While traveling in Korea, you can easily spot green bicycles (Ttareungi) or various brands of electric scooters lined up on the streets. Many people find them fascinating and want to try riding them.
But as a local, let me be clear: I absolutely do not recommend using these as ‘transportation’ in the crowded city center of Seoul. In this guide, I will introduce how to safely and enjoyably ride Ttareungi and e-scooters, along with realistic advice you must know.
1. ‘Shared Mobility’ Filling the Streets of Seoul
Walking down the streets of Seoul, you can easily find countless shared mobility options like bicycles and e-scooters.
The most representative one is the public bicycle ‘Ttareungi (Seoul Bike)’ officially operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Of course, there are e-bikes operated by private companies besides Ttareungi, but Seoul citizens by far use Ttareungi the most.
Also, for e-scooters, there are no public services; they are operated by various private companies.
2. The Real Reason Locals Strongly Discourage ‘City Riding’
Korea has a world-class, dense public transportation system including subways and buses, so using bikes or e-scooters as ‘transportation’ in the city center is not recommended. Here are the realistic reasons why locals strongly discourage city riding.
- 🚧 Incomplete Bicycle Network: ‘Designated bicycle paths’ are available in various parts of the city. However, not all roads in Seoul have bicycle paths, which limits their use and causes inconvenience.
- 🚫 Sidewalk Riding is Illegal (The Dangers of Road Riding): Under current Korean law, bicycles and e-scooters are not allowed on ‘sidewalks’. Therefore, if there is no designated bicycle path, you must ride on the ‘road’ with cars. However, riding a bike or e-scooter on the complex streets of Seoul where cars speed by is extremely dangerous.
💡 Conclusion: Ride Bikes and Scooters Just for ‘Fun’!
Rather than insisting on using them as transportation in the middle of a complex city, the smartest way is to enjoy them strictly for ‘fun and leisure’ in safe, open areas like Hangang River Park.
3. Safe and Perfect Riding Spots: Hangang River Park & Urban Riverside Trails
While bicycles and e-scooters are not recommended as transportation in the city, you can safely enjoy them at ‘Hangang River Park’ and the ‘urban riverside trails’ flowing throughout Seoul.
Along the promenades of major rivers like Hangang River Park, Jungnangcheon, Tancheon, and Anyangcheon in Seoul, there are endless dedicated bicycle paths where cars cannot enter, allowing for safe riding.
🗺 Local Tip: Exceptions When Recommended as ‘Transportation’
While not recommended as transportation in the city center, it’s a different story if your route follows the Hangang River or streams. Seoul’s major stream bicycle paths are seamlessly connected to the Hangang River bicycle path without traffic lights, allowing you to avoid complex and dangerous roads, making it an excellent means of transportation.
4. Easy Rental Methods for Tourists (Ttareungi & E-Scooter Apps)
Many apps used in Korea require identity verification needing a Korean mobile phone number, but shared mobility, mostly used by tourists, is relatively easy to rent.
- 🚲 Renting Ttareungi (Seoul Bike): Download the official app (Seoul Bike) and select the ‘Foreigner’ menu. You can rent one using an overseas credit card without a complicated sign-up process.
- 🔓 Renting and Unlocking: Unlike e-scooters, Ttareungi is gathered at ‘designated stations’. Find a nearby station on the app, scan the QR code under the bicycle saddle to unlock it, and ride.
- 🛑 Returning (Important): Do not just leave it anywhere on the street after riding! You must find a ‘Ttareungi Station’ near your destination, dock the bicycle, and manually pull the lock on the rear wheel to complete the return.
🎫 Free Pass Tip!
If you have a tourist pass exclusively for foreigners, it might include a free 24-hour Ttareungi pass, so be sure to check. This allows you to use it for free without a separate payment!
- ⚡ Renting Shared E-Bikes and E-Scooters: These devices are operated individually by several private companies (SWING, GCOO, Beam, etc.). You don’t need to download all the different apps; we recommend one of the following two methods.
- 📍 Finding Locations in Advance via App: If you want to check if there are devices nearby on a map in advance, we recommend downloading just 1-2 apps of major brands with the most devices in Seoul (e.g., SWING, GCOO). Open the app to easily locate devices around you.
- 👀 Riding a Device You Spot on the Street: There is a lot of shared mobility on the streets of Seoul. If you find a device you want to use while walking, you can just check the logo on the device and download that brand’s app right then.
[Usage and Return Steps]
- 📱 App Installation and Card Registration: Download the app and register your overseas credit card as the payment method.
- 🔋 Check Battery: Before renting a device, be sure to check the app screen to ensure there is enough battery remaining to reach your destination.
- 🔓 Unlock: Scan the QR code attached to the handlebars with the app to unlock and ride.
- 📸 Return Process After Use: Upon arriving at your destination, park in a safe area, tap the ‘Return’ button in the app, and you must take and upload a photo of the parked device for the billing to completely end.
5. Mandatory Usage Rules (Safety Regulations & Returning)
🚨 There are several precautions when using bicycles or e-scooters in Korea. Please check them in advance before using them.
- ⛑️ Wear a Helmet: Wearing a helmet is mandatory when using an e-scooter, and a fine is imposed if caught not wearing one. (Most shared e-scooters have helmets attached to the device, so you can wear those.)
- 🚫 Single Rider Only: If two people ride together on one device, a fine will be imposed if caught. Make sure to ride alone.
- 💳 Driver’s License Required: An international driver’s license is strictly required to use an e-scooter. Note that you must register your international driver’s license in the app when renting for the first time to be able to rent.
- 📵 No Cell Phone Use While Riding: Operating a smartphone while riding is extremely dangerous and carries a fine if caught. If you need to check a map, be sure to stop in a safe place first.
- ✅ Return Process After Use: If you do not completely finish the return process for the bicycle or e-scooter you used, you will continue to be charged, so be sure to complete the return process.
- 🛴 Precautions When Returning E-Scooters: Private e-scooters do not have a separate dedicated station. Park it neatly in a place that does not obstruct traffic, such as the edge of a sidewalk within the Service Area shown on the app map, and process the return.
- ⚠️ Beware of Towing: If an e-scooter is left in a place that obstructs traffic, such as right in front of a subway station exit, a crosswalk, or on braille blocks for the visually impaired, the device may be towed. In this case, additional towing fees may be charged to your registered payment card, so be sure to park in a safe place that does not obstruct traffic, take a picture, and complete the return.
👉 Next UP: Have you fallen in love with the charm of the Hangang River while riding a bicycle? Then it’s time to experience a new public transportation that runs directly on the Hangang River. In the next episode, [🔗 Part 17. The Ultimate Hangang Bus Guide: Routes & Realistic Survival Tips for Seoul’s New Water Transit], we will reveal practical tips on how to escape complex traffic jams and cross the Hangang River, including routes and fares. Stay tuned!