A T-money card is the single most useful thing to buy in your first hour in Korea. It is a rechargeable contactless card that pays for the subway, city buses, and most taxis across the country, and it gives you a small transfer discount that single-ride tickets do not. You tap it on a reader when you board and again when you leave. This page covers where to get one, what it costs, how to top it up, and the few situations where it does not work.
Where to buy a T-money card
You can buy a T-money card at any convenience store with the T-money logo — GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, and Emart24 all sell them — and at vending machines inside subway stations. Staff at convenience stores are used to the request, but it helps to have the phrase ready.
Say this at a convenience store or subway counter when buying a card.
Polite티머니 카드 주세요
ti-meo-ni ka-deu ju-se-yo
A T-money card, please.
Korean audio isn't available on this device or browser — use the romanization above to say it.
The card itself is empty when you buy it, so you pay the card fee and then load cash onto it separately. At the airport you can buy and charge one at convenience stores in the arrivals hall before you take the train or bus into the city.
What it costs
The blank card costs roughly ₩3,000 (≈ $2), which is not refundable. On top of that you load however much travel credit you want. A typical single subway ride in Seoul is a few thousand won, and the card applies a discounted transfer when you switch between subway and bus within the time window.
How to charge (top up) the card
Top up with cash at the recharge machines in every subway station or at any convenience store counter. Machines have an English option.
- Tap "Charge" / "Reload" and choose English.
- Place the card on the marked pad.
- Insert cash (machines take bills, usually not coins) and confirm the amount.
- Take your card once the new balance shows.
Convenience stores can only charge with cash, so keep some bills on hand. Hand the card to the cashier and say the amount.
Use this when handing over your card to top it up.
Polite충전해 주세요
chung-jeon-hae ju-se-yo
Please load money onto it.
Korean audio isn't available on this device or browser — use the romanization above to say it.
Use this when you want to add a specific amount.
Polite만원 충전해 주세요
ma-nwon chung-jeon-hae ju-se-yo
Please load 10,000 won.
Korean audio isn't available on this device or browser — use the romanization above to say it.
How to use it
Tap the card flat on the reader as you enter — at the subway gate or at the front of a bus — and tap again on the reader when you exit. Buses and the subway both require tapping out, because the fare can depend on distance and on whether you are transferring.
You can also use a T-money balance to pay at convenience stores, in some vending machines, and at many taxis — look for the T-money sticker before you rely on it.
Where it does not work
T-money is not accepted everywhere, and it is not a credit card. Keep these limits in mind:
- Intercity KTX and long-distance trains use separate tickets, not T-money.
- Some independent taxis and small shops are cash- or card-only.
- A negative or zero balance will block the gate, so keep a small buffer loaded.
Should you get a T-money card or use a phone?
For most visitors a physical T-money card is the simplest choice: it works immediately, needs no Korean bank account, and anyone in your group can carry one. Contactless phone payment and other transit cards exist, but they can require local setup. If you want the full picture of getting around, see the Korea transportation guide and the essential travel apps to install first.
Sources
- T-money (Korea Smart Card)Official transport site
- Seoul Metropolitan Government Open DataOfficial government site
- KORAILOfficial transport site
- Airport Railroad (AREX)Official transport site
Information is compiled from official sources. Details such as prices, hours, and schedules can change — confirm time-sensitive facts before you travel.
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