How to Use a T-money Card in Korea (2026 Guide)

A T-money card is the plastic card you tap to ride. You pay a small price for the card itself, then load a separate balance. The balance is what the gate deducts.

VisitKorea lists a general T-money card at 3,000 to 5,000 won, sold at convenience stores such as GS25, CU, and 7-Eleven, and at information centers in Seoul subway stations on lines 1 to 8. The same page says you can reload at subway ticket machines, up to 500,000 won. Treat that range as the figure published there, and read the price on the card package in front of you.

What to do at the airport

After you leave customs, ask a convenience store on the public arrivals floor for a T-money card and a cash top-up. The store can be out of stock, so try a second branch before you go down to the train. Bring won. A foreign card will not load this card.

The airport train guide explains which ride accepts the tap. Use the card on the all-stop train. Buy a separate ticket for the Express.

How to tap

1. Tap in when you enter a subway gate or board a bus.
2. Tap out when you leave the subway, and when you get off a city bus if the reader asks for it.
3. Check the balance on the gate screen. Reload before it drops below the next fare.
4. On a taxi, hand the card to the driver or tap the reader on the back of the front seat. Confirm the reader shows the charge.

A single-use subway ticket is a different product. It is for one ride and is a poor deal if you will ride more than once. Get the reusable card on the first day.

Children and refunds

VisitKorea says riders under 18 need a birth date registered at the convenience store if they want the age discount. A refund above 50,000 won is handled at Tmoney Town in Seoul Station, not at a random store. Smaller refunds depend on the counter you are standing at, so ask before you assume the balance comes back in cash.