How to use Kakao Taxi

Ever had the dreaded thought of getting a taxi in Korea but not knowing how to pronounce the address or worried about mispronouncing it? Worry no further, Kakao taxi is here. It's mainly used by Koreans as there is no English version. However, it's super simple to use. 

Download the Kakao taxi app from your app store, or click here if you're an android user or here if you're an iphone user. 

Switch on your location settings! It'll let Kakao taxi know where you are. 

Once you have it downloaded, open the app and you will see this screen: 

If you have your location settings on, the app should recognise exactly where you are.

Your current location will be shown here (red circle):

Then, if you know the address type it into the part that is circled in green. 

Then it will search destinations for you by clicking the magnifying glass.

If you want to search, it will look like this. Enter the address you wish to go to. Make sure you can type in hangul though. 

Then click on the yellow button at the bottom. It might come up with a confirmation in Korean, just click on 내 for yes. 

It will then take you to a new screen, which shows you how many taxis it has sent your request out to. The taxi's don't need to accept your request either. Sometimes it can be pretty quick. Other times it can be a bit slower. 

Once someone has accepted, you will come across a screen displaying your location, and your drivers location. You can watch your taxi coming to get you! 

There is also a photograph of your driver and details. You can phone him, or message him using the app too. Of course, you can only message and call him if you speak Korean. 

Once the taxi is there, your screen will switch. I have no idea what it says but even if you leave the screen and go back, it will be there. 

On your drivers device will be a map, which shows your destination. As soon as he reaches your destination, the screen goes off, and up comes a rating page. 

I have used Kakao taxi three times. Twice in Gumi because I had no idea where to go and once in Gangneung, where I wanted to go to a restaurant but didn't know how to read the address. All three times were successful. The latter was the slowest. It took 3 attempts to get a taxi to accept me. In that same amount of time, no taxi's were available nearby for me to hail. The best thing about it is that all three times, I didn't have to speak to the driver. They never spoke to me either apart from asking if I'm the Kakao user, to which I respond with "nay 내 Yes"

If you've never tried this app, please do. It can make taking taxi's so much simpler. Especially in a new city and not knowing where your hotel is, but you have an address. 

Good luck!