The bus is one of the cheapest forms of public transportation in Daejeon. The subway is a little bit less useful in Daejeon because there is only one subway line. But, the bus can take a long time to go to your destination, even though it is cheaper than other transportation options. Therefore, electric bikes and scooters can be good for you when you are in a rush. Luckily, in Korea, electric bikes and scooters are becoming popular and everywhere you go, you can rent one for cheap.
Kakao Bike: Electric Bikes Throughout Korea
I found out about Kakao Bike when I opened the Kakao T app on my phone to get a taxi. Not only can you now hail a taxi using the app, but you can also rent an electric bike as well. It is particularly easy to use since there is an English version of the Kakao T app. The renting procedure is quite standard and simple.
Drawbacks
- The bike distribution is quite dense in some places, but in some other places (like where I live), I rarely can find one. It is widely used but the number of bikes is not as high as electric scooters.
- Kakao bikes have different levels of electricity push when you ride. Some will run faster thanks to the vast electric push. However, some run slow. It is quite a gamble when it comes to choosing a Kakao bike to ride.
Positives
- It is quite cheap compared to other electric options. It is 1,500 Won for the first 15 minutes, and 100 Won per minute after the first 15 minutes.
- It is light to ride, the peddle setting is light, and you won’t lose much energy riding it.
- You can return it mostly everywhere in Daejeon.
- You don’t need to register a driver’s license to ride it.
Tash: Daejeon’s Public Bikes
(타슈)
Tash is becoming more and more popular in Daejeon. It is a free-of-charge public bike. However, is new and they are still improving it, but the current version is very good.
Positives
- Free of charge for the first 1 hour, and then charge 500 won every 30 minutes after that.
- It has different gears. If you want to ride casually then I would recommend using 2nd gear, if you want to ride fast then you can use the third gear.
- It is almost everywhere with a high number of bikes available in the city center. In particular, there are a lot of bikes in the places like parks and rivers. You can have a good afternoon chilling in Hanbat and riding a bike on the bank of the river.
- You don’t need a driver’s license.
- Their customer service works very fast.
Drawbacks
- You have to return it to the designated spots, you can find it on the map. It may be a little bit inconvenient since you can’t return wherever you want.
- It is not an electric bike, so I don’t recommend this when you are in a rush.
Swing: Electric Scooters
This is an e-scooter brand that does not require a driver’s license as far as I know. They required it before, but now the policy is getting loose so that foreigners like us can use it too😊.
Positives
- It is very fast and small. This will be a perfect vehicle if you are in a rush. But, be careful when you ride it, since it is light and small, losing balance is inevitable if you are not careful.
- It is also everywhere. You can find it everywhere you go.
- The standing body of the scooter is big, you can put both of your feet there. Therefore, you can keep balance easier.
- There is a discount for students if you register your school email. (I don’t know why my school email doesn’t work though ☹ )
Drawbacks
- The app is in Korean. It can be quite difficult to use if you don’t know Korean.
- It is super expensive. It costs 650 won to unlock (may change as well) and 180 won per minute. Roughly every time I ride it, it will cost me around 2,000 Won for about a 7-minute ride.
- You need to be careful since you can lose balance easily. I recommend using a helmet for your safety.
Click Here to download the Swing app!
If you live in Seoul, Click Here to learn about the city’s public bike system, Ttareungyi!
