When you visit South Korea, an essential item to purchase is a Tmoney Card. The primary use of a Tmoney Transportation Card is to travel on public transportation throughout South Korea, except for Intercity trains and buses. You basically purchase your Tmoney Card and load it with credit (note that this process is cash only). You can then tap on and off local trains and buses throughout South Korea.
In addition, you can also use your Tmoney Korea card as a stored value card, which can be used in vending machines, for payment at selected stores and some taxis. Included stores include most convenience stores, some larger stores and many food and beverage stores.
There are many options for buying your Korean Tmoney Card, which I will detail below. Note that each person needs their own Tmoney card, which cannot be shared.
If you are travelling with children, after you have collected your Tmoney Cards for each person, you can log into the Railplus website to register their card as either a child (ages 6-12 years old) or youth (13-18 years old) card, so that they can get discounted fares. Note that fines for misuse of this feature are very high! You can also ask convenience store attendants to assist you to set up your card for children.
We recommend that you add 10,000 or 20,000 won of credit to each Tmoney card upfront, as that is a good amount to get started, and you can then easily top it up at any train station or convenience store as needed. You will see your remaining balance each time you tap on or off. Do not load more than 20,000 won, as it is more difficult to get a refund. Tmoney Card Refund machines are available at all train stations, so you can easily get your money back before you leave South Korea. Or leave the credit on your card for your next visit to South Korea or to lend to family and friends!
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1. Use the Trip.PASS app and card
The Trip.PASS is a newer card aimed at international travellers who want a bit more functionality than a standard Tmoney card. It works as a rechargeable prepaid card for transport and general purchases, but also includes a few extras designed specifically for visitors.
You buy the Trip.PASS voucher through the app, then pick up the physical card at designated CU convenience store locations, including Incheon Airport (T1 & T2), Myeongdong Station, and Hongdae. Once you’ve got your card, it functions similarly to a Tmoney or Korea Tour Card—you can tap on and off for subways, buses, and taxis, and use it for purchases anywhere cards are accepted.
What makes the Trip.PASS different is that it links to your passport and phone to unlock additional features:
- Easy top-ups through the app using international credit cards, or at convenience stores and kiosks
- Use your phone instead of the card – tap on and off using NFC if your device supports it
- Flexible balance management – transfer funds between your transport card balance and the TripPay wallet in the app
- Taxi hailing through the app without the usual sign-up hurdles
- Lost card protection – suspend and reissue your card via the app if it’s lost
- Tax refund support – get a 7% discount on tax-free purchases at partner stores with no passport required; airport tax refunds can be processed directly through the app
- Duty-free shopping without a physical passport – show your Trip.PASS QR code to verify your identity instantly at participating duty-free stores
It’s a good fit for travellers who want more control over their spending and don’t want to juggle multiple cards or apps. That said, if you’re just looking for basic subway and bus access without the extra features, a regular Tmoney card is still the simpler option.
2. Purchase a Tmoney Card at a Convenience Store
You can ask to purchase a Tmoney Card at any convenience store in South Korea. All airports have convenience stores, so watch for them as you move through the terminal.
Convenience stores usually hold their Tmoney Cards behind the counter, so request the attendant to buy a Tmoney Card. They will then show you the design options they have available, and you will select your preferred design. You can also request to add transport credits to your Tmoney Card. The basic fee to purchase a Tmoney Card is 3,000 won for a plain card. A Kakao Friends Tmoney Card or other cute options will cost 4,000 – 5,000 won.
3. Purchase a Combo Tmoney and Sim Card
A recent clever innovation is to combine a Tmoney Card with a Sim Card. After you pop out your sim card you can use the remaining card as your Tmoney card! The options are detailed below – make sure you check the collection times and ensure they align with your flight. Also ensure that your phone is unlocked.
- Tmoney Card with 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 or 60 Day Unlimited Data Only or Data+Voice Sim Card. This instant confirmation option can be collected from Incheon Airport Terminals 1 or 2, Gimpo Airport or Busan Airport – click on each location to see details of each collection location, including opening hours. Click here to check out and book through Klook.
- Tmoney Card with 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 or 60 Day Unlimited Data Only Sim Card. This instant confirmation option can be collected from Incheon Airport Terminals 1 or 2 or Busan Airport – click on each location and you will see details of each collection location, including opening hours. Click here to check out and book the Incheon Airport or Busan Airport options through Get Your Guide.
- Tmoney Card with 5 Day Data Only Sim Card and 5,000 won of pre-loaded credit. This option can be collected at either Incheon Airport Terminal 1 or 2. Click here to check out and book through Klook.
4. Purchase a Climate Card
The Climate Card was recently launched for Seoul only, and will enable you to take unlimited public transportation on the subway and bus lines in Seoul over a defined period – either 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 30 days. There is also an add on option for 30 day passes called Ttareungi which enables you to have unlimited used of the Seoul share bicycle scheme.
You can set up your Climate Card using the Mobile Tmoney app (Android only), sign up and then load your Climate Card. Once the app is set up on your Android phone, you can use the NFC function to tap on and off public transport and other payments. Note that you must set this app as your default NFC app, which may cause issues if you have other apps using this function.
