24h
24-hour Seoul
What's the situation?
Just landed past midnight ICN late arrival, no plan, no hotel until tomorrow
AREX runs ~5:23am to ~midnight (last express ~22:50, last all-stop ~23:55), so a midnight landing means airport limousine bus or taxi. Limousine 6001 / 6015 / 6030 buses run until ~01:00. After that: airport taxi (~₩70,000 to Gangnam, ~₩90,000+ to Hongdae). If you need to wait until first train, ICN T1 has 24h Spa on Air (B1, sauna + sleep room).
Missed last subway Past 23:30 in most central stations, past midnight on a few lines
Subway last train: ~23:30 to ~00:30 depending on line. After that: N-bus (night bus) numbered N15 to N75 covers ~9 corridors (Hongdae, Gangnam, Jongno, Itaewon) until ~04:00, ₩2,500 cash or T-money. Or just call Kakao T (English UI, card on file). Surge is common 23:00 to 02:00 on Fri/Sat; expect ~1.5x meter.
Hungry after midnight 해장국 (hangover soup), chimaek, pojangmacha tents
Convenience stores are the 24h fallback (cup ramyun, hot lunch box). For real food: 해장국 (haejang-guk, hangover soup) spots near Jongno 3-ga / Euljiro / Cheongjin-dong are open round-the-clock. Chimaek (chicken + beer) delivery via Baemin / Coupang Eats works until ~02:00 in central districts. Pojangmacha tents pop up after dark in Jongno, Hongdae, Gangnam.
Need a pharmacy Painkillers, cold medicine, allergy, period supplies
Most pharmacies close ~22:00. Korea runs a 휴일지킴이약국 (designated holiday/late-night pharmacy) rotation: each night, certain pharmacies stay open until 01:00 to 02:00. Look up "심야약국" + your district on Naver Map. Real emergency: hospital ER (응급실); larger hospitals near every district have one.
Need to sleep, no hotel 찜질방, 24h saunas, capsule rooms
Jjimjilbang (찜질방) are the answer. ~₩10,000 to ₩15,000 buys 12 hours: shower, sauna, sleep room with mats and pillows. Major 24h ones: Dragon Hill Spa (Yongsan), SilOam Sauna (Seoul Station), Itaewon Land. Mens / womens areas separated; common rooms in mixed PJs.
Quick facts
What's reliably 24h
Convenience stores Default 24h. CU / GS25 / 7-Eleven / Emart24, all four chains.
Reliable
- Hot food (cup ramyun via dispenser, microwave lunch boxes).
- Free water + clean counters to sit.
- ATM (foreign card, ₩3,500 to ₩5,000 fee).
- Bathroom in some, ask the clerk.
Watch out
- A handful of branches near schools / offices close 23:00 to 06:00. Check the sign on the door.
24h cafes Limited. Most chain cafes close 22:00 to 23:00; only select branches stay 24h.
Reliable
- Caffe Pascucci has 24h branches in Hongdae, Gangnam, near major hospitals.
- Twosome Place select tourist-area branches stay open until 02:00 to 24h.
- Study cafes (스터디카페) are an alternative; ~₩3,000 to ₩6,000/hour, all 24h.
Watch out
- Chain "24h" branches change yearly; verify on Naver Map before going.
Late-night transit Subway gone, N-bus or Kakao T fill the gap.
Reliable
- N-bus 9 routes from ~midnight to ~04:00; ₩2,500.
- Kakao T (Uber-style app) works 24/7 with English UI.
- Regular taxis are abundant late, just flag from the curb.
Watch out
- N-bus has limited coverage; not all districts. Surge fares on Kakao T 23:00 to 02:00 Fri/Sat (~1.5x).
Jjimjilbang (sauna + sleep) Stuck without a hotel, want a budget option, or arrive too late to check in.
Reliable
- ~₩10,000 to ₩15,000 for 12 hours including sleep room.
- Shower, sauna, snack bar, sleep mats with pillows.
- Major 24h: Dragon Hill Spa (Yongsan), SilOam (Seoul Station), Itaewon Land.
Watch out
- Mixed-PJ common rooms can get noisy on weekends. Bring earplugs.
- Tattoos: most accept now, but verify policy at smaller suburbs.
Late-night pharmacy Late illness, post-bar headache, allergic reaction.
Reliable
- Korea's 휴일지킴이약국 rotation keeps a few pharmacies per district open until 01:00 to 02:00.
- Search "심야약국 + neighborhood" on Naver Map.
- Hospital ER (응급실) is the 24/7 fallback; English-speaking staff at International Clinics (Severance, Asan, Samsung).
Watch out
- Truly 24h pharmacies are rare; most "late-night" close at 02:00.
- Plan ahead: keep painkillers/electrolytes in hotel.
Watch out for
Last train sneaks up
Seoul subway last train is around 23:30, but 9Line 9 and a few others can be earlier. Check the platform indicator at every transfer; "막차" (last train) signs flash red. Set a 22:30 alarm if you're drinking.
N-bus is a real tool
Routes N15 (Gangnam) / N16 (Hongdae) / N26 (Jamsil) / N75 (Yeouido) are the most useful. Tap T-money like a regular bus, ₩2,500. The bus stops are marked with a blue moon icon at the top.
Kakao T over street taxi
After midnight, street taxis sometimes refuse short routes or push for cash. Kakao T (English UI, card on file, fixed quote) avoids the haggle. Download before your trip.
ICN late arrival
If you land at ICN past 01:00 with no transit option, the Spa on Air sauna (T1 B1) is 24h, ~₩30,000 includes shower + sleep + breakfast voucher. Cheaper than an airport hotel.
"24h" is not always 24h
Naver Map / Kakao Map listings can be out of date. Call the venue if you are pinning a 4am plan. Convenience stores (chain-guaranteed) and Kakao T (always-on) are the only "no need to verify" categories.
Sources
Seoul Metro, official last-train timetable TOPIS Seoul, N-bus route map Kakao Mobility, taxi app Incheon Airport, 24h services listUpdated May 2026. Subway last-train times verified against Seoul Metro May 2026 timetable; jjimjilbang and pharmacy listings are category-level (verify each venue on Naver Map before a 4am plan).
