How to Use T-money in Korea: Buy, Top Up, Tap and Refund

A physical T-money card is a reusable stored-value card for local transport. Buying the plastic and loading spending money are separate steps. For a straightforward family setup, give each traveler their own card and keep it separate from other contactless cards when tapping.

Buying the card without buying the wrong product

VISITKOREA lists convenience stores such as CU, GS25 and 7-ELEVEN, plus Seoul subway information centers on Lines 1–8, as purchase points. Its current guide quotes ₩3,000–₩5,000 for a standard card; special designs can differ. Ask the cashier for an ordinary rechargeable T-money card and a separate top-up.

You do not need to choose a tourist pass just to ride a subway. An unlimited pass has its own coverage and validity rules. If you already have a card incorporating T-money, identify its transit balance before buying another one; a shopping wallet and a transport wallet should not be assumed to share funds.

How much money should you add?

Use your actual route plan rather than loading your whole holiday budget. Seoul’s adult base subway fare with a transport card is currently ₩1,550. As a budgeting example, six separate base-fare rides cost ₩9,300; a ₩10,000 load leaves only ₩700. That example excludes the plastic card, longer-distance supplements and airport travel. Add those separately.

A small first load is easier to adjust than a large end-of-trip refund. Check the balance before an early departure, when you may not want to search for a reload point. A card that worked yesterday may simply be low today.

Reload at a counter or station machine

Have Korean won cash available for a physical-card reload. Do not rely on a foreign credit card being accepted at your chosen machine.
At a convenience-store counter, hand over the card and state the amount to add. “Please add 10,000 won” is a request for balance, separate from the card’s purchase price.
At a subway recharge machine, follow the displayed language and payment instructions and leave the card on the reader until completion.
Check the new balance and retrieve both card and change before walking away.

Mobile T-money products, phone compatibility and overseas-card loading options can differ from this physical-card process. This guide does not claim a mobile wallet was installed or tested. If your phone setup is uncertain, finish checking it before depending on it at a gate.

The tapping routine

On the subway, tap at entry and exit. On Seoul city buses, tap when boarding and leaving, using the same card throughout the connection. Wait for a successful response. If the reader rejects the card, check the balance and ask staff before tapping a different payment method.

T-money is not a reserved-seat train ticket. Do not assume its balance pays for KTX or an AREX Express reservation. Check the ticket requirement for the airport or intercity service you selected.

Children and teenagers

Ask the seller to register the traveler’s date of birth for the appropriate discount before the first ride; buying a small or colorful card does not register a fare category. Bring the child’s passport so the birth date can be checked. Verify the first fare instead of waiting until the end of the trip to notice adult charges.

Refunds: plan before the airport

T-money’s official foreigner guide says the card’s purchase cost is not included in a balance refund and a ₩500 service fee applies. Refund limits vary by outlet. VISITKOREA directs larger refunds to T-money Town near Seoul Station Exit 10 and identifies convenience stores as an option for smaller balances. Confirm the outlet’s limit before traveling there.

If only a small balance remains, compare spending it at an accepting merchant with paying a refund fee. Keep enough for your final local journey first. Do not load a large amount on the last morning merely to avoid doing one small reload.

Sources and verification

Official information checked October 22, 2026. Prices and policies can change; confirm your date and selected service before paying. This is a desk-researched guide, not a report of a personal visit or device test.