Senior travel: Seoul
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
Was this useful?
Pace for a day
About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 68 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Gyeongbokgung PalaceStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 90 minFew steps on the main route; stone terraces around the throne hall have ramps at the sides (check).
- Bukchon Hanok VillageStep-free: no (check before you go) · about 45 minMany flights of stone steps between lanes; grades of 10% or more.
Getting around in Seoul
Seoul is one of the easier Asian capitals on wheels: nearly every subway station has lifts, most buses are low-floor, and new buildings and department stores have accessible toilets. The hard parts are hills, palace gravel and old hanok lanes.
- Subway:
- Lifts from street to platform at almost all stations (a few older ones use stair lifts or need a long detour, check). Gaps are marked; staff will place a ramp if you ask at the gate.
- Buses:
- Most city buses are low-floor with a ramp, marked on the bus and in the KakaoMap app.
- Taxis:
- Standard taxis take a folding wheelchair in the boot; wheelchair-accessible vans (call taxis) are mainly for registered residents, ask 1330 about visitor options (check).
- Pavements:
- Wide and smooth in the centre with tactile paving; old lanes have no pavement and steep grades.
- Toilets:
- Accessible toilets in subway stations, department stores and museums.
- Crossings:
- Signals count down and many have audible signals; wide roads sometimes use underpasses with lifts.
Medicines and health on the ground
The South Korea guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
- Cold:
- January mornings with wind chill below −15 °C: hat, gloves and heat packs (sold in convenience stores). Icy slopes in Bukchon and on hiking trails.
- Heat:
- July–August: 30 °C and very humid; tropical nights above 25 °C. Take the midday hours indoors and drink water.
- Water and food:
- Tap water is safe; hygiene in restaurants is high. Raw crab (ganjang gejang) and raw beef are local classics; eat them at busy places.
- Clinics:
- International health centres at the big hospitals have interpreters; pay upfront and claim later. Ambulance calls on 119 are free.
- Pharmacies:
- Pharmacists speak some English in tourist areas; many common medicines are sold without a prescription, but some imported drugs (strong painkillers, ADHD medicine) need a certificate at entry.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.