Countries around the world are slowly and steadily reopening to tourists and leisure travel. Since 2020, South Korea has steadily risen through the ranks of pop culture darling thanks to its catchy music, aesthetically pleasing cinema, and heart-stopping television shows, and numbers of travelers have been eagerly awaiting the day they can enter the country.
Though South Korea is open for tourism and no longer mandates a quarantine for travelers regardless of vaccination status, the country still has some Covid-19 regulations in place and has changed some of its visa regulations in the last two years. Once you arrive, take some of these general tips and tricks as well for an enjoyable and hopefully stress-free stay in South Korea!
Pre-Departure Check List
There are plenty of things you can do ahead of your trip that will set you up for a smoother entry into the country related to both Covid-19 regulations and Visa requirements. It'll require some paperwork before you board, but you'll be grateful you did it!
Covid-19 Regulations
Though South Korea had lifted its quarantine for vaccinated travelers during Spring 2022 and recently lifted its quarantine for all travelers regardless of vaccination status, the country still requires a recent Covid-19 test. You may take either a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) within one calendar day of your travel or a PCR test taken within two calendar days of travel. Either test must be administered by a healthcare professional, which means at-home tests or self-administered test results will not be valid to board the plane to South Korea. This is true of all travelers over the age of 6.
Upon arrival in South Korea, a traveler must take another PCR test within 3 days of arrival in the country, regardless of vaccination status or age. Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) does have PCR testing available with two locations in Terminal 1 and one location in Terminal 2. The Terminal 1 locations are open 24 hours as of the 1st of July. You are able to reserve a PCR test upon arrival via the Safe 2 Go Pass system. For this system, as well as registering your Covid-19 history, you will need the address of where you're staying and a South Korean telephone number so have your hotel or rental number at the ready. Covid tests at the airport cost 80,000 KRW (approximately $80 USD). While there may be cheaper options at pharmacies in the city, airport tests will probably be one of the easier ones to access. Test results should be sent back to you within the day.
South Korea also no longer requires you to carry a Covid-19 vaccine passport with you to enter shops or eat at restaurants, however, masks are still required in many indoor places so be sure to pack some in your hand luggage. While you may not need proof of vaccination to enjoy South Korea, having one makes it easier to pass through immigration at the airport. Vaccinated travelers can register for a Q-Code from the Quarantine Information Advance Input System.
On the application, you input all relevant information including passport information, vaccination status, where you're staying, and health status. Once your registration is processed, you will receive a Q-code electronically which you present to immigration upon arrival. This is just another level of Covid-19 security that the country has kept from quarantine days. Having a Q-Code allows you to move through immigration faster and with ease, rather than having to present all of your Covid-19 documentation manually at the airport.
Visa Regulations
As of September 2021, all travelers despite having a visa-exempt passport must register with the South Korean government. If you are from one of the 50 visa-exempt countries (of which the United States is one), then you can register online with the K-ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) system. The registration fee works out to be about $10 USD, and you should apply for K-ETA at least 72 hours before your flight to South Korea. The K-ETA allows visa-free travel for up to 90 days for short stays, business trips, or leisure travel.
There are still 130 countries from which you still have to apply for a formal visa. To do this, please consult your local embassy!
Once You Get To South Korea
If you're flying into Seoul, Incheon airport is actually quite far from most of the major neighborhoods of Seoul. The easiest mode of transportation, but perhaps the most expensive, is to book a private airport transfer ahead of time. You will be able to hail a cab once you get to the airport, however, taxi stand queues may be long and prices very high. To avoid this, use websites like Trazy.com to find highly reviewed companies with decent prices. If you're traveling with multiple people who have a couple of pieces of luggage each, then a private transfer is the way to go.
If you're willing to brave public (ish) transport, there are two main methods of getting into Seoul. First is the Airport Bus, with fares ranging from $4 to $16 dependent on the route and the level of "luxury" you choose. Ticketing offices are located in the airport terminals around the Arrivals Hall and itineraries are searchable on Incheon Airport's website. Some companies take online reservations ahead of time via the airport website as well. These buses have stops throughout the city and run between 15 and 40 minutes dependent on the destination.
You can also take the train directly from both terminals; there are two trains, an all-stop train, and an express train. While you may be lucky to be staying directly on this train line, most likely you will have to connect from the Airport Railroad to one of the subway lines. If you are staying near Seoul Station, that's at the very end of the Airport Railroad, it'll take you approximately an hour to get there from Terminal 2 on the all-stop train. You can also use this train to do an inter-airport transfer to Gimpo Airport. If you're traveling light, then this is the way to go.