Taiwanese tourist charged 10 times normal fare for taxi ride to Incheon International Airport

The tourist shared a photo of the taxi receipt on Threads after departing South Korea on Tuesday, warning fellow travelers about the incident, according to The Korea Times.

“Don’t take a taxi unless you’re prepared to pay 690,800 won (US$445) for the ride,” the tourist wrote, referring to the fare they were charged.

The tourist had booked an Uber ride from eastern Seoul to Incheon International Airport earlier that day. The app estimated the fare at 70,800 won, and the tourist expected to pay through Uber, Seoul Economic Daily reported.

However, after arriving at the airport terminal, the driver allegedly ran after the tourist and demanded a separate payment by credit card. According to the tourist, the driver insisted the card transaction be completed immediately and refused to let him leave until the payment had been processed.

With his flight departure approaching, the tourist said he felt he had no choice but to comply. It was only afterward that he realized the driver had charged 690,800 won instead of the expected fare.

Uber later said the driver had agreed to refund the amount charged through the in-car payment terminal. According to Uber, the driver said an extra zero had been entered by mistake during the transaction, The Korea Herald reported.

The post quickly sparked debate among internet users, many of whom did not accept the driver’s explanation and pointed out that foreign visitors are frequently targeted for overcharging when heading to the airport because drivers assume they cannot easily dispute the charge after leaving the country.