T-money Card Guide: Getting Around Korea

One small plastic card covers nearly every subway, bus, and taxi in Korea. Here’s how the T-money card works and why you should buy one before you do anything else.

Where to buy

Any convenience store — GS25, CU, 7-Eleven — sells T-money cards for about ₩4,000 (card only, no credit loaded). Airport convenience stores stock them too, so grab one before you leave the arrivals hall. Cute character editions cost a little more and work exactly the same.

Topping up

Top up with cash at convenience store counters or the machines in every subway station. Machines have an English mode. Foreign credit cards generally can’t top up a T-money card — this surprises a lot of visitors, so keep some cash for this.

₩30,000 is a comfortable starting load for a few days in Seoul.

Using it

Tap in at the subway gate, tap out at your destination — fares are distance-based. On buses, tap when you board and again when you get off; the exit tap gets you free or discounted transfers between bus and subway within 30 minutes. Taxis accept T-money too, though most travelers just use a card in taxis.

Do you still need one?

Contactless foreign credit cards now work on many Seoul subway gates, but coverage is not universal, buses outside Seoul can be inconsistent, and transfer discounts only work reliably with T-money. For the price of a coffee, the card removes all friction — buy it, load it, forget about transit for the rest of your trip.

Leftover balance? Convenience stores refund amounts under ₩20,000 (minus a ₩500 fee), or spend it on snacks on your last day.