How Much Cash Do You Need in Korea? Cards, Transit & Markets

Work out your cash needs in Korea around your first journey, transit-card top-ups, and market purchases. Two cards enabled for overseas use and an understanding of transport payment methods and fees can help you avoid exchanging a large sum at once.

How Much Cash Do You Need in Korea? Cards, Transit & Markets

For a trip to Korea, you can use cards for everyday purchases and carry a little Korean won for transit-card top-ups, some markets and street stalls, and times when a card does not work. Most shops accept major international cards, but some businesses take cash only.[1]

Plan your first journey, then your cash

Choose your airport transport ticket first, then add the cash you expect to need for your first day's transit-card top-up, small purchases, and an emergency reserve. Breaking the amount down by purpose makes it easier to decide how much to prepare without exchanging a large sum at once.

Bring two cards enabled for overseas payments, preferably on different networks. For transport, use a regular prepaid Tmoney card or a separate ticket for your chosen service. It is safer not to keep your payment cards, cash, and transit card together in one wallet.

A single-journey subway card.

Money for transit cards and tickets

With Tmoney and EZL, the card purchase price is separate from the balance you load onto it. Depending on the retailer or machine, foreign cards may not be accepted for topping up ordinary physical transit cards, so keep Korean won as a backup.[2][3] The first-day Tmoney guide explains how to buy, top up, and tap your card.

A single-journey subway card is a different product from Tmoney. You pay a 500-won deposit in addition to the fare to your destination, so include that amount if you plan to use single-journey tickets.

Some machines let you buy and top up short-term Climate Cards with foreign payment cards. According to Seoul's March 17, 2026 announcement, 440 new ticket machines at 273 stations on Lines 1–8 accept foreign-issued credit and debit cards for purchasing the card and loading 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, and 7-day passes. Supported networks include Visa and Mastercard, and the same machines also sell single-journey tickets. Foreign-card payments carry a service fee averaging approximately 3.7%.[6]

This payment option does not cover ordinary Tmoney top-ups or every retailer. See Seoul's short-term pass guidance for the area covered by the pass as well. Short-term passes remain available, but top-ups for the 30-day pass stopped on September 1, 2026.[7]

The back of a Rail+ prepaid transit card.

Markets and declined payments

Even though most shops accept cards, some small businesses and street stalls may take cash only.[1] Ask before ordering, and carry smaller won notes to make getting change easier.

A payment can be declined because overseas use is blocked, the issuer requires a security check, the connection fails, or the terminal has a problem. Your second card and a little cash are backups for these situations. At an ATM, check the Global or foreign-card logo, the local ATM fee, and the currency shown for dynamic currency conversion (DCC). Check your card issuer's guidance for the issuer's fees. Fees vary by bank and card, so there is no single amount that applies to everyone.

The arrivals hall at Incheon Airport Terminal 1 in 2006.

Payment methods depend on your transport

• Seoul buses: Many routes are cashless, so do not rely on being able to board and pay with cash.[4]

• Airport Railroad: Card payment options are available for AREX tickets. All Stop Train single-journey transit cards can also be purchased by card.[9]

• Airport buses: Look at the payment methods and ticket instructions for your route's ticket counter or machine. K Airport Limousine instructs passengers departing Incheon Airport to buy tickets at a counter or machine before boarding.[8]

• Taxis: Cash, credit cards, and transit cards are listed as payment methods, but it is worth asking about card acceptance before you get in.[5]

For an overall airport transport comparison, see Incheon Airport to Seoul. For your accommodation area, see the comparisons for Myeongdong, Hongdae, or Gangnam.

A shopping street.

On your last day

Check your transit-card balance through an app that supports your card, a station machine, or a participating convenience store, and top up only what you need on the last day. Refund fees, transaction limits, and participating shops can vary. You can also spend a small remaining balance on transport or at Tmoney partner businesses.

Photo credits

• Ticket and card top-up machine (cover) — LandAndTree, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

• Single-journey subway card — Hefrd, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

• Back of a Rail+ transit card — 충북선 무궁화호, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

• Incheon Airport arrivals hall — Kanchi1979, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5

• Myeongdong street at night — Adbar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Some photographs have been resized for web publication. Use and modification of each photograph are subject to the license terms of its original.

Sources

• [6] Foreign-card payments for short-term passes and single-journey tickets — Seoul’s announcement

• [7] Short-term and 30-day pass operation — Short-term pass guidance, 30-day pass closure notice

• [8] Tickets for airport departures — K Airport Limousine fare and payment guidance

• [9] Card payments for Airport Railroad tickets — Korea Tourism Organization transport guide, AREX single-journey card purchase guidance

• [1] Shopping in Korea — Official guidance

• [2] Transportation Cards — Official guidance

• [3] Open-loop payments for international tourists — Official guidance

• [4] City Bus — Official guidance

• [5] Airport Transportation Guide — Official guidance