Subway, bus, T-money.
Seoul moves on one tap. Buy a transit card at any convenience store, load some won, and you can ride buses, subway, and the airport train for the rest of your trip. Refund whatever’s left when you fly home.
Quick facts
Pick the right card
| Card | Best for |
|---|---|
| T-money ₩2,500–4,000 + load | The default. Buy at any GS25 / CU / 7-Eleven. Pay-as-you-go for subway, bus, taxi, and convenience stores. Most flexible. |
| Climate Card ₩5k–20k | Unlimited subway + bus + Han River bus + city bike in Seoul, 1–7 day passes. Cheaper than T-money if you ride 4+ times a day. |
| WOWPASS ₩5,000 | T-money + prepaid debit card + currency exchange in one. Reload from a kiosk in 16 currencies. Useful if you carry cash. |
| Korea Tour Card ₩4,000 | T-money with discounts at participating attractions, shows, duty-free. Worth it if you’ll hit COEX Aquarium / Lotte World / N Seoul Tower. |
From airport to bed
- 1
Buy a card right at the airport
Incheon T1 / T2 and Gimpo all have CU / 7-Eleven inside the terminal. Ask for “T-money card” — paid in cash or card. Or grab a Climate Card from the AREX subway counter.
- 2
Load it
Tap the card on the kiosk, insert cash (₩10,000 minimum is practical). New 2026 kiosks at 273 stations also accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay, and Amex — no Korean cash needed.
- 3
Tap on, tap off
Tap the card on the gate when you enter and exit. On buses, tap when boarding and when getting off — forgetting the second tap means you pay the max fare next time.
- 4
Refund before you fly home
Any GS25 or CU refunds balances under ₩20,000 at the counter (₩500 fee). For ₩20,000+, refund at the airport T-money counter. The card itself is non-refundable — keep it as a souvenir or save it for next time.
Tips
- Transfers are free if you tap onto another bus or subway within 30 minutes. Skip the temptation to pay cash — you’ll lose this discount.
- Climate Card pays off fast. 4 trips/day already beats the daily price; if you’re café-hopping across Seoul, get the 3-day or 7-day pass.
- Use your phone if you forget the card. Apple Pay (since March 2024) and Samsung Pay both work on Korean transit terminals — your home credit card runs T-money rates.
- Subway is fastest. Korean addresses are weird; subway exit numbers aren’t. When meeting a friend, agree on “Hongik Univ. Station, exit 9.” Always works.
Sources
Seoul Metropolitan Gov’t — Climate Card
Korea Tour Card — Official site
Updated April 2026 — covers new 2026 station kiosks accepting foreign cards.