Free guide · Public transit
With one T-money card, the whole country opens up.
Korea's transit is famously convenient — but the card, the transfer rules and the etiquette can feel unfamiliar at first. Here are the real situations foreigners run into on the subway, bus and in taxis, laid out as Problem → Solution → Ready-to-use Korean phrase.
Buying & topping up a T-money card
Done in three minutes at a convenience store
The problem
Buying single-use tickets every time is a hassle, and it's not obvious where to get a rechargeable card.
Buying the card
- Any CU, GS25, 7-Eleven or Emart24 sells a T-money card (physical card: 2,500–4,000 won).
- A new card starts at 0 won, so top it up on the spot.
- Single-use cards from station machines work too, but need a 500-won deposit you reclaim later — the convenience store is simpler.
티머니 카드 주세요.
timeoni kadeu juseyo
A T-money card, please.
Top-up at the counter
- Tell the clerk the amount, e.g. 삼만 원 충전해주세요 (30,000 won).
- Most stores accept cash only for top-ups.
- Check the new balance on the reader screen or receipt.
Top-up at a subway kiosk
- Set the card on the reader pad at the bottom of the machine — it's a resting pad, not a tap.
- Pick a preset amount (5,000 / 10,000 / 20,000 won) or 직접입력 for a custom amount.
- Insert bills only — no coins, no card payment.
- Take your card when the screen says 카드를 제거해주세요.
Can't find a machine? Look near the station office beside the gates — most stations have one within a few meters.
Mobile T-money (no physical card)
- Issue a mobile card via the T-money GO app, Samsung Pay or Apple Pay, and top it up with a registered card.
- Apple Pay transit needs iPhone XS/XR or later on iOS 17.2+, and topping up in Apple Wallet requires a Korean-issued card. Without one, a physical card is the more reliable choice.
Get the Smart version. Basic-tier cards can fail in some smaller cities. Ask for 스마트 티머니로 주세요 to be safe.
Needs confirmation: T-money has worked in Apple Wallet since July 2025, and since March 2026 new terminals at 273 stations on Seoul Lines 1–8 accept foreign cards for a Climate Card pass or single-journey ticket. Support still varies by station, so cash top-up remains the most reliable option.
Sources: MacRumors, Apple Wallet T-money support (Jul 22, 2025) · Seoul Metropolitan Government, foreign-card Climate Card top-up announcement (Mar 2026)
삼만 원 충전해주세요.
saman won chungjeon-haejuseyo
Please charge 30,000 won.
Riding the subway
From tapping the gate to transferring lines
Solution
- Tap at the gate: green light means you're through, red means your balance is low.
- Opposite directions use different platforms — check the board for 상행 / 하행 or the terminal station name.
- At transfer stations, follow the line colour (e.g. Line 2 is green, Line 4 is sky blue).
- Pink/orange seats at the ends of each car are for elderly, pregnant and disabled riders — leave them empty even when unoccupied.
- Tap again when you exit. Skipping it can trigger a maximum-fare charge on your next ride.
If you board the wrong train
- Get off at the next station — stay on the platform, don't exit the gates.
- Cross to the opposite platform using the station's stairs or passage.
- Ride back. As long as you never exited the gates, there's no extra fare.
여기서 반대방향으로 가려면 어떻게 해요?
yeogiseo bandaebanghyang-euro garyeomyeon eotteoke haeyo?
How do I get to the opposite direction from here?
Riding the bus
Based on Seoul — you tap in and tap out
The problem
The bus sits at the stop but the doors don't open, or you don't know when to press the bell and overshoot your stop.
From the stop to getting off
- Check your bus number on the stop's display board.
- Raise your hand as your bus approaches — buses don't always stop just because you're standing there.
- Board at the front door and tap your card.
- Press the stop bell 1–2 stops before yours.
- Exit through the back door and tap again — otherwise you're charged the maximum distance and lose the transfer discount.
Route colours: blue = trunk routes across the city, green = neighbourhood to subway, red = long intercity routes, yellow = downtown loops.
If you board the wrong bus
- Get off at the next stop (tap out at the back door).
- Find the stop with the same name across the road.
- Tap the same card within 30 minutes and the transfer discount applies.
여기서 내려요, 문 좀 열어주세요.
yeogiseo naeryeoyo, mun jom yeoreo-juseyo
I'm getting off here, could you open the door please?
Making the most of transfer discounts
Transferring within 30 minutes is practically free
Solution (Seoul metro-area rules)
- Subway ↔ bus or bus ↔ bus: tap in again within 30 minutes of tapping out (60 minutes between 9 PM and 7 AM) and extra charges stay minimal or zero.
- Up to 4 transfers are recognised (varies slightly by region).
- It only works with the same card. Switching to cash or another card breaks the discount.
- Forgetting to tap out leaves no transfer record.
How to tell it worked: you'll hear or see 환승 (transfer) at the reader. If the full fare shows, either 30 minutes passed or you used a different card.
Route search & map apps
Two local apps are far more accurate than Google Maps here
Solution
- Download Naver Map or Kakao Map and switch the language to English in settings.
- Enter start and end points for the best subway/bus/walking route, exit numbers, and even which car to board for the easiest transfer.
