In a significant move to boost tourism, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has unveiled TABA, a new taxi hailing app designed exclusively for foreign tourists. Launched in Dec. 4 in collaboration with T-Money ONDA and Globaleur, TABA aims to simplify transportation for tourists who face challenges using existing Korean taxi services due to the need for a local cell number and credit card.
The rising allure of K-pop and K-dramas has significantly increased the number of foreign tourists in South Korea, but these visitors often encounter difficulties in using local taxi services. Challenges include language barriers and the requirement of a Korean cell phone number and credit card to access popular platforms like Kakao Taxi.
TABA addresses these issues by enabling tourists to use their own phone numbers and international credit cards for authentication and payment, respectively. Planned updates will add social media logins and email verification for even greater accessibility. The app also offers a range of features to streamline the taxi experience, including real-time traffic updates, fare estimates, and route options, catering to different needs with medium, large, and luxury taxi choices.
Currently, TABA provides English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, and Thai, with an expansion to include Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Russian slated for the first half of the next year. In addition to its transportation services, TABA serves as a tourist guide, featuring over 200 major attractions in Seoul and an intuitive “Go here now” function for setting destinations easily.
Available on Google Play and the App Store, TABA aims to significantly enhance the travel experience for foreign tourists in Seoul. As an introductory offer, the app provides a 5 percent discount on taxi fares for first-time users.
This article was originally published on Dec. 4, 2023.
