T-money, The Complete Guide

Get one in 3 minutes

1. Buy the card

   Any convenience store (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, emart24) sells them for 2,500 to 4,000 won. Say: 티머니 카드 하나 주세요 (timeoni kadeu hana juseyo).

2. Load money

   At the same counter, hand over cash and say: 만 원 충전해 주세요 (man won chungjeonhae juseyo) for 10,000 won. Load 10,000 to 20,000 won to start.

3. Tap in, tap out

   Tap the pad when you enter AND when you exit the subway or bus. Tapping out gives you the correct fare and free transfer discounts.

The numbers

• Card price: 2,500 to 4,000 won (character designs cost more), the card price itself is not refundable
• Top up: 1,000 won minimum, 90,000 won per transaction, 500,000 won max balance
• Base subway fare in Seoul: tap out to avoid the maximum fare charge
• Refund of remaining balance: any convenience store refunds up to 50,000 won, minus a 500 won fee

Good to know

• Staying in Seoul 3+ days and riding a lot? Ask about the Climate Card tourist pass, unlimited Seoul subway and buses for a flat price
• T-money pays at convenience stores, just hand the card over
• One card per person, you cannot tap twice for two people on the subway
• Foreign contactless bank cards do NOT work on Seoul subway gates yet, you still need T-money