- Real-time bus arrival times are shown for each stop.
Needs confirmation: Google Maps directions have historically been limited in Korea. In February 2026 the government conditionally approved exporting high-precision map data, so expect it to improve — but for now Naver Map or Kakao Map are the reliable choice.
Source: TechCrunch, "South Korea opens the door to let Google Maps operate fully" (Feb 27, 2026)
Taking a taxi — street, Kakao T or Uber
An app is far more reliable than flagging one down
Hailing on the street
- Raise your hand for a taxi with its rooftop light on.
- Open the back door yourself — Korean taxi doors aren't automatic.
- Name a station or building rather than a street address.
- Pay by card or cash per the meter.
Not confident about pronunciation? Search the destination in Kakao Map or Naver Map and show the screen while saying 여기로 가주세요. Calling through an app is safest: the destination is already on the driver's screen.
Using an app
- Kakao T — sign up with your phone number, tap 택시, choose 일반 (standard), 블루 or 블랙, then 호출하기.
- If your overseas card won't register in Kakao T, choose "Pay to Driver", or use k.ride — Kakao Mobility's app for foreign visitors, built for overseas cards.
- Uber — in Korea, Uber Taxi calls a regular taxi, and overseas cards register easily.
Source: The Korea Herald, "Kakao launches K.ride for foreign travelers"
Base fare (Seoul mid-size taxi)
| Item | Fare | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base fare (day) | ~4,800 won | First 1.6 km, then by distance/time |
| Late-night surcharge | ~20–40% | 10 PM–4 AM |
| Out-of-city surcharge | Varies | When crossing city boundaries |
| App call fee | 0–4,000 won | Standard calls are free |
Want the exact fare? Kakao T and Uber show an estimate before you confirm — that's your most accurate reference.
If a fare feels wrong: since 2025, Seoul has run a QR-code complaint system at Incheon and Gimpo airports for foreign tourists. Keep your receipt and the plate number.
Sources: The Korea Times (Sep 8, 2024) · Seoul Metropolitan Government, QR complaint system announcement
이 주소로 가주세요.
i jusoro gajuseyo
Please go to this address. (show it on screen)
여기서 내려주세요.
yeogiseo naeryeo-juseyo
Please let me off here.
The PDF has the full taxi phrase sheet — getting in, during the ride, getting out and paying — plus deluxe-taxi tips. Get the Traveler Guide →
Checking last-train times
Service usually stops around midnight
Solution
- Most Seoul subway lines run their last train between midnight and 12:30 AM, weekends included.
- Search 막차 시간 (last train time) in Naver Map or Kakao Map for the exact departure from your station.
- Missed it? Night buses (N-buses) run on some routes — search 심야버스.
- The surest backup is a taxi app, with the late-night surcharge.
막차 시간이 언제예요?
makcha sigan-i eonjeyeyo?
What time is the last train/bus?
Avoiding rush hour
Commute-hour crowding really does exceed expectations
- Weekdays 7:30–9 AM and 6–8 PM are packed, especially at major transfer stations and on Line 2.
- With a large suitcase, avoid these hours entirely — getting on and off alone can be difficult.
- If you must ride, the very front or back car is often less crowded.
Finding lost items
Your odds are better than you'd think
- Report it right away at the nearest station office.
- Give the time, line, car number and item details as precisely as you can.
- Seoul Metro Lost & Found Center: 1577-1234. Each city also has a lost-item website.
- For buses, contact the bus company's call center.
지하철에 물건을 두고 내렸어요.
jihacheore mulgeoneul dugo naeryeosseoyo
I left something on the subway.
Card balance & refunds
Check this before you leave Korea
- Hand your card to a convenience store clerk for an instant balance check.
- Leaving with money on the card? Convenience stores can refund it (500-won fee).
- Airports, including Incheon, also have T-money refund counters.
티머니 잔액 확인해주세요.
timeoni janaek hwagin-haejuseyo
Please check my T-money balance.
Transit etiquette
In tight quarters, one person's behaviour stands out
Leave priority and pregnancy seats empty, even when unoccupied.
Sitting there and not moving when an elderly rider boards.
Wear earphones and keep the sound in.
Playing video or music on speaker.
Let people off first; wear your backpack on your front.
Blocking the doorway.
Keep suitcases upright and out of the way.
Laying a suitcase flat across the aisle at rush hour.
"Not knowing is not a sin, but rudeness is never forgotten."
Accidents & emergencies
Places you never notice — until seconds matter
The most important rule: follow the intercom or crew instructions first. Most incidents are resolved by the doors opening at a stop or by moving to the next car. Breaking glass is the very last resort.
Subway
- Press the red emergency intercom beside the doors to talk to the control room.
- In a fire, move to the next car through the connecting passage first.
- A red-outlined emergency hammer case sits beside the doors or under a seat (1–2 per car). A red manual release lever is beside each door.
Bus
- Emergency hammers (red sticker) are above windows — strike the corner of the glass, not the center.
- Beside the driver's seat is a manual door-release lever passengers can use if the driver can't respond.
Life-threatening emergency: call 119. Tourist help line in English, Japanese and Chinese, 24 hours: 1330.