Choosing and using a transport card
A transport card simplifies daily travel. Check how your chosen card is funded and which services it covers before treating it as a pass for everything.
By Seemile · Sources checked
Choose the right type
- Common options include stored-value cards and eligible bank-linked transport cards.
- Check phone and payment compatibility before choosing a mobile version.
- For a special pass, compare its actual coverage with the journeys you expect to make.
Get ready for the first ride
- Ask where to buy or top up your card and which payment methods are accepted.
- Keep enough balance for the next trip, especially before a late return.
- Use a separate card for each traveller when you need normal individual transfer handling.
Keep the journey simple
- Tap at the required entrance and exit points.
- Keep the card separate from other contactless cards to avoid reading errors.
- Check the balance before the next journey rather than discovering a problem at the gate.
A little Korean goes a long way
- 교통카드를 충전하고 싶어요. — I would like to top up my transport card.
- 잔액이 얼마 남았나요? — How much balance is left?
Official information
- My Seoul+ · Public transport — Seoul Metropolitan Government
- Seoul · Modes of transport — Seoul Metropolitan Government
Keep going
Your first Seoul subway journey
The line colour helps, but the direction and exit number do most of the work. Check both before following the crowd.
Taking a bus and keeping the transfer record
In a busy street, buses with the same number can be travelling in opposite directions. Check the stop and direction before boarding.
A taxi trip with less guesswork
Have the exact destination ready in Korean. A building entrance or road-name address is more useful than an English business name that may have several branches.
Before you drive in Korea
Check the licence route before booking a rental car or buying one. A foreign licence, an international permit and a Korean licence are not interchangeable documents.