Seoul transit cards: when to choose Tmoney or a short-term pass

A regular prepaid Tmoney card suits trips beyond Seoul and flexible travel plans, while a short-term Climate Card pass is worth comparing for frequent journeys within Seoul. Compare the card price, loaded balance, coverage and refund costs before choosing.

Seoul transit cards: when to choose Tmoney or a short-term pass

A regular prepaid physical Tmoney card is a convenient choice if your trip extends into Gyeonggi or Incheon, or you have not decided how often you will ride. For several days of frequent travel within Seoul, compare the price and coverage of a short-term Climate Card pass. If you would rather use your phone, start by checking whether mobile Tmoney supports your device and payment method.

The transit-card prices and rules below are based on material dated September 12, 2026.[1][2] For short-term Climate Card coverage, use Seoul's guidance effective October 1, 2026.[9]

Choose by where you are going and how often you will ride

With a regular prepaid Tmoney card, you load a balance and pay a fare each time you travel. It suits trips beyond Seoul and flexible itineraries. You can use it on the AREX All-Stop Train, but the Express Train requires a separate ticket. Korail Rail+ is also a compatible transit card; the purchase, top-up and refund instructions below are for Tmoney.[12]

A short-term Climate Card pass is worth comparing if you will make frequent trips within its coverage area over a set period. At the time of the check, passes cost 5,000 won for 1 day, 8,000 won for 2 days, 10,000 won for 3 days, 15,000 won for 5 days and 20,000 won for 7 days. The physical card cost an additional 3,000 won.[1] The validity period starts as soon as you load the pass. The Shinbundang Line and GTX are not included.

Seoul's announcement says short-term passes remain available from October 1, 2026, but exclude subway travel in Gimpo, Goyang, Gwacheon, Guri, Seongnam, Hanam and Namyangju.[10] It says journeys ending at Incheon Airport remain included, as does Gimpo Airport Station. Seoul's short-term pass guidance covers subway travel within Seoul and Seoul-licensed city and village buses. It also permits boarding within the covered area and getting off at Incheon Airport T1 or T2. Boarding at Incheon Airport T1 or T2 with a short-term pass is excluded. Seoul-licensed city and village buses can be used even when you board or get off outside Seoul. Metropolitan express buses, airport buses and buses licensed in other regions are excluded.[9]

Some newer subway ticket machines accept foreign-issued cards for buying a physical Climate Card and loading a short-term pass, with an advertised fee of about 3.7%. This differs from topping up a regular physical Tmoney card with Korean won cash. Seoul's payment guidance

Tmoney in Apple Wallet on iPhone and Apple Watch is prepaid and requires a compatible device and an eligible Apple Pay top-up method.[6][8] iOS and Android apps may also have restrictions involving identity verification, NFC/USIM, store region or payment methods.[7] Check support for foreign-issued cards, and keep a physical transit card and some Korean won cash as a backup.

Ticket and transit-card top-up machines on the Seoul metropolitan subway network.

Buying and topping up a physical Tmoney card

A standard card usually costs 3,000–5,000 won, depending on the design. That purchase price is separate from the balance you spend on fares and is not refundable. Cards are sold at convenience stores nationwide and customer information centers on Seoul Subway Lines 1–8, although stock varies by outlet, including at the airport. For children aged 6–12 and teenagers aged 13–18 seeking discounted fares, take the card and identification to a participating retailer and ask to register the cardholder's date of birth.[1][2]

To top up, hand your card and Korean won cash to a convenience-store cashier, or use a multilingual top-up machine at a station. The listed top-up increment is 1,000 won, with 1,000–90,000 won allowed per transaction and a maximum balance of 500,000 won.[2] Load enough for a few days and add more as needed to avoid a large leftover balance. If you run short after entering the gates, look for a fare adjustment machine near the gates.[3]

A subway ticket for a single journey

If you do not have a transit card yet, select your destination at a station ticket machine and buy a single-journey subway card. You pay a 500-won deposit on top of the fare. At your destination, insert the card into a deposit refund machine to get that deposit back.[3] Choose Tmoney if you need a regular transit card that also works for bus transfers.

This 500-won deposit is different from the 500-won Tmoney balance refund fee below. The single-journey card deposit is returned when you return the card; the fee for refunding a normal Tmoney balance is deducted from the money you receive.

Using the subway and buses

Tap the same card when entering and leaving the subway. Seoul lists the adult transit-card base fare as 1,550 won for up to 10 km, with extra charges for longer journeys.[4] On buses, you usually board at the front and tap, press the bell before your stop, then tap the reader by the rear door as you get off. Many Seoul buses do not accept cash, so have your card ready.[5]

For the integrated transfer discount, tap out of the first vehicle and tap in on the next. The usual transfer window is 30 minutes after getting off. It is 60 minutes if you board the next service between 21:00 and 07:00 the following day.[2][4][11] Distance-based additional fares may still apply when you transfer.

Fare gates on the Seoul metropolitan subway network.

Tap just one card, keeping it clear of other cards in your wallet. If a gate shows an error, show a station employee your card and the reader's message.

Refunding the remaining balance

A refund of a normal Tmoney balance carries a 500-won fee, and the card purchase price is not refunded.[2] At the time of the check, tourism guidance directed travelers with more than 50,000 won remaining to Tmoney Town near Seoul Station Exit 10, and noted that small balances could be refunded at participating convenience stores. Each convenience-store chain has its own refund limits, so ask about your balance and the amount it can refund first.[1] During the last two days of your trip, small top-ups as needed may be simpler than finding a refund counter.

For transport into Seoul, see the Incheon Airport to Seoul transport guide. The AREX Express Train vs. All-Stop Train guide explains the rail ticket choices. For the order of buying and using a card on arrival, see the first-day Tmoney guide.

Photo credits

• Cover — Older-design Tmoney card · zisk · Public domain (PD-self) · Resized for web publication

• Inline 1 — Ticket vending and transit-card top-up machines at Soraepogu Station · LandAndTree · CC BY 4.0 · Resized for web publication

• Inline 2 — Line 5 fare gates at Gunja Station · Piotrus · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized for web publication

Sources

• [1] Transportation Cards — VISITKOREA (Korea Tourism Organization)

• [2] Tmoney Foreigner Guide — Tmoney

• [3] Subway / Transportation — Seoul Tourism Organization

• [4] Seoul subway fares — Seoul Metropolitan Government

• [5] City Bus — VISITKOREA

• [6] Apple Wallet Tmoney launch — Tmoney

• [7] Mobile Tmoney (iPhone) — Tmoney

• [8] Add money to a transit card with Apple Pay — Apple Support

• [9] Short-term Climate Card coverage — Seoul Metropolitan Government

• [10] Climate Pass transition announcement — Seoul Metropolitan Government

• [11] Integrated transfer discount — Seoul Metropolitan Government

• [12] Standard Rail+ card — Korail