Traveling in Seoul with a Group? When Two Taxis Make More Sense Than a Van

If you are traveling around Seoul with six, seven, or eight people, your first thought might be:

Do we need to book a van?

Not necessarily.

For sightseeing in Seoul, my first choice is still usually the subway. It connects most major areas well, avoids road traffic, and is often the most predictable way to move around the city.

[Seoul Public Transportation Guide]

But there are plenty of times when a taxi makes more sense: after dinner, late at night, when it is raining, when someone is tired, or when the subway does not take you close enough to your destination.

And when that happens, a group does not automatically need one large vehicle.

I have experience driving a taxi in Seoul, and for many short city trips, I would simply split a group into two regular taxis.

It is often much easier than people expect.

For City Trips, Two Regular Taxis Can Be the Easier Choice

Imagine six people having dinner in Hongdae and heading back to a hotel in Myeongdong.

Nobody has a large suitcase.

In that situation, I would not start searching for a van.

I would call two regular taxis.

Three people can take each taxi, or four can ride in one and two in the other.

Regular taxis are much easier to find around Seoul than larger vehicles. Both taxis can use the same destination, and whichever group arrives first can simply wait for the other.

Yes, your group will be separated for a short time.

But for a simple 20- or 30-minute trip across the city, that may be easier than waiting for one large vehicle just so everyone can sit together.

This works especially well when you are:

• going from a restaurant back to your hotel
• moving between neighborhoods
• returning late at night
• taking a taxi for the last part of a trip after using the subway
• avoiding a long walk in bad weather

Traveling as a group does not mean you always have to travel in one vehicle.

[Korea Taxi Tips]

If you are new to taxis in Korea, I have a separate guide covering practical things such as luggage, payment, getting in and out, and communicating with your driver.

Five People Is an Awkward Middle Ground

For trip planning, think of a regular sedan taxi as a vehicle for up to four passengers.

Five people is where things become slightly awkward.

A larger vehicle such as Kakao T Venti can take up to five passengers, so for exactly five people, one larger taxi can be a very convenient solution.

In k.ride, this larger vehicle category appears as Comfort.

But once your group becomes six people, you are over the official passenger limit for one Venti.

That is when I would ask a different question:

Do we actually need one large vehicle?

If you are only making a short trip inside Seoul and you do not have much luggage, two regular taxis may be simpler.

The Airport Changes the Equation

Airport transportation is different.

The same group of seven people that can easily split into two taxis for a trip from Hongdae to Myeongdong may have a completely different problem when arriving at Incheon Airport.

At the airport, you have luggage.

Seven travelers can easily mean seven suitcases, plus backpacks, shopping bags, a stroller, or even golf bags.

You may also be tired after a long flight.

In that situation, keeping everyone together and going directly to the hotel has much more value.

So compare these two situations:

Hongdae → Myeongdong, seven people, no large luggage

Two taxis can be perfectly reasonable.

Incheon Airport → Myeongdong, seven people, seven large suitcases

Now I would start checking large taxis or pre-booked vehicles.

The number of people did not change.

The situation did.

That is why I would not use the same transportation rule for Seoul city trips and airport transfers.

Can Six, Seven, or Eight People Ride in One Large Taxi?

Yes, larger taxi options do exist.

Incheon Airport has Deluxe/Jumbo Taxi services using larger vehicles, and Seoul’s official visitor information describes jumbo taxis that can accommodate larger groups.

So putting six, seven, or even eight people in one vehicle can be possible.

But there is an important catch:

Passenger capacity and luggage capacity are not the same thing.

A vehicle that has enough seats for eight people does not necessarily have enough room for:

8 people + 8 large suitcases

Once all of the seats are being used, luggage space can disappear very quickly.

So when reserving a vehicle, do not ask only:

“Can it take seven people?”

Tell the operator:

“We have seven passengers and seven large suitcases.”

That is much more useful.

For groups, luggage is often the real limitation.

Exactly Six People? International Taxi Large Is Easy to Understand

For foreign travelers arriving at Incheon Airport, one relatively straightforward option is Seoul’s International Taxi service.

Its Large vehicle option is currently listed for:

• up to 6 passengers
• up to 6 pieces of luggage

That makes it particularly easy to understand if your group is exactly six people with several suitcases.

The service also has zone-based fares between Incheon Airport and Seoul.

At the time of writing, the Large/Deluxe airport fare is roughly:

• Gangseo: ₩100,000
• Mapo, Yeongdeungpo, Seodaemun and nearby areas: ₩110,000
• Jongno, Jung-gu, Yongsan and nearby areas: ₩120,000
• Gangnam and Seocho: ₩130,000
• Songpa and Gangdong: ₩140,000

These fares and booking rules can change, so check the official service before your trip.

The important point is not that this is always the cheapest option.

It is that six people can compare one clearly defined large vehicle against the cost and inconvenience of splitting up.

k.ride Comfort Is a Large Vehicle, but It Is Not for Six People

This is where some travelers get confused.

You open k.ride, see the larger Comfort option, and think:

“That looks like a van. Six people should fit.”

But Comfort corresponds to the Kakao T Venti category, and the official passenger limit is five.

