Transit

Transit card

T-money in Seoul 2026

₩2,500-4,000 + load

The default Seoul transit card. Pay-as-you-go for subway, bus, taxi, and convenience stores.

T-money is the standard transit card in Seoul and across Korea. It works on the subway, on every city and intercity bus, on most taxis, and as a small-payment card at every GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, Emart24, and Ministop convenience store. For a first-time visitor, this is the default pick: buy it at any convenience store in the Incheon or Gimpo airport terminal, load ₩10,000 to ₩20,000 to start, and you are ready for the rest of the trip.

The pay-as-you-go pricing matches the actual fare every time you tap. Base subway fare in Seoul is ₩1,400 as of 2026; bus is also ₩1,400 for the standard blue/green city buses. Transfers between subway and bus are free if you tap within 30 minutes of the previous tap (the card knows; do not pay cash). The card itself costs ₩2,500 to ₩4,000 depending on the design (plain T-money cards are cheapest; collector-edition character cards run higher).

Two practical advantages that matter for visitors. First, T-money works as a small-payment card at convenience stores - the same tap that pays for a subway ride also pays for a bottle of water at GS25, with no extra app, account, or signup. Second, the 2026 station kiosk rollout (273 stations as of April) lets you reload with Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay, and Amex, which means you can keep the card topped up without ever holding Korean cash. Older kiosks only take ₩1,000 / ₩5,000 / ₩10,000 bills.

Where to buy

  • Every convenience store inside Incheon Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Gimpo Airport (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Emart24).
  • Every subway station inside the city (purchase from the ticket-vending kiosk at the gate).
  • Tourist information centers at major stations (Myeongdong, Hongdae, Seoul Station) sell collector designs.
  • Online via the official T-money site, mailed to your hotel - rarely needed for a short trip.

How to load

  1. Walk to any subway station kiosk or convenience-store counter.
  2. Tap the card on the kiosk reader, or hand it to the cashier.
  3. Insert ₩1,000 / ₩5,000 / ₩10,000 bills (most kiosks accept up to ₩50,000 per session).
  4. New 2026 kiosks at 273 stations also accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay, Amex - no Korean cash needed.
  5. Confirm the new balance shown on screen. Done in 30 seconds.

How to use

  1. Subway: tap on the gate when entering, tap again when exiting. Fare is calculated on exit.
  2. Bus: tap when boarding AND when getting off. Forgetting the second tap means you pay the maximum fare next time.
  3. Taxi: ask the driver "T-money", they will hand you the reader. Same fare as cash.
  4. Convenience store: tap the card at checkout, the cashier will deduct the amount.
  5. Transfers: free between subway and bus (or bus and bus) if tapped within 30 minutes.

Refund flow at trip end

Before you fly home, refund the remaining balance at any GS25 or CU convenience store - they will return cash for balances under ₩20,000 (₩500 transaction fee). For balances ₩20,000 and above, the airport T-money counter at Incheon refunds the full amount. The physical card itself is non-refundable, so keep it as a souvenir or save it for your next Seoul trip.

Pre-arrival pickup

T-money is also available on Klook with airport-pickup vouchers. Useful if you want it reserved before your flight and skip the counter queue at Incheon.

Browse T-money on Klook

Pros

  • Cheapest base option (₩2,500-4,000 card cost + load).
  • Most flexible - works for subway, bus, taxi, AND convenience stores.
  • Available at every convenience store and station; instant purchase.
  • No app, no signup, no language barrier.
  • New 2026 kiosks accept foreign cards for reload.

Cons

  • Pay-as-you-go means no unlimited-ride discount; if you ride 4+ times a day, Climate Card is cheaper.
  • Balance refund flow has a ₩500 fee + you cannot refund the physical card.
  • Older non-2026 kiosks (~50% of stations) still need Korean cash for reload.

Best for

The default for any first-time visitor on a 2 to 5 day trip with no fixed ride schedule.

vs the other cards

Pick T-money over Climate Card if you ride fewer than 4 times a day or want taxi / convenience-store use. Pick T-money over WOWPASS if you do not need currency exchange. Pick T-money over Korea Tour Card if you do not visit attractions (COEX Aquarium, Lotte World, N Seoul Tower).

Other 3 cards at a glance

Climate Card

₩5,000-20,000

Unlimited subway + bus + Han River bus + city bike in Seoul, 1 to 7 day passes.

WOWPASS

₩5,000

T-money + prepaid debit + currency exchange in one card. Reload from a kiosk in 16 currencies.

Korea Tour Card

₩4,000

T-money with discounts at attractions, shows, and duty-free. Worth it if you hit COEX Aquarium, Lotte World, or N Seoul Tower.

Sources

Last verified 2026-05-24.

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