Alternatively, you can purchase a physical Climate Card from the following locations:
- Seoul Metro Information Center (Lines 1 to 8); available in stations between Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni Station (Line 1)
- Available at convenience stores near subway stations (Line 9, Ui-Sinseol Line, and Sillim Line)
Climate Card pricing is as follows:
- 1 day pass – 5,000 won
- 2 day pass – 8,000 won
- 3 day pass – 10,000 won
- 5 day pass – 15,000 won
- 7 day pass – 20,000 won
- 30 day pass – 62,000 won
- 30 day pass (Ttareungi included) – 65,000 won
5. Purchase a Korea Tour Card Tmoney
Klook has a great option to pre-order a Korea Tour Card, an app you can use as a Tmoney Card, only on Android phones. The advantage of purchasing the Korea Tour Card option is that it includes a coupon to add 5,000 Won of credit to your card via their app – you also get a discount of 100 Won for each ride you take on public transport.
Once the app is set up on your Android phone, you can use the NFC function to tap on and off public transport and other payments. Note that you must set this app as your default NFC app, which may cause issues if you have other apps using this function.
The Korea Tour Card also gives you great discounts of 10-30% on a large selection of tourist attractions, discounts and free gifts at duty-free stores and more.
6. Purchase a WowPass
A Wowpass is a Pre-paid card for currency exchange for cashless payment in Korea, which can also be used as a Tmoney card! You can easily pre-purchase your Wowpass through Klook.
After you receive your confirmation voucher and arrive in South Korea, find one of the more than 70 Wowpass Kiosks. Select ‘Get a new card’, select your currency, scan your passport, and then enter your Klook voucher code. Insert your home currency cash into the machine, which will be loaded onto your card with a competitive exchange rate. You can also set up the mobile app on your phone to track your account balance. After that, you can then tap and use your Wowpass to make payments in Korean won at most stores. You can withdraw any remaining funds as cash before you depart South Korea.
To use the Tmoney function of the card, you will must separately add credit at either a convenience store or train station. Note that you can only add credit using cash.
7. Purchase a Discover Seoul Pass
A Discover Seoul Pass is a 24, 48 or 72-hour pass that gives you free access to over 50 major attractions in Seoul and discounted access to over 100 other tourist attractions within the active period. We used the Discover Seoul Pass during our first visit to Seoul and found it was great value. The Discover Seoul Pass is activated the first time you use the pass at an included attraction. Click here to learn more about the Discover Seoul Pass and other Seoul tourist passes.
The Discover Seoul Pass can also be used as a Tmoney Card – you can add credit to the card and start using it immediately, and you can use it anywhere in South Korea. Using the pass as a Tmoney Card does not activate the timed part of the card. Note that the Discover Seoul Pass includes the use of the AREX Fast Train from Incheon Airport into Seoul – using this option will trigger the timed period for your card.
8. Purchase a Visit Busan Pass
A Visit Busan Pass is a 24 or 48-hour pass that enables you to have free access to over 30 major attractions in Busan and discounted access to many other tourist attractions within the active period. We used the Visit Busan Pass during our recent visit and found it was great value. The Visit Busan Pass is activated the first time you use the pass at an included attraction.
The Visit Busan Pass includes 6,000 won of transportation credit, so you can start using it straight away. You can easily add more credit as required and use the Tmoney feature anywhere in South Korea. Using the pass as a Tmoney Card does not activate the timed part of the card.
9. Purchase a Custom T Money Card
If you would like to purchase a custom T money Card, there is a great option called a Namane Card. A Namane Card can be customised with your own photos or with their library of images and is a great option to get a cute T money Card. A Namane card costs 7,000 won upfront with no credit loaded.
You also set up the Namane App, which you can use to check your card balance and load more credit. Namane Kiosks can be found at Seoul Station, Incheon Airport Station and many other locations – click here to see the kiosk locations.
10. Purchase a K-Pop T money Card
You can also purchase Kpop T money Cards from various K-pop merchandise retailers. There are also many other retailers that sell themed T money Cards.
Can You Purchase a Tmoney Card at a Train Station?
In most train stations in Korea, you cannot purchase a Tmoney card. Every station has nearby convenience stores, so just visit the closest convenience store. Major arrival train stations like Incheon Airport have Tmoney vending machines, which are also a great option to purchase your Korea transport card on arrival.
FAQS: Tmoney Cards in Korea
Join the South Korea Travel Planning Facebook Group
You are also welcome to join our South Korea Travel Planning Facebook Group – it is a great resource to enable you to ask questions about your upcoming trip to South Korea!
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Anne Sutherland-Smith is a seasoned travel writer and a passionate explorer of South Korea’s vibrant culture, history, and landscapes. With decades of travel experience, Anne deeply understands what makes Korea a unique and captivating destination for travelers worldwide. As the lead author for koreatravelplanning.com, Anne’s work is based on thorough research and firsthand experiences. Her insights are regularly sought after in the travel community, and she has been featured in various travel forums and publications. Her expertise extends to Korean destinations, transportation, cuisine and the latest trends in Seoul’s bustling city life.
Dedicated to providing reliable and practical travel advice, Anne ensures that every piece of content on koreatravelplanning.com is accurate, up-to-date, and useful for travelers at every stage of their journey. Her commitment to authenticity and her personal experiences traveling across Korea make her a trusted voice in the travel community.
Follow Anne’s adventures and get valuable Korea travel tips on koreatravelplanning.com and through her social media channels. Whether you’re planning your first trip to Korea or looking to explore deeper, Anne’s insights will be your invaluable guide.