Why use a card instead of single tickets?
A Seoul subway ride up to 10 km costs ₩1,550 for an adult with a transport card and ₩1,650 with a single-journey ticket. A single-journey ticket also needs a ₩500 deposit, which you collect at a refund machine after your ride.
A transport card also lets a bus and subway journey count as one trip when you change within the transfer window, so you pay for the extra distance rather than a new base fare. Single-journey tickets are for the subway only.
Where can I buy a T-money card?
Convenience stores such as CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and emart24 sell T-money cards at the counter, including stores at Incheon and Gimpo airports. Subway station machines sell transport cards too.
The card itself usually costs between ₩2,500 and ₩5,000 depending on the design. It starts with no balance, and the card price is not refunded later.
How do I top it up?
At a convenience store, hand over the card with the cash and say how much to add:
만 원 충전해 주세요.
This means “Please top up ₩10,000.” Expect convenience-store top-ups to be paid in Korean won cash. Subway station machines also top up cards with cash: place the card on the reader, choose the amount and insert notes.
Since 17 March 2026, 440 newer machines at 273 stations on Seoul Subway Lines 1–8 accept overseas Visa and Mastercard cards, with an average service fee of about 3.7%. The city’s announcement covers Climate Card purchases and reloads and single-journey tickets; it does not say that ordinary T-money top-ups are included. Carry some won for your first top-up.
How do I use it on the subway and bus?
Tap the card on the reader at the subway gate when you enter and again when you leave; the fare depends on distance. On a bus, tap when you board. Tap again when you get off, especially if you plan to change to another bus or the subway, so the next ride can count as a transfer.
In Seoul, the standard transfer window is 30 minutes, extended to 60 minutes late at night. Keep enough balance for the full trip: a gate or bus reader may refuse a card that cannot cover the fare.
T-money or a Climate Card?
| Card | How you pay | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|
| T-money | Each ride is deducted from your balance. | Works beyond Seoul and on many transport services. Top-ups are mostly in cash. |
| Climate Card short pass | ₩5,000 for 1 day, ₩8,000 for 2, ₩10,000 for 3, ₩15,000 for 5 or ₩20,000 for 7 days, plus ₩3,000 for the card. | Unlimited rides on Seoul subway and Seoul buses. Trips outside Seoul and some lines, such as the airport railroad, may not be covered. A short pass starts on the day you charge it. |
A Climate Card short pass suits days with three or more rides inside Seoul. If you are leaving Seoul or riding only once or twice a day, a T-money card is usually simpler.
How do I get my balance back before I fly?
Balance refunds carry a ₩500 fee. Convenience stores refund small balances in cash, with limits that vary by chain, typically around ₩20,000. Customer service centres in metropolitan subway stations refund balances up to ₩50,000.
Plan your last top-ups so little is left on the card, and keep enough for the journey to the airport. The card price is not refunded; you can keep the card for your next trip.