Busan taxi fares: base fare, distance and time rates, night surcharge and worked examples
Numbers checked against the official source on 2026-10-19
A Busan medium (regular) taxi starts at ₩4,800 for the first 2 km, then adds ₩100 for every 132 metres, or ₩100 for every 33 seconds when the taxi is going 15 km/h or slower. A late-night surcharge applies from 23:00 to 04:00: 30% between midnight and 02:00 and 20% in the other hours. These rates took effect on 1 June 2023 and are the latest ones on the Busan city fare page (page last updated 24 May 2023).
Fare table
| Item | Medium taxi (regular) | Deluxe (mobeom) and large taxi |
|---|---|---|
| Base fare | ₩4,800 for the first 2 km | ₩7,500 for the first 3 km |
| Distance fare | ₩100 per 132 m | ₩200 per 140 m |
| Time fare (at 15 km/h or slower) | ₩100 per 33 seconds | ₩200 per 33 seconds |
| Late-night surcharge | 23:00 to 04:00: 30% from 00:00 to 02:00, 20% otherwise | None ("no surcharge") |
| Outside-district surcharge | 30% of the meter fare when the trip leaves the business area | None |
| Night and outside district together | 40% to 50% (50% from 00:00 to 02:00, 40% otherwise) | None |
- Area: the whole of Busan.
- How the surcharge is counted: the city's text says the late-night surcharge is based on the time you drive and applies to the fare for driving between 23:00 and 04:00.
- Basis of the rise: the city said the 2023 rise raised the medium-taxi base fare from ₩3,800 to ₩4,800 and the deluxe/large base from ₩6,000 to ₩7,500, and that the base distance for medium taxis stays at 2 km (Seoul's is 1.6 km; see the Seoul taxi page).
Worked examples (medium taxi)
The city page gives only the rates above; it does not say how the meter rounds each ₩100 step or how it combines distance and time while the taxi crawls. The figures below are therefore ranges that assume the taxi is moving faster than 15 km/h the whole way (derived arithmetic).
| Trip | Working | Fare (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 km | Base fare only | ₩4,800 |
| 5.4 km (the average ride the city quotes) | 3,400 m beyond the base ÷ 132 m = 25.8 steps, so 25 or 26 steps of ₩100 → ₩2,500 to ₩2,600 added | ₩7,300 to ₩7,400 |
| 10 km | 8,000 m ÷ 132 m = 60.6 steps → ₩6,000 to ₩6,100 added | ₩10,800 to ₩10,900 |
| When you ride | Working | Fare (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 23:00 to 24:00 or 02:00 to 04:00 (20%) | ₩7,300 to ₩7,400 × 1.20 | ₩8,760 to ₩8,880 |
| 00:00 to 02:00 (30%) | ₩7,300 to ₩7,400 × 1.30 | ₩9,490 to ₩9,620 |
| Trip | Working | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| 10 km | 7,000 m beyond the base ÷ 140 m = 50 steps × ₩200 = ₩10,000, plus the ₩7,500 base | ₩17,500 |
A taxi stuck at 15 km/h or slower adds ₩100 per 33 seconds (medium); for scale, 10 minutes (600 seconds) is about 18 steps or ₩1,800 if the whole time counted (derived arithmetic). Real fares in traffic will differ from these ranges.
Sightseeing (hourly) taxi
| Type | 1 hour | 3 hours | 5 hours | 10 hours | 24 hours (1 day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 25,000 | 65,000 | 100,000 | 190,000 | 230,000 |
| Deluxe / large sedan | 40,000 | 100,000 | 160,000 | 290,000 | 330,000 |
| Large van | 50,000 | 130,000 | 190,000 | 320,000 | 350,000 |
| Premium | 70,000 | 190,000 | 250,000 | 350,000 | 420,000 |
- The page states the basic rule is at least 3 hours, with extensions charged per hour.
- For large vans and premium cars it says the operator's own filed fare takes priority.
For comparison on other transport, see Busan Metro fares.
Common questions
What is the base fare for a taxi in Busan?
₩4,800 for the first 2 km in a medium taxi, and ₩7,500 for the first 3 km in a deluxe or large taxi, in force since 1 June 2023.
When does the late-night surcharge apply?
From 23:00 to 04:00: 30% between 00:00 and 02:00 and 20% in the rest of that window, for medium taxis. Deluxe and large taxis have no surcharge on the city's table.
Is there an extra charge for leaving Busan?
Yes, for medium taxis: 30% of the meter fare when the trip goes outside the business area, and 40% to 50% if it also falls in the night window.
The Busan fare page prints "last updated 2023-05-24"; the press release is dated 2023-05-13; all read on 2026-10-19. Not covered: call-taxi booking fees, airport pick-up surcharges and any change made after 2023.
Official sources
- Busan Metropolitan City — taxi fares (Korean) — medium, deluxe/large and sightseeing taxi tables, night and outside-district surcharges; page last updated 2023-05-24 (read on 2026-10-19) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Busan Metropolitan City — press release on the 1 June 2023 fare rise (Korean) — old and new base fares, night surcharge change, average ride length; dated 2023-05-13 (checked 2026-10-19)
- Busan Metropolitan City — public fees: taxi (Korean) — base fare ₩4,800; page last updated 2023-06-01 (checked 2026-10-19)
Prices change. If an official page shows a different number from this page, the official page wins — and please tell us so we can fix it.