01 / ONE METRO TRIP
A single-journey ticket
Buy at the station before entering the gates.
Use a ticket machine ↗THE PRACTICAL GUIDE / TRANSPORT
How to buy transport tickets
From your first metro ticket to a reserved train seat: choose, pay, collect and travel.
What are you travelling on?
Start with your journey type. Use the same buying steps across Korea, then check the local operator for accepted cards, fares and ticket formats.
02 / CITY TRAVEL
A rechargeable transport card
Pay for local buses and metro trips as you go.
Buy & reload a card ↗
03 / BETWEEN CITIES
An express or intercity coach
Choose the terminal, departure and seat.
Book a coach ↗
04 / RAIL JOURNEYS
KTX & other trains
Reserve the service that suits your itinerary.
Book a train ↗AT THE STATION
Buy a single-journey metro ticket
Stand in front of a ticket vending machine and follow these pictures in order. Button names and screen layouts differ by city and machine; use the English option and follow the price and payment symbols on the actual screen.
Find the correct machine
Inside the station entrance, find a machine marked Ticket Vending, Single Journey or Transportation Card. A reload-only machine may not sell a new ticket.
Choose English and Single Journey
Change the language first. Select the single-journey option—not transport-card reload or a rail ticket.
Enter the exact destination
Search the station’s English name. If several results look similar, compare the line number and transfer station shown on your route. One metro ticket covers permitted transfers inside the paid area.
Choose the passenger category
Select the correct number of adults, children or youths. Discount eligibility and proof requirements vary; ask staff rather than guessing.
Read the total before paying
The screen may combine the journey fare and a refundable single-use-card deposit. Use only cash or a card type displayed as accepted by that exact machine.
Collect everything from the tray
Wait until the transaction finishes. Take the issued ticket/card, receipt and all change before walking away.
Tap at the entry gate
Place the issued card flat on the reader until the gate opens. Keep it separate from other contactless cards to prevent a read error.
Transfer without leaving the gates
Follow the coloured Transfer signs. Do not tap out during an ordinary transfer unless the signs specifically direct you through a transfer gate.
Tap at the destination exit
Use the same card to leave. If the balance or fare is insufficient, use the fare-adjustment machine or ask the staffed gate.
Recover the deposit where applicable
After exiting in the Seoul capital-area system, insert the single-use card into the Deposit Refund machine and collect the normal ₩500 deposit. Other cities have their own ticket and refund rules.
A subway single-journey ticket cannot pay a city-bus fare. For several local journeys, consider a rechargeable transport card.
VISITKOREA · regional metro guide ↗ · Seoul Metropolitan Government · public transport ↗
Metro directions, transfers & fares ↗FIRST IDENTIFY THE MACHINE
Old machine, reload machine or new kiosk?
Do not assume every machine performs the same job. Identify the machine first from its heading, product buttons and payment logos.
What the machines really look like
These are genuine station photographs—not illustrations. Tap either image to enlarge it. Cabinet colour, labels and screen layout can change by station, operator and installation date, so read the words above the screen before paying.
OLDER SINGLE-JOURNEY MACHINE
Use this flow when card payment is not shown
- Choose English.
- Select Single Journey.
- Choose the exact destination and passenger.
- Read the total, including any deposit.
- Pay using the cash denominations displayed.
- Collect the ticket/card and all change.
If an overseas-card logo is absent, do not insert or repeatedly tap your card. Use Korean won or find a new kiosk.
RELOAD-ONLY MACHINE
Place an existing card on the pad first
- Place Tmoney or EZL flat on the card tray.
- Wait for the balance to appear.
- Select the reload amount.
- Pay only by a method shown on screen.
- Wait for “completed,” then remove the card.
A reload machine may not sell a new card or a single-journey ticket. If no purchase option appears, you are at the wrong machine.
New Seoul transport-card kiosk
NEW KIOSK · SINGLE JOURNEY
Foreign-card purchase
- Choose English.
