One of the aspects to life in Seoul which took a little getting used to was the sheer size of this behemoth of a metropolis. Travelling around the Korean capital can be a very time-consuming experience. Weekends often involve inordinate amounts of time spent waiting for buses, standing on the subway, or watching the taxi meter tick over.
But, as time has passed, I've grown used to these long journeys and have even started to take pleasure in the little idiosyncracies of Korean travel. There are many ways of getting from A to W in Seoul, these are just a few of them:
Taxi
Obviously, this is the most expensive option, but it's the only round-the-clock form of transportation in this defiantly 24 hour city. The important thing to remember is this: white taxi, good; black taxi, bad. The darker cabs are much more expensive because they have some fancy GPS system to help the driver find the destination. If you get lost in the lighter coloured vehicles, the driver will rely on the more traditional yell-out-the-window-at-passersby form of navigation. Also, taxi drivers in Seoul will not give you a discount if you sing them an Irish love song. Trust me, I've tried.
Bus
Most bus drivers are fairly sane individuals, but there are a few who seem to have gotten into their current line of work after the film industry deemed them "too crazy" to be stuntmen. This country is very densely populated, and the conception of personal space is not the same as in the West, so don't expect a lot of room. Learning the Korean for "excuse me, I believe that's my arse" may be a good idea.
Subway
A beast, an absolute beast of a system. Some of the walks between lines are workouts in themselves. A few of the escalators are so long, I half expect to see Saint Peter waiting at the top. As with buses, don't bring along a dead cat for swinging practice. Also, as deodorant has yet to catch on here, and as pretty most of us on board will have had kimchi for lunch, it can get pretty pungent.
Foot
Ah, travel as the good Lord intended. Walking is the only way to fully take in a city. Granted, pedestrianism is a bit, well, pedestrian, so it's not the option if you're on a schedule. But otherwise I'd recommed it. Central Seoul is not ideal strolling territory, but the suburbs are rather pleasant for dandering. But, whichever part of the city you're in, if you're approaching a flashing green light at a pedestrian crossing, run like fuck. You'll have plenty of time to take in the ambience of that particular crosswalk if you don't.