Getting around Seoul: cards, subway, buses and taxis
Seoul has one of the best public transport systems anywhere: more than twenty subway and rail lines, buses that go everywhere else, and taxis that are cheap by international standards. Everything runs on one tap card. Here is how to get it and use it.
- Get a transport card at the airport or any convenience store: T-money, or a travel card such as WOWPASS that also pays in shops.
- Top it up with cash at subway machines or convenience stores. T-money itself does not take foreign cards for top-ups.
- Tap in and tap out on the subway and on buses; tapping out on the bus is what gives you the free transfer.
The cards
| T-money | The standard tap card, sold for a few thousand won at convenience stores and station machines, and topped up with cash. Works on the subway, buses and most taxis across the country, and in convenience stores. Fares are slightly cheaper than single tickets. |
|---|---|
| WOWPASS and travel cards | Prepaid cards for visitors that combine a T-money transport chip with a debit card for shops, topped up with foreign cash or cards at their own machines in stations and hotels. Convenient if you would rather not carry won. |
| Unlimited passes | Seoul sells short-term unlimited passes for visitors on its own subway and buses. They pay off only if you ride a lot; most visitors spend less on a normal card. |
The subway
- A basic ride costs ₩1,550 with a card, more for longer distances. Transfers between subway and bus are free within about 30 minutes if you tap out.
- Always tap out of the subway. Since March 2026, leaving without tapping your card at the exit gate adds an extra charge of one base fare.
- Lines are numbered and colour-coded; station signs and announcements are in English. Each station has numbered exits, and directions always give the exit number.
- Trains run from about 05:30 to around midnight. The last train varies by line and direction; the subway app shows it.
- The seats at the ends of each carriage are for elderly and disabled passengers, and the pink seats are for pregnant women. Leave them empty.
Buses and night buses
Blue buses run long routes across the city, green buses feed the subway, and red buses go out to the satellite cities. Board at the front, tap, and tap again at the back door when you get off. After the subway closes, night buses numbered with an N run the main corridors until the early morning.
Taxis
- Standard taxis (orange, white or silver) are the cheap ones; black deluxe taxis cost more. All take cards and T-money.
- A late-night surcharge applies roughly from 22:00 to 04:00, and taxis are hard to find in nightlife areas after midnight.
- Use Kakao T to book: the driver sees your destination in Korean. See the apps guide.
- Otherwise, show the destination in Korean; drivers rarely know English place names.
Further afield
For other cities, the KTX high-speed trains leave from Seoul Station, Yongsan and Suseo; see day trips from Seoul and the 7-day itinerary. From the airport, see Incheon Airport to Seoul.
Where to stay in Seoul3 days in SeoulKorea on a budgetKorea basics
Quick answers
How much is the subway in Seoul?
A basic ride is ₩1,550 with a transport card such as T-money, more for longer distances. Transfers to buses within about 30 minutes are free if you tap out.
Can I top up T-money with a foreign credit card?
Usually not; T-money is topped up with cash at station machines and convenience stores. Travel cards such as WOWPASS take foreign cards.
What happens if I forget to tap out of the subway?
Since March 2026, leaving without tapping your card at the exit gate adds an extra charge of one base fare.