- Select Single Journey.
- Enter the destination and passenger.
- Check the total and deposit.
- Select card payment and follow the on-screen authorization.
- Collect the issued card and receipt.
IMPORTANT LIMIT
Buying a ticket is not open-loop entry
The kiosk may accept your foreign Visa or Mastercard to buy a ticket. That does not mean you can tap that bank card, Revolut card or Apple Pay bank card directly at the subway gate. Use the ticket or Climate Card issued by the machine.
Korea.net · overseas-card payment on new Seoul Metro kiosks, 17 March 2026 ↗ · See an official real-life photo of Seoul's newer transport-card kiosk ↗
DO NOT FOLLOW COLOUR ALONE
After buying: follow the line, arrow and direction
A line colour helps you find the corridor, but colour alone is not enough. At every split, match all three: the line number or railway name, the arrow, and the direction shown by the next station or terminal station.
LINE
Match the numbered circle or railway name—not colour alone. Several blue-toned routes can look similar.
ARROW
Follow the arrow on the floor strip or overhead sign. Recheck it at every junction, escalator and long corridor.
DIRECTION
Before the platform, match the next station or terminal direction shown in your route app. The right line can still have two opposite platforms.
TO CHANGE LINES
Follow “Transfer”
- Find the destination line number and its colour badge.
- Follow the matching floor strip or overhead arrows.
- Stay inside the paid area unless a sign explicitly directs you through a transfer gate.
- At the platform entrance, verify the direction by the next station name.
TO LEAVE THE STATION
Follow the yellow Exit number
- Check the exit number for your attraction or address before leaving the platform.
- Follow “Exit,” then the numbered yellow box.
- Recheck the number where the corridor splits; nearby exits can surface on opposite sides of a wide road.
- If you choose the wrong exit, use a street map outside rather than re-entering the paid area.
UNLIMITED SEOUL TRAVEL
Buy a Climate Card short-term pass
A Climate Card short-term pass can be useful for repeated travel within its Seoul service area. It is not automatically the best choice for an airport arrival or a trip outside Seoul.
NEW KIOSK · NEW CARD
Purchase and load in one session
- Choose English and Climate Card.
- Select Purchase New Card.
- Choose the short-term pass duration: 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days.
- Read the separate physical-card price and pass price.
- Pay using a method displayed by the new kiosk.
- Collect the card and receipt, then use that card at the gate.
EXISTING CLIMATE CARD
Reload the correct card
- Place the Climate Card on the indicated tray.
- Confirm that the screen identifies it as a Climate Card.
- Select a short-term pass and duration.
- Check the activation warning and total.
- Pay, wait for completion and remove the card.
Do not remove the card during writing or loading.
OLD MACHINE / STAFFED OFFICE
If Climate Card does not appear
An older machine may sell only single-journey tickets or reload limited card products. Do not choose a similar menu. Find a new transport-card kiosk or ask the station office. Seoul Metro information centres may require cash for the physical card.
CHECK THE COVERAGE
Not for every train or bus
Do not rely on this pass for AREX airport trains, KTX, airport limousine buses, express/intercity coaches, GTX or the Shinbundang Line. Check the service boundary before boarding or exiting outside Seoul.
CONVENIENCE STORE OR STATION
Buy, reload and use a transport card
Enlarge illustration ↗Ask for Tmoney or EZL
Look for a participating convenience store. Buy a card for each traveller; the card purchase price and money loaded for travel are separate.
Add a travel balance
Ask the retailer to load your chosen amount in Korean won. Participating station machines also reload supported cards. Plan to use Korean won cash unless the counter or machine explicitly confirms that it accepts your card.
Check the passenger setting
For a child or teenager, ask the retailer about date-of-birth registration and the documents needed for the correct fare. Check the balance before leaving.
