Rental Cars and Driving in South Korea for the Olympic Winter Games — Ultimate Guide to PyeongChang 2018
South Korea and the PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee have worked hard to make sure there is ample public transportations options for fans to get to the Olympic Winter Games sites yet there are a number of reasons why you may opt to go with a rental car. Keeping in mind, you will be vulnerable to traffic jams and other unexpected hold-ups that can take place during what could be the busiest time that country has ever seen. But even with this in mind, planning for a rental car will give you one more way to get around especially if you are planning non-Olympic event fun like fine dining, tours of major attractions, visiting hospitality suites, or catching up with friends and associates.
A few other notables for renting a car are below:
• The Korea Rail KTX stations that connect the Olympic Venues from Seoul to Gangneung have a park & ride but with a total capacity of only 20,000 passengers a day, it could fill up and may not have available capacity, as most reservations will be made ahead of time. Concerns are already emerging with full trains and if you have not already reserved your spots, you may be too late.
• If your trip to South Korea will include visiting tourist attractions, corporate meetings, or enjoying spontaneous side trips, you will want a rental car. Also, if your event tickets will move you across all Olympic venues between Gangneung, PyeongChang, Phoenix Park, and Jeongseon, you should arrange a rental car. This is especially true if you are someone who wants flexibility and does not want their schedule dictated by the bus and train schedules while at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games.
• Surprisingly, with over 51 events ending after 11:00pm, there will be a limited number of trains running from most Olympic sites at that time. Clearly, if you have booked tickets for late evening Olympic events, hospitality, or meetings, having your own rental car could be preferred especially since the local taxi service could be overwhelmed.
On my visit in November 2017, I drove 600 miles from Seoul to PyeongChang to Gangneung and visited each one of the Olympic venues by rental car. My six tips below are based on my first-hand experience:
• Tip #1: International Drivers Permit. To drive and rent a car in South Korea, you are required to have an International Drivers Permit, also known as an IDP. The rental car company may not ask for it at the time of booking, but will require it at the time of pick-up. Getting an International Drivers Permit in the USA is simple and easy. Go to your local Automobile Association (AAA) office with a completed application form, two original passport photos (if you don’t have any, AAA will take pics while you are there), your US driver’s license and a $20 USD permit fee. For more information and application go here: http://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html
• Tip #2: Toll Highways & Roads — carry cash. To get to the Olympic venues from just about anywhere, you must drive on a toll road. While some rental companies may equip your car with a Hi-Pass, the majority will not. Carry sufficient South Korean money with you as it costs approximately 40,000 WON ($37.50) to go from Seoul to Gangneung. As with most international travel, your best bet to get cash is through a Bank ATM. While fees may vary based on your bank, they should be lower than exchanging at the airport or your hotel.
Tip #3: Toll Highways — Avoid Hi-Pass Lanes. These are painted blue when you are going through any toll gate. If you are entering the highway and go to the Hi-Pass lane, there will be a large audible sound and you will not receive your ticket which is needed when exiting to calculate and pay the toll. On my trip, I accidentally went into one of these lanes and there is no way to back out, turn around, or get to another lane — you have to continue without a ticket. Thankfully, I wrote down the entry point and the toll booth operator in Seoul was understanding and charged me the correct amount rather than the maximum.
• Tip #4: Gas Refueling & Cash — Gas refueling is simple but you will likely need cash because many of the credit card machines at their gas stations will only take South Korean banked credit cards. It should cost approximately 70,000 WON to fill up your vehicle when empty. With 10,000 and hire denominations of WON, your pockets won’t be stuffed with bills. Note: In South Korea, the attendant will fill the tank for you.
• Tip #5: GPS Navigation. GPS Navigation is included in most rental cars, which can be very useful in addition to standard navigation, they will also notify you of speed monitoring and anticipated toll amounts for your journey. While you can also use apps for your iPhone and Android devices including WAZE, Naver, and Kakao, I found the in-car navigation to be the most useful
• Tip #6: Speed monitored roads. Most highways in South Korea are speed monitored. If you exceed the maximum speed while going through these check points, you will receive a ticket that your rental company will charge you for. In addition, there are some areas that are speed controlled between two points, meaning that your average speed cannot exceed the speed limit for a specified distance. Your GPS navigation may also warn and notify you of these areas.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind if you do choose to rent a car for traveling to the Olympics.
• Traffic can be unpredictable. Before, during, and after the events traffic can be unpredictable and official Olympic transportation will also have priority. Make sure to plan ahead and account for extra time and always have a tank full of gas.
• Parking areas and Park and Ride locations have not been published yet, but they are likely to be near the newly built train stations in Jingbu (to access Jeongseon, Alpensia, YongPyeong, and Daegwallyeong), Gangneung, and PyeongChang (Phoenix Park). Until the exact locations are announced, we don’t know how close we will be to the venues or other places on our schedules. However, there will be bus transportations available to take you from the Park and Ride to your venue.
• Most rental car companies in the US either operate in South Korea or have a partnership. For example, Hertz partners with LOTTE for a seamless experience.
• Note: On January 11, 2018 PyeongChang noted that travel restrictions for cars will be in effect during the Olympic period with cars with odd number licensed plates on odd days (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) and even on even days (0, 2, 4, 6, 8). This is only voluntary in the PyeongChang areas, but mandatory in Gangneung — also impacts tourists / rental cars. http://bit.ly/2ARvYF3
This guide will be updated as they become available, so bookmark it, follow me on Twitter, and check again before leaving on your trip.
