Planning a trip to Seoul this year? Don’t know which travel pass to get?
The great thing about public transport in Seoul is that it will practically get you anywhere you want whether it be by bus, subway, train, or whatever mode of transport. Tickets aren’t that expensive and it’s not at all difficult to buy one. Nonetheless, I’m sure you’ve experienced difficulty of purchasing one. We’ve all been there before. That’s when travel passes come in handy!
There are actually quite a handful of different types of travel passes in Korea that it could get a bit confusing. With all of them varying in price as well as the benefits they provide, the process of having to choose the right travel pass for yourself would be very strenuous indeed.
That’s why we’ve prepared a guide to help find the right travel pass for your trip to Seoul! So, let Trazy guide you through the different travel passes and help you decide which one to get!
T-money Travel Passes
(Scroll down to the bottom to see a comparison chart of different travel passes!)
1. Standard T-money Card
The most basic of all travel passes, the standard T-money card can be found almost anywhere. If you’re familiar with London’s Oyster Cards or Singapore’s EZLink Cards, you’ll have no trouble using them! Not only do they allow you to take the subway and public buses, but also taxis with just a simple tap of the card! What’s more, it can be used to purchase goods at convenience stores, rent lockers in subway stations and so much more. In recent years, these multi-cards have also become collectibles through continuous collaborations with popular characters such as Kakao Friends and top K-pop idols such as BTS and Red Velvet! Grab one at Trazy.com to start off your Seoul exploration without any hassle!
| Price: Starting from 2500 won
| Locations
- Purchase: Trazy.com, Convenience stores (GS25, CU, 7-ELEVEN, Mini Stop, Emart24, etc.) bearing the T-money or Cashbee logo, Ticket vending, and card reload devices inside subway stations within the Seoul metropolitan area.
- Reload: Convenience stores, Subway stations (Top-up only / touch-up machine including one-time ticket issuer, T-money vending machine, portable reload machine, Information Center), Tmoney Town (Seoul Station Exit #10, Seoul City Tower 1F), etc. You can top-up the card in the unit of 1,000 won, in the range of 1,000 won to 90,000 won. The amount of money deposited in the T-money card shouldn’t exceed 500,000 won.
- Refund: All Retail locations. Present your T-money card and inform the staff how much you want to refund in T-money. The refund will be given to you in cash in Korean won along with the card.
***IMPORTANT
- Refund does not include the cost of a card.
- A service fee of 500 won will be charged.
- A partial refund is not possible. An only entire refund will be allowed.
Read Survival Tips for Travelers to Seoul: T-money Card to learn more about T-money Card!
2. M-Pass
The M-Pass is a travel pass exclusively for international visitors to use public transport in the Seoul metropolitan area. The highlight of this card is that it can be used up to a maximum of 20 times a day, regardless of distance, on the Metropolitan subway, Airport Railroad regular train, Seoul green/blue/yellow buses, town buses, Seoul late-night buses, and Jeju city buses! With built-in T-money functions, there are 5 types of M-Passes available depending on the duration of use (1, 2, 3, 5, and 7-day Pass), starting at 15,000 won up to 64,500 won. What’s more, there is a 3000 won discount if you purchase it after 5 pm!
| Price: 1-day pass: 15,000 won / 2-day pass: 23,000 won / 3-day pass: 30,500 won / 5-day pass: 47,500 won / 7-day pass: 64,500 won
| Locations
- Purchase: Seoul Station T-money Town (1F, Seoul City Tower near Seoul Station Exit 10 / Weekdays 09:00-18:00 / Closed on weekends and public holidays)
- Reload: Seoul Station T-money Town (1F, Seoul City Tower near Seoul Station Exit 10 / Weekdays 09:00-18:00 / Closed on weekends and public holidays)
- Refund: Seoul Station T-money Town (1F, Seoul City Tower near Seoul Station Exit 10 / Weekdays 09:00-18:00 / Closed on weekends and public holidays)
***IMPORTANT
- One day = ~23:59 of the same day
- For 2- to 7-day passes, must be used on consecutive days
- M-pass price includes a 5,000 won deposit. When the card is returned, users will receive 4,500 won.
- M-Pass cannot be used to pay for taxis and may not be accepted at convenience stores.
- Refund applies to the card fee and remaining balance loaded in the card. 500 won will be charged for the refund service.
3. Korea Tour Card
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Instagram에서 이 게시물 보기
A must-have card when traveling throughout Korea, the Korea Tour Card provides convenient access to public transportation as well as discounts at various shopping malls, popular attractions such as Lotte World, Everland, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul, and so much more! In a way, it’s almost like the standard T-money card but with a few added touches to it for the eager tourist! I’d say that’s a bargain. Also, you can buy it from almost anywhere in Seoul, from convenience stores to banks and even in-flight!
| Price: 4,000 won (CASH ONLY)
| Locations
- Purchase: Card vending machines at major Seoul subway stations (Line 1~4), Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 Station, Gimpo International Airport Station, and Seoul Station (Airport Railroad Line), Convenience stores (7-Eleven, emart24 / card may not be available in all stores), In-flight purchase (Jeju Airlines / 40 international flights stopping at Incheon or Busan), Affiliated banks within airports (Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank), etc
- Reload: Convenience stores and T-money service desks at subway stations (Seoul Subway Lines 1-8, Incheon Subway Lines 1-2) / Card can be reloaded using the card reloading devices inside subway stations.
- Refund: Same as Reload Location / Remaining Balance – Refund Fee (500 won) (card purchase payment will not be refunded)
***IMPORTANT
- The refund process for over 50,000 won can be complicated and time-consuming. It is recommended to load Korea Tour cards in small amounts.
4. Discover Seoul Pass
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Instagram에서 이 게시물 보기
Discover Seoul Pass is an obligatory card for those who are ready to go full-on tourist mode! With prices ranging from 39,900 to 70,000 won, you might think they’re a bit too pricey, especially compared to other travel passes. Well, