Which Seoul transit card is cheapest for your trip?
Tell us how many days you stay, how often you ride and how you will pay. We add up the card, the passes and the fares for T-money, the Climate Card, WOWPASS, a phone app and single tickets, using the fares the city and the operators publish.
Draft: the prices below are copied from official pages and have not yet been checked by a person. Check the price on the machine before you pay.
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What the calculator counts
- Every trip is the base fare: KRW 1,550 on the subway and KRW 1,500 on a city bus with a transport card. The base fare covers the first 10 km; each extra 5 km (up to 50 km) adds KRW 100, so a long trip costs more on every option except the Climate Card pass. Real totals are higher than shown.
- Transfers: with one transport card, a trip with a transfer is charged as one trip if you change within 30 minutes (60 minutes from 21:00 to 07:00). Single tickets get no transfer discount.
- Single tickets: the card fare plus KRW 100 (KRW 1,650 for a short subway trip) and a KRW 500 deposit that comes back at a refund machine in the exit station.
- Foreign cards: the city adds a service fee of about 3.7% to purchases made with a foreign card at the new ticket machines (273 stations on Lines 1 to 8). We add it only if you tick the foreign card and not cash.
- Not counted: airport bus fares, AREX Express fares and taxis (the same on every option), the exchange and shop payments WOWPASS also offers, and any fee of the phone apps (we found none published).
When does the Climate Card pay off?
The Climate Card needs a KRW 3,000 card and a pass for the days you ride. A T-money Travel Card costs KRW 4,000. At the base fare of KRW 1,550, the pass is cheaper after this many trips:
| Pass | Card + pass | Trips to break even | Trips a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | KRW 8,000 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 days | KRW 11,000 | 5 | 2.5 |
| 3 days | KRW 13,000 | 6 | 2 |
| 5 days | KRW 18,000 | 10 | 2 |
| 7 days | KRW 23,000 | 13 | 1.9 |
Short-term passes for the Seoul subway and Seoul-licensed buses. AREX only from Seoul stations to Incheon Airport Terminal 1 or 2 (no boarding at the airport). Not airport buses. A pass starts on the day it is charged; charging in advance is not possible. The 30-day pass is not offered for foreign cards.
What you can pay with, by kind of transport
Every row was checked on 2026-11-09. Payment rules change, so the date matters.
Subway and city busesDraft
Draft: taken from the operators' official pages, not yet checked by a person. Confirm with the operator before you rely on it.
| Method | Accepted? | Where / how | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap a foreign contactless card at the gate or reader | No | — | Not available and no pilot lines. Seoul plans EMV readers on Lines 1 to 8 in 2027. |
| Tap a foreign contactless card at the gate or reader | No | — | Not available. T-money plans Seoul city buses first in 2027, then Incheon and airport buses. |
| Foreign card at the ticket machine | Yes | New ticket machines at 273 stations on Lines 1 to 8 (440 machines), since 17 March 2026 | Single-journey tickets and Climate Card short-term passes; foreign credit and debit cards, Kakao Pay, Naver Pay; service charge about 3.7%. |
Sources: news.seoul.go.kr/traffic/archives/515573 · newspim.com/news/view/20260917000406 · news.seoul.go.kr/traffic/archives/516544. Checked 2026-11-09.
Transit cards and passesDraft
Draft: taken from the operators' official pages, not yet checked by a person. Confirm with the operator before you rely on it.
| Method | Accepted? | Where / how | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-money Travel Card | Yes | Convenience stores; Incheon Airport bus ticket offices (standard card) | Travel Card KRW 4,000; Travel Card+ (with WOWPASS) KRW 6,000. Top up with cash. |
| Top up a physical card with a foreign card | Not stated | — | Not stated for a physical card; machines accept foreign cards only for single tickets and Climate Card passes. |
| Korea Tour Card (app) | Partly | Android app only | The physical card is no longer sold; the KOREA TOUR CARD app is topped up with foreign cards such as Mastercard. |
| iPhone: T-money in Apple Wallet | Yes | MobileTmoney app | Top up with a Mastercard in Apple Wallet (April 2026); other brands not announced. |
| WOWPASS | Partly | Kiosks at Incheon Airport and some Seoul stations | Membership fee KRW 5,000 (service guide) or KRW 6,000 (FAQ): the official pages differ; not refundable. The card is issued at a WOWPASS machine against your passport and cash. The T-money balance is topped up with won cash at subway ticket machines and convenience stores, or in the app from the WOWPASS balance (iOS and Samsung Galaxy; the app takes overseas credit cards and mobile wallets for the WOWPASS balance). |
| Climate Card short-term pass | Yes | Subway machines and nearby convenience stores | 1 day KRW 5,000 to 7 days KRW 20,000, plus KRW 3,000 for the card. Seoul subway and city buses; AREX all-stop from Seoul stations to Incheon Airport only (no boarding at the airport); not airport or long-distance buses; not Shinbundang. |
Sources: tmoney.co.kr/aeb/biz/bridge/foreignTravel.d… · mastercard.com/news/ap/en/newsroom/press-re… · wowpass.oopy.io/en · news.seoul.go.kr/traffic/archives/519012. Checked 2026-11-09.