Children and infants also count toward the passenger total.

So a group of six should not plan on using one Comfort vehicle.

For five people, it can be very useful.

For six or more, you need another solution.

[How to Use k.ride in Korea]

I have a separate guide explaining how to use k.ride, so I will not repeat the app setup, payment, and booking process here.

k.ride also now offers an Airport Transfer feature.

However, I could not find a clearly published maximum passenger number for that service in the public information I checked.

So I would not assume that six or eight people are automatically accepted.

Enter your actual passenger and luggage numbers and check what vehicle the service offers.

Large Taxi, Jumbo Taxi, and Call Van Are Not the Same Thing

Another confusing part is the terminology.

When you search in English, you may see:

• large taxi
• jumbo taxi
• van
• call van

They are not necessarily the same type of service.

For example, Incheon Airport operates Jumbo Taxi services using larger vehicles.

But the airport’s official Call Van service is aimed at groups of five people or fewer with luggage.

So do not assume that something called a “van” must be the biggest option.

For a group of six to eight people, the useful questions are:

How many passengers are officially allowed?

and

How much luggage can the vehicle actually carry?

The name of the vehicle matters less.

At airports, I would also stick to official taxi stands and legitimate reservation services rather than responding to random transportation offers inside the terminal.

Airport Bus or Large Taxi? Compare the Total Group Cost

A large taxi can look expensive when you first see the fare.

But groups should not compare the price of one taxi with the price of one airport bus ticket.

Compare the total cost for the entire group.

At the time of writing, an adult airport limousine bus ticket between Incheon Airport and Seoul is ₩17,000.

For six adults:

₩17,000 × 6 = ₩102,000

Now compare that with an International Taxi Large fare of roughly ₩100,000 to ₩140,000 depending on the destination in Seoul.

Suddenly the price difference may not look very large.

Of course, that does not mean a large taxi is always better.

The airport bus may stop right outside your hotel.

A family with children may pay less for bus tickets.

The train may be faster during heavy traffic.

But if six people have several suitcases and want to go directly from the airport to the hotel, a large taxi can become surprisingly competitive.

A large taxi sounds expensive until you multiply the airport bus fare by the size of your group.

My Simple Rule for Group Travel in Seoul

Here is how I would think about it.

Sightseeing around Seoul

Start with the subway.

For most first-time visitors, it is still the most reliable backbone for getting around the city.

1–4 people who need a taxi

Take one regular taxi.

5 people

Check a five-passenger option such as Venti or k.ride Comfort.

6–8 people making a short city trip

If you have little or no large luggage, I would usually consider two regular taxis before searching for a special van.

6 people arriving at Incheon Airport with luggage

Compare an International Taxi Large or another properly reserved large vehicle.

6–8 people arriving at the airport

Check a Large/Jumbo Taxi or pre-booked vehicle and confirm luggage capacity.

8 people with several large suitcases

Do not book based only on the number of passenger seats.

Tell the operator exactly how many passengers and how many suitcases you have.

A group traveling together all day

This is different again.

If you are visiting several places in one day, repeatedly calling two taxis may become annoying.

A private vehicle with a driver may make more sense.

So, Do You Really Need a Van?

When people travel in a group, they often start by searching for the biggest vehicle they can find.

In Seoul, that is not always necessary.

For sightseeing, I would still start with the subway.

When a taxi is more convenient, a group of six or eight people can often solve a simple city trip with two regular taxis.

At the airport, with large luggage, long distances, or an itinerary that requires everyone to stay together, a larger vehicle becomes much more useful.

So before asking:

“Which van should we book?”

ask:

“Do we actually need one vehicle?”

That question can save you a lot of unnecessary searching.

FAQ

Can five people take one regular taxi in Seoul?

For planning purposes, use four passengers as the limit for a regular sedan taxi. For five people, look for a larger vehicle such as Venti or k.ride Comfort.

Can six people use k.ride Comfort?

No. The official passenger limit for the Venti/Comfort category is five.

What is the easiest way for six to eight people to travel around Seoul?

If the subway works for your route, I would consider that first. If a taxi is more convenient and you do not have large luggage, two regular taxis can be easier than finding one large vehicle.

Can eight people ride in one large taxi?

There are Jumbo Taxi vehicles intended for larger groups. Always confirm the actual vehicle and luggage capacity before booking.

Can eight people and eight large suitcases fit in one vehicle?

Do not assume so. Passenger capacity and luggage capacity are different. Give the operator both numbers before booking.

Is a Jumbo Taxi the same as a Call Van?

No. They are different services. In particular, Incheon Airport’s official Call Van service is not designed as a six-to-eight-passenger solution.

Is a large taxi cheaper than two taxis?

It depends on the route, traffic, and vehicle. Inside Seoul, two regular taxis can be simple and practical. For airport transfers, compare the total price for your whole group.

Should a group use the subway, airport bus, or a large taxi?

It depends on the trip. Use the subway as a strong default for sightseeing in Seoul. For airport travel, compare your group size, luggage, destination, and total price.

Have a question about getting around Korea with a group? Leave a comment below. If I know the answer, I’ll be happy to help when I have time.