s time to leave, you’ll use your ticket to retrieve your car and pay. 

It’s a good idea to keep your license plate number written somewhere handy just in case you need to enter it to pay and you’re far from your vehicle.

There are also more traditional parking garages where you pull up to a kiosk, get a ticket, find a space, and pay on your way out. Some of these will scan your car’s license plate and calculate your cost upon leaving, no ticket required.

South Korea has some parking apps to help residents find lots in large cities, but these are only available in Korean. So, here are some phrases that will help you recognize signage for parking when the time comes:

경차 – This literally translates to “light car” but essentially means it’s a space reserved for smaller, eco and electric cars. But if your car fits, you’re welcome to park here and won’t be fined.

주차 금지 – This means no parking and will usually be on a sign with yellow/black striped poles. If you see the poles without the sign, don’t park in the space between them.

공영 주차장 – This means public parking. You’ll find these zones scattered around cities. Some even offer the first two hours free.

민원 – These parking lots are only for designated public office buildings. Only park here if you are going to that location, otherwise you may be fined.

Note: Parking fines vary from around $10–30 USD. 

Requirements and Insurance When Renting a Car in South Korea

Before we dive into insurance, the bare minimum requirements for renting a car in South Korea are:

• Being 21–65 years old (this varies by company)
• A valid license from your home country
• An International Drivers Permit (IDP) from countries that are either part of the Geneva or Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. You can find a full list of these countries here.
• A credit card (not a debit/bank card or cash)
• A valid passport

When it comes to insurance, comprehensive insurance is covered in the rental fee for all major companies. However, this doesn’t cover much and includes a large deductible that you’ll need to pay in the event of an accident.

There are some supplementary insurance packages you can get to make sure you are covered more fully.

CDW: Collision Damage Waiver insurance will make sure that, in the event of an accident or damage occurring to the vehicle, you aren’t responsible for the entire cost.

PAI: Personal Accident Insurance covers medical costs in the case of injury to the driver or passengers.

PEC: Personal Effects Coverage covers damage or the loss of your personal items in the case of accident or theft.

I recommend getting at least CDW when you rent. Before going through your rental company or a third-party company for CDW insurance, check with your credit card company to see if they offer anything.

GPS and Apps to Assist Drivers

Before you get any apps, download a Korean (Hangul) keyboard on your phone. If you hand your phone to a friendly local who wants to help you, they’ll need it to look things up quickly.

There are three big apps that will come in handy while you’re touring South Korea: Naver Maps, KakaoMaps, and Papago. All three are available in English.

As their names suggest, Naver Maps and KakaoMaps are both for navigation. Papago is for translation. 

Why not Google Maps and Google Translate? You can use them, but in my experience, they lead to inaccurate (or entirely unavailable) directions and translations. Plus, Koreans are used to these other three apps, and Google apps aren’t always very compatible with Hangul. 

I recommend having both Naver Maps and KakaoMaps because they have quite different user experiences. After trying them both, you’ll be able to figure out which one you prefer. 

And remember some of those parking signs we talked about? With these apps and a Hangul keyboard on your phone, you’ll be able to input what you’re looking for more easily. You can even copy-paste from a notes app on your phone. 

Notes: Your rental will likely come with a built-in navigation system. These are often quite good! Ask your rental company to change the language to English for you before you head out.

Understanding Toll Systems and Fueling Up

You’ll come across tolls throughout your road trip. They are very common in South Korea and you’ll even find them on some city roads (when crossing the Gwangan Bridge in Busan, for example). They are generally inexpensive and you can pay with either cash or card.

You’ll want to avoid lanes labeled “Hi-Pass” as these are automated for pass holders only and you’ll find yourself stuck (with a bunch of unhappy cars behind you!).

When going through a toll point, take a ticket if it’s offered as you’ll need to insert it at the next checkpoint so it can calculate the cost.

Getting gas/petrol is generally the same as in most other countries: the stations are self-service and you pay at the pump with a card. 

General Tips for Renting a Car in South Korea

Here are some other general tips that will make your experience renting a car in South Korea even better:

• Buy a SIM card at the airport. These are cheap and offer wonderful coverage options. While public WIFI is available all over the country, it’s sometimes difficult to access. 
• Check the weather. Korea has some pretty extreme seasons. You can expect everything from ice and snow in the winters to torrential rains and monsoons in the summers. 
• Car rental prices fluctuate with the seasons. Traveling in the off seasons—winter and summer— will mean slightly cheaper prices. With the extremes in weather during these seasons though, you may decide to pay a little extra to travel in spring and autumn when the climate is a little nicer.

Get the Most Out of your Trip by Renting a Car in South Korea

If your South Korean travels will take you out of the major cities, renting a car is the best way to get the most out of your trip. Having a car gives you the chance to explore Korea’s beautiful natural areas, historic sites, and charming small towns and villages without depending on public transportation.

Explore rental options through local companies, prep your phone with a SIM card and apps like Naver Maps, KakaoMap, and Papago, and opt for full coverage insurance and you’ll be prepped and ready to go for your Korean adventure.