Airport busesDraft
Draft: taken from the operators' official pages, not yet checked by a person. Confirm with the operator before you rely on it.
| Method | Accepted? | Where / how | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash (to the airport) | Yes | Pay the driver | Coming from Seoul. The operator's English FAQ lists won, US dollars, euros, yuan and yen. |
| Transport card (T-money and similar) (to the airport) | Yes | Pay the driver | T-money or a postpaid transport card. |
| Credit or debit card (to the airport) | No | — | Credit cards are not accepted on board. |
| Online ticket (to the airport) | No | — | No online or advance reservation; first come, first served. |
| Cash (from the airport, Terminal 1) | Yes | On the bus, first come first served | Routes 6001, 6002 and 6015 only. |
| Transport card (T-money and similar) (from the airport, Terminal 1) | Yes | On the bus, first come first served | Routes 6001, 6002 and 6015 only. |
| Ticket bought before boarding (from the airport, Terminal 1) | Yes | Ticket office or ticket machine | Ticket holders board first. |
| Cash (from the airport, Terminal 1) | Partly | On the bus if seats remain shortly before departure | All Terminal 1 routes except 6001, 6002 and 6015: ticket first. |
| Ticket bought before boarding (from the airport, Terminal 2) | Yes | Ticket office or ticket machine | A ticket is required on every route. |
| Ticket bought before boarding (from the airport) | Yes | Ticket counter or ticket machine | Night buses N6000 and N6002: buy before boarding. |
| Credit or debit card (from the airport) | Not stated | Ticket office / machines | The pages do not say which cards the ticket office and machines take. |
| Ticket bought before boarding (from the airport) | Yes | Staffed counter (Terminal 1 1F near gate 4, Terminal 2 B1 transport centre) | Only tickets issued at the counter are valid: no cash or transit card on board. An online QR ticket is exchanged at the staffed counter, not the machine. |
| Card reader on the bus (to the airport) | Yes | On the bus | Credit cards, transport cards and T-money; card brands not stated. |
| Cash (to the airport) | Yes | Pay the driver | Coming from Seoul; same fare as a transport card. |
| Transport card (T-money and similar) (to the airport) | Yes | Pay the driver | Coming from Seoul. |
| Ticket office (from the airport) | Not stated | Terminal 1 1F gates 4 and 9, outdoor exits 4, 8 and 11; Terminal 2 B1 transport centre | The page lists the offices and hours but not the accepted payments. |
| Credit or debit card (from the airport) | Yes | Ticket machines and staffed counters (Terminal 1 1F, Terminal 2 B1) | Brands not stated. Cash only at the counter. |
| Online ticket (from the airport) | Partly | Online booking for route 6103 only; exchanged at a ticket machine | Booked 2 weeks to 2 hours ahead. |
| Transport card (T-money and similar) (to the airport) | Yes | Pay the driver | Coming from Seoul; cash also accepted. Credit cards only at the Suraksan and COEX city terminals. |
Sources: airportlimousine.co.kr/en/sub/sub03_02.php · airportlimousine.co.kr · airport.kr/ap_ko/982/subview.do · klimousine.com/EN/ · klimousine.com/EN/bus/busfare.php · seoulairbus.com/guide · seoulairbus.com/guide/ticket · calt.co.kr/m/center/02.php. Checked 2026-11-09.
AREX airport trainDraft
Draft: taken from the operators' official pages, not yet checked by a person. Confirm with the operator before you rely on it.
| Method | Accepted? | Where / how | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit or debit card (express train) | Yes | Express ticket machines (Seoul Station B2, Terminal 1 and 2 B1) and online | Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, American Express, UnionPay. |
| Mobile wallets (express train) | Yes | Online only | Kakao Pay, PAYCO, Alipay, WeChat Pay, KB Pay, Samsung Pay. |
| Single-journey ticket (all-stop train) | Yes | Ticket machine or customer information centre in the station | The fare plus KRW 100 and a KRW 500 deposit, returned at a deposit-refund machine. |
| Transport card (T-money and similar) (all-stop train) | Yes | Prepaid card: convenience stores in the station; recharge at a machine or the customer centre | Prepaid or postpaid transport card. |
Sources: airportrailroad.com/train/express/guide · airportrailroad.com/train/normal/ticket. Checked 2026-11-09.
TaxisDraft
Draft: taken from the operators' official pages, not yet checked by a person. Confirm with the operator before you rely on it.
| Method | Accepted? | Where / how | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card in an ordinary taxi | Not stated | — | No official statement on which cards the meter accepts. |
| Card in an international taxi | Yes | International taxi desks at Terminals 1 and 2; phone 1644-2255 | Domestic and foreign credit cards, prepaid transport cards, cash, or automatic payment with a foreign card in the app. |
| k.ride app | Yes | k.ride app | Automatic payment with a registered foreign credit or debit card, Alipay+ wallets, WeChat Pay, PayPal; airport pickup booking. |
| Road tolls | Yes | — | Tolls are charged at cost on top of the meter: about KRW 3,200 on the Airport Expressway, KRW 2,000 on the Incheon Bridge. |
Sources: news.seoul.go.kr/traffic/archives/1659 · news.seoul.go.kr/traffic/ · apps.apple.com/kr/app/id6474654222. Checked 2026-11-09.
Longer explanations
- Transit card types compared
- T-money: where to buy, recharge and refund
- Can the Climate Card take you to the airport?
- Foreign cards on the subway and bus
- Paying for the airport bus
- Taxi payment and Kakao T
- AREX Express: QR codes and vouchers
The fare for a bus or a train is on its own page: airport bus routes, taxi fare calculator.
Prices: Seoul city: price information, buses · Seoul city: public transport fares (2025-09-18) · Seoul Metro: fare guide · Seoul city: integrated transfer discount (2026-02-02) · Seoul city: Climate Card short-term pass (2026-10-12) · Seoul city: foreign cards at new ticket machines (2026-03-16) · Seoul city: single-use transport card and KRW 500 deposit · T-money: Travel Card · WOWPASS: FAQ · AREX: all-stop tickets · WOWPASS: service guide. Read 2026-11-09. Fares change: check the price on the machine.