Seoul public transport: tickets, passes and apps

Seoul has no zoned fare for a normal trip: you pay a base fare and a small surcharge past 10 km. The card you tap decides what you pay and whether transfers are free.

Single-journey tickets from station machines cost a deposit on top of the fare, refunded at a machine when you return the card. They are the worst value for a stay of more than one ride.

T-money is the default. Buy the card at a convenience store (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven), load cash at the counter or at a station machine, then tap in and tap out on every subway and bus ride. Tapping out is what triggers the transfer discount, so do it even when the gate is open.

Foreign contactless bank cards work at some gates but fail often enough that you should not depend on them. Apple Pay and Google Pay over a foreign card are the same gamble. If a gate rejects you, buy T-money; it costs less than one taxi ride.

Mobile T-money and the Kakao T app cover top-ups and route planning. Kakao Map and Naver Map give better Seoul transit directions than most global apps, including which carriage exits nearest your stop.

Seoul does not use travel zones for the basic fare. You pay ₩1,550 to start, then roughly ₩100 per 5 km beyond 10 km (check). A trip from central Seoul to a far suburb such as Bundang or Gwanggyo costs a little more than a downtown hop.

The metro area extends into Gyeonggi and Incheon on the same card, so a T-money balance covers Seoul, most of Gyeonggi and the Incheon lines. Fares on the wider network can be slightly higher; the gate charges the difference automatically.

Children and teenagers pay reduced fares with a registered card. Seniors ride free at certain hours with ID (check).

Incheon (ICN) is the main gateway. The AREX all-stop train runs to Seoul Station in about 1 h for ₩4,150–5,000 (2026 estimate); the non-stop express takes about 43 min for ₩9,500–11,000 (check). Both accept T-money on the all-stop service; the express sells its own ticket.

Gimpo (GMP) is much closer: AREX to Seoul Station takes about 30 min. If you land at Gimpo, you are already on the city network.

Airport limousine buses drop at major hotels and cost ₩10,000–18,000 depending on route (check). They are slower in traffic but easier with heavy bags. Taxis from Incheon run ₩60,000–100,000 to central Seoul (check).

Rush hour is 07:30–09:00 and 18:00–19:30 on weekdays. Trains run every 2–4 minutes, so waiting for a less crowded one costs little.

Subway stations are large and exits are numbered; check the exit number before you surface, or you may walk an extra 10 minutes. Free toilets and lockers sit inside most stations.

The subway stops around midnight. After that, night buses (N routes) run flat-fare and taxis use a 22:00–04:00 surcharge. Order through Kakao T to avoid a refusal.