[Survive & Thrive] Apps that help travelers get around Seoul

Among the basic practical issues when travelling to another country are luggage and transportation logistics. This edition of Survive & Thrive will take a look at apps that help you rent lockers for your bags or public bikes in Seoul.

Luggage storage

In nearly every subway station in Seoul, there are self-service lockers that one can use for a fee. T-locker -- also known as Ttota Locker -- is an app that allows you to use them.

The “Ttota” icon on the app’s map refers to every subway station with lockers. By tapping it, one can see how many lockers are available, their location and how much they cost. The user can select the type of storage one wishes to use and book it via the app.

For the first four hours of use, the fees range from 2,000 won ($1.56) to 4,000 won, depending on the size of the locker, with additional fees added according to how long one uses it.

Ttota lockers may be used between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. the next day on weekdays, and between 5 a.m. and midnight on weekends and holidays. You can keep a locker for a maximum of five days. For a longer-term storage, book it in advance via the app. Up to 1 month of storage is allowed.

In case one is not near a subway station, LugStay is an app one can use to search for lockers near one’s location. Select the drop-off and pick-up times along with how many pieces of luggage you want to store, and the app will recommend places you can store them in, along with their operation hours, prices and locations.

Public bikes

The Seoul Public Bicycle, also called Ttareungi, is a mobile application that allows one to rent bicycles across the city. The app is provided in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, and is also accessible on the web (https://www.bikeseoul.com).

Foreign visitors without membership can select the “Foreigner” option on the menu page and the app will show the nearest Ttareungi bicycles to where you are. You can also search for bikes in specific locations by tapping the search button at the top right corner, or by using the map option at the bottom left corner.

One can purchase passes -- for 1,000 won per hour and 5,000 won for an all-day pass -- by either credit card or the Discover Seoul Pass travel card.

To rent a Ttareungi bike with the pass you've purchased, tap the “rent” button and scan the QR code on the top of the rear wheel of the bike you want to rent. You can also use the app to check the remaining rent time.

Visit the Discover Seoul Pass website to find out more about the pass, along with how to use the Ttareungi app.