T-money Card Guide: Where to Buy, Load and Use in Korea

What Is a T-money Card and Why You Need One

T-money is Korea's rechargeable transit card, used for subways, city buses, intercity buses, taxis, and even some ferries. It works nationwide, not just in Seoul. While tourists can technically buy single-journey subway tickets, T-money is faster, cheaper (thanks to transfer discounts), and works on buses where cash payment is often awkward or not accepted for foreigners without exact change.

If you're arriving via Incheon Airport, it's worth picking one up before you even leave the airport — see our guide on getting from Incheon Airport to Seoul for where it fits into that trip. For getting around once you're in the city, pair this card with our guide on using the Seoul subway.

Where to Buy a T-money Card

You can buy a physical T-money card at:

• Convenience stores near any subway station: CU (씨유), GS25 (지에스25), 7-Eleven, and Ministop all sell them. Just say "T-money card" (티머니 카드) at the counter.
• Subway station ticket machines: Look for the machines with an English-language option near the turnstiles. Select "T-money Card Purchase."
• Incheon Airport: Available at convenience stores in both terminals, arrivals and departures level.
• Tourist versions: Some stations sell special-edition cards (K-pop themed, city mascots, etc.) at the same price, just cosmetic differences.

Expect to pay around ₩3,000-5,000 for the blank card itself — this is separate from your travel balance and is non-refundable.

How to Load (Charge) Your T-money Card

Loading, called "충전" (chungjeon) in Korean, is simple:

1. Insert or tap your card on any subway station ticket machine.
2. Select "Charge" or "Recharge" in English mode.
3. Insert cash (bills only at most machines — coins are rarely accepted).
4. Confirm the amount; the balance updates instantly.

You can also load at any convenience store counter by handing over cash and your card — tell the cashier the amount you want added. Minimum loads are usually ₩1,000, and machines generally accept up to ₩90,000-100,000 per card balance cap.

Note: Most T-money top-up machines and convenience store loads only accept Korean won cash. Credit cards usually don't work for loading a physical T-money card, so keep some cash on hand. If you're figuring out payment methods more broadly, check our guide on how to pay in Korea as a tourist.

How to Use T-money on Transit

Using the card is a simple tap-and-go system:

• Subway: Tap on the turnstile reader entering, tap again exiting. Fare is calculated by distance.
• Bus: Tap when boarding. On some intercity or express buses, you also tap when alighting — an audio prompt or screen will indicate if this is required.
• Taxi: Tell the driver you'll pay by T-money, or tap the reader near the meter yourself when the ride ends.
• Transfers: If you tap onto a bus or subway within about 30 minutes of your last tap, the transfer is discounted or free depending on distance, as long as you don't exit the paid subway zone in between. This works across bus-to-subway, subway-to-bus, and bus-to-bus combinations in most cities.

T-money vs Single Journey Ticket

For anyone staying more than a day or two and planning to use buses at all, T-money is clearly the better option.

Where Else T-money Works

Beyond transit, T-money doubles as a stored-value payment card at:

• Convenience stores (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven) for small purchases
• Some vending machines
• Certain amusement parks and attractions offer T-money-linked discounts or entry
• Taxis, as noted above, city-wide and in most other major cities including Busan and Daegu

It does not work as general payment at restaurants, department stores, or larger retail purchases — it's strictly transit and small convenience purchases.

Getting a Refund on Your T-money Balance

Before you leave Korea, you can refund any unused balance:

• At convenience stores: Refunds up to around ₩20,000-50,000 are available on the spot, minus a small service fee (typically ₩500).
• At subway station machines: Look for "T-money Refund" in the English menu — this usually has no fee for smaller balances but may cap the amount refundable per transaction.
• T-money Town (in COEX underground, near Gangnam) offers full refunds including the card deposit in some cases — check the official T-money site for current hours and rules before making a special trip.

Keep in mind refund machines and store staff may not always process foreign cards flawlessly, so try to spend down your balance naturally on your last day if possible.

Mobile T-money Alternatives

If you have a Korean-compatible NFC Android phone, you can add T-money digitally via certain apps, skipping the physical card entirely. This is less reliable for iPhone users due to Apple Pay region restrictions, so most tourists are better off with the physical card. If you're also setting up connectivity, our guide on getting a Korea eSIM covers the data side of your trip prep.

Final Tips

• Buy your card as soon as you land, ideally at Incheon Airport or your first subway station.
• Load more than you think you'll need if you're heading somewhere with fewer convenience stores late at night.
• Keep the physical card as a souvenir or refund it — either is fine, there's no penalty for keeping it.
• Always carry a bit of cash since loading is cash-based at most machines.