Tap for each journey
Keep the card ready at metro gates and bus readers. Follow local tap-in and tap-out instructions, and reload before your balance runs low.
| What you are buying | Can an overseas-issued card be relied on? | Safest plan |
|---|---|---|
| Tmoney or EZL card body | No. Retail payment methods vary by shop. | Carry Korean won cash and ask before the cashier opens or activates the card. |
| Tmoney or EZL travel balance | No. Do not assume an overseas Visa, Mastercard, Amex or JCB will reload it. | Use Korean won cash unless that exact counter or machine shows foreign-card acceptance. |
| Climate Card physical card or short-term pass | Not at every sales channel. Seoul Metro information centres are cash-only; newer vending machines and convenience stores can have different options. | Follow the payment logos on that machine or counter and keep Korean won cash ready. A foreign-card fee may apply where overseas cards are accepted. |
| Mpass | No. Official tourist guidance says Korean won cash only. | Prepare the full amount in Korean won. |
| WOWPASS | Different system. Its kiosk accepts listed foreign banknotes for loading; a passport is required to purchase. | Check the kiosk’s supported currencies and keep the transit balance separate from its payment balance. |
| CHECK iN SEOUL | The official app says you can recharge by credit card in the app or deposit Korean won or supported foreign currency at a kiosk. Authorization can still vary. | Apply in the app, check the current airport or city pickup point, and confirm the payment method shown before loading. |
Which tourist card fits your trip?
UNLIMITED WITHIN COVERAGE
Climate Card
A time-limited Seoul public-transport pass for covered services. Choose it for repeated rides inside its service area. It is not a general payment card and it does not cover every airport or regional journey.
PAYMENT + SEPARATE TRANSIT
WOWPASS
A foreign-tourist prepaid payment card with a separate transport-card function. It suits travellers who want kiosk currency loading and local merchant payment, but its shopping and transit balances are managed separately.
PAYMENT + PAY-AS-YOU-GO TRANSIT
CHECK iN SEOUL
A Lotte Card prepaid card and app for foreign visitors. The official app combines ordinary prepaid payment and transport use in one card, plus travel benefits and local information. It is not an unlimited Seoul subway pass.
HOW TO GET IT
Apply, collect, then load
Apply through the app and collect at a listed airport location, or use a listed city issuance point. The app says loading is available by credit card in the app or Korean won and supported foreign currency at a kiosk. Pickup locations, kiosk support and card authorization can change.
Do I reserve a city-bus seat?
For an ordinary local bus, pay when boarding with an accepted transport card. Reserved coaches and some specialist services use separate tickets.
Local bus boarding guide ↗What about the leftover balance?
Ask the card issuer about refund locations, limits and fees. Keep the physical card until the refund is complete; its purchase cost is separate from the stored balance.
VISITKOREA · transport cards ↗ · Seoul Metropolitan Government · public transport ↗
APP → QR → PASSPORT → CARD
Collect a pre-applied CHECK iN SEOUL card by QR
Complete the application in the official app before you travel, then use the pickup QR at a supported kiosk. Bring the original passport used for the application. Kiosk locations, supported card types and screen wording can change, so confirm the current pickup point in the app before leaving the arrivals hall.
Install and sign in
Download the official CHECK iN SEOUL app, create the account and complete the card application. Use the same passport details you will present in Korea.
Open the pickup QR
Choose the applied card and display its card-collection QR. Keep the app signed in; a saved screenshot may fail if the code is refreshed or time-limited.
Find a supported kiosk
Use the kiosk list in the app. Check that the machine shows CHECK iN SEOUL and supports the exact card you applied for—not only cash exchange or another tourist card.
Choose card pickup
Select English, then Card Issue, Pickup or Pre-application as shown. Button names may differ after a software update; do not choose Cash Withdrawal.
Present the QR
Open the QR at full brightness and hold the phone steady under the scanner. Keep the whole square inside the guide. If it fails, clean the screen, increase brightness and reopen the live code.
