How do buses work in Korea?

Korean buses are color-coded by route type which makes them easy to figure out once you know the system. In Seoul, blue buses are trunk routes that travel long distances across the city, green buses are branch routes connecting neighborhoods to subway stations, red buses are express routes between Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi province, and yellow buses run short circular routes in the downtown area.

To pay, use a T-money card which you can buy at any convenience store. Tap your card when you board at the front door and tap again when you exit through the back door. This exit tap is important because it activates the free transfer discount if you switch to another bus or the subway within 30 minutes. A basic fare is about 1,200 won. To figure out which bus to take, use Naver Map or KakaoMap and select the transit option for your destination. The app will show you exactly which bus number to take, where to board, and when to get off. Real-time bus arrival information is shown on the digital displays at bus stops and in the apps. Press the stop button inside the bus before your stop, otherwise the driver may skip it if nobody is waiting there.