How to Pay for Public Transport in Korea

1. Transport Cards

There are two main transport cards you can get. They are Tmony and Cashbee.

Tmoney covers the whole of Korea so I recommend you purchasing this. Look out for cards with the logo at the corner like shown in the picture. This card can be used for buses and subways so you do not have to purchase any other cards. If you like a card with characters, go to a nearby convenient store and ask for "Tmoney card" at the counter. They will pass it to you and no, the card is not free but according to my memory it is 4,000 won. You can top-up the card with some money at the counter as well with no extra charge. If you want a default card, you can purchase it through the machine at the subway station. Just follow the instructions on the screen. The design for both characters and the default one changes every time.

Cashbee is another type of transport card you can use for both buses and subways. They are not so common but in different parts of Korea, it may be difficult to find a place to top-up your T-money card, especially in rural areas. You can always have a back-up or in my case, I recommend you just top up your Tmoney card with sufficient money. Each subway or bus ride is about 1,300 won regardless of distance.

If you are going to school everyday in Korea because you're an exchange student, you might even consider buying a concession card. They can be purchased through the machine. However, if I am correct, it is probably not worth it unless you travel far. Also, you either buy a subways concession for both which will cost more. Concession in Korea means you purchase 60 rides that can be used for a month. I know I mentioned that each ride is a fixed cost regardless of distance but if you exceed a certain number of stations, the cost will then be calculated per distance travelled. In conclusion, it is not worth to buy a concession card.

One interesting fact is that you can tap for two people using a single Tmoney card on buses. Before tapping your card when you board the bus, just let the bus driver know that you would like to pay for two people and he will press some buttons for you to tap. So if you are stuck at a bus stop and are unable to top up your card, you can always ask your friend (hopefully he/she has money in his/her Tmoney card) to tap you in. You will not encounter this problem at a subway station since you can top it up easily.

*For buses, tap when you enter and when you exit!

2. Cash

Subways do not accept cash payments and you need to buy a transport card, be it a regular card or a one-time use card. One-time use card has a deposit of 500 won which you can retrieve it back at the end of your trip. The machines look like the one in the picture above and are separated from the machines you use to purchase and top up your cards. It is usually located near the gantry.

For buses, they accept cash payments and since the fare is default, you do not need to specify where you are going. The bus driver may occasionally ask if you are a middle or high school student as for students, different fares apply. You do not need to worry if you have the exact change because in Korea, our machines can return you change! Just drop your 1000 won note with some coins and remember to collect change after the bus driver pulls the lever down. If not, you will experience him shouting for you.