Scan the passport
Place the original passport on the reader exactly as pictured. Confirm that the name and passport number match the application before continuing.
Choose the initial amount
Select only a currency and payment method shown by that kiosk. Read the exchange rate, card price and any fee before inserting cash or authorising a card payment.
Take card and receipt
Wait for completion, then take the card, passport, receipt and change. Link or activate the issued card in the app if prompted, and check the payment and transport balances before walking away.
If the QR still fails
- Check that the kiosk supports card issuance.
- Reconnect to data or airport Wi-Fi and reopen the app.
- Turn off dark-screen filters and increase brightness.
- Confirm that the passport matches the application.
- Use the app’s live chat or the contact shown on the kiosk; do not submit and pay for repeated new applications.
Before leaving the kiosk
- Card physically issued
- Passport returned
- Receipt and change collected
- Card appears in the app
- Transport balance checked separately before the first gate
Official product description: Lotte Card · CHECK iN SEOUL app ↗ · Step sequence cross-checked against an independent 2026 kiosk walkthrough ↗.
BAG STORAGE / SEOUL SUBWAY
Find and use a subway luggage locker
First identify the locker system. Many Seoul Metro stations use the T-Locker app, while some stations or railway areas have a locker with its own touchscreen, PIN, receipt or QR process. Follow the name and instructions printed on the actual locker—do not assume a nearby bank-card or ticket machine controls it.
The official app shows participating Seoul subway locations and real-time availability.
Check the station map and signs outside the platform area. Lockers can be before or after the fare gates.
Show “luggage locker” on your phone and ask whether you must exit the paid area.
T-Locker app-controlled locker
Install the official app
Search for T-Locker by Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Engineering. Allow the permissions needed for location and locker control.
Choose the exact station
Use the map, then compare the locker location, size, current availability, price and operating access time.
Stand near the locker
Confirm the bank of lockers and identification number before reserving or paying. Do not book a similarly named station or distant exit.
Pay and open
Select an available compartment and use a payment method offered in the app. Overseas-card acceptance can vary; keep another payment method ready.
Store and check the door
Place the bag fully inside without forcing it, close the door and confirm the app shows the locker as locked or stored.
Save the return details
Keep the station, exit area, locker number and app booking. Keep enough phone battery and data to reopen it.
Retrieve in the app
Return to the same locker bank, open the active booking, pay any extra time shown, then use the app’s retrieve or unlock control.
Empty and close
Take every item, close the door and check that the booking has ended before leaving.
Locker with its own screen, PIN, receipt or QR
TO STORE
Use the screen on that locker bank
- Choose English and Store or Keep.
- Select a size and an available locker.
- Read the price and time limit.
- Use only the payment methods shown.
- Create the requested PIN or collect the receipt/QR.
- Put the bag inside, close firmly and verify it is locked.
TO RETRIEVE
Return to the same machine
- Select Retrieve, Find or Open.
- Enter the PIN or scan the stored receipt/QR.
- Pay an excess-time charge if the screen requests it.
- Open the assigned door and remove everything.
- Close the door and wait for completion.
If the door will not open
Do not pull or move to another locker. Photograph the locker bank and number, keep the payment record, and call the contact printed on the machine or ask station staff. If the phone has died, use the staffed gate before leaving the station.
Before you walk away
Photograph the station name, nearby exit/landmark and locker number. Set an alarm before the paid period ends and check that you can return before the station or locker area becomes inaccessible.
Current service information: Official T-Locker app listing ↗.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OR TERMINAL
Book an express or intercity coach
Enlarge illustration ↗Search the exact terminals
Choose English, departure and arrival terminals, date and passenger count. The same city can have separate express and intercity terminals.
Choose the departure and seat
Review the journey, seat class and fare. Check cancellation terms and any eligibility documents before paying.
Complete payment and collect your ticket
Save the booking reference. Follow the seller’s instructions: you may need to collect or print a ticket at the terminal before boarding.
Match the ticket to the bus
At the terminal, check the departure board and platform. Match the destination, time and seat to your ticket. Board 5–10 minutes before departure.
You can also buy at a terminal counter or kiosk. Our suggestion: arrive 20–30 minutes early, allowing extra time for collection or assistance. Advance reservations are useful for a fixed itinerary.
VISITKOREA · express and intercity buses ↗
Find your Seoul departure terminal ↗OFFICIAL WEBSITE OR RAILWAY STATION
Book KTX and other trains
Enlarge illustration ↗Choose a language and route
Open the official KORAIL website and select English. Enter the actual departure and arrival stations, travel date and passengers.
Choose your train
Compare the departure time, arrival time, class and fare. Select an available seat where offered. Check which station in Seoul your train uses.
Pay and confirm issuance
Enter the passenger and payment details requested by the seller. Complete payment, then check that your ticket has been issued. Keep the reservation reference and ticket-access instructions.
Find your carriage and seat
Follow the station departure board for your train number and platform. Check the carriage and seat on your issued ticket, and keep the ticket available during travel.
Tickets are also available at railway ticket offices and kiosks. If online payment or ticket retrieval fails, ask at a staffed counter with your booking details.
OUR BOOKING CHECKLIST
A quick check before you pay
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Departure & arrival | The exact station or terminal, including its location. A city name alone is not enough. |
| Date & time | Your travel date and the time shown by the Korean operator. Check both legs of a return journey. |
| Passenger & seating | The right number of travellers, passenger categories and any required proof. Confirm boarding assistance before booking. |
| Price & cancellation | The full total, change conditions, cancellation deadline and any fee. |
| Ticket delivery | Whether you receive an issued ticket, must retrieve it in an app, or need terminal collection. Keep the reference and required documents. |
WHEN YOU NEED A HAND
Payment, changes & refunds
Using Apple Pay, Revolut or Wise
A physical Revolut or Wise Visa/Mastercard may work at ordinary shops and compatible ATMs, subject to the issuer and terminal. It does not become a Korean transport card and cannot simply be tapped at a subway gate or city-bus reader.
An overseas card inside Apple Pay is still a bank-payment card. Use it only where the merchant displays Apple Pay or contactless acceptance. For public transport, set up an eligible Tmoney transit card in Apple Wallet where available, or use a physical Tmoney/EZL card. Do not rely on Google Wallet, a virtual-only card or a disposable card for station reload machines.
Payment failed or no ticket appeared?
Check the seller’s reservation lookup and your confirmation messages before trying again. A pending bank charge alone does not confirm an issued ticket. Contact the seller if payment and booking status disagree.
Changing or cancelling a journey
Open the booking with the original seller and read the conditions for that ticket. Review the fee or refund amount before confirming a cancellation. Save the confirmation and ask the seller about refund timing.
Changing plans or missing a departure does not automatically cancel a reservation. Check the original booking before purchasing a replacement.
Need help at the counter?
Have your destination, preferred date, departure time and number of travellers ready to show staff.
Could I buy a ticket to this station for this date? Please show me the departure time and total price.
이 날짜에 이 역으로 가는 표를 살 수 있을까요? 출발 시간과 총금액을 보여 주세요.I naljjae i yeogeuro ganeun pyoreul sal su isseulkkayo? Chulbal sigangwa chonggeumaegeul boyeo juseyo.For travel-language assistance, contact the Korea Travel Hotline: 1330 within Korea, or +82-2-1330 from overseas.
This guide helps you prepare. Official sellers show current availability, accepted payments and the conditions for your ticket.
VISITKOREA · travelling by train ↗ · VISITKOREA · express and intercity buses ↗
Find information for your region
Local networks and concession schemes differ. Choose a region for arrival points and local support information.
Browse all 17 regions ↗Information checked . Fares and services can change. Use the linked operator information for your travel date.
READY TO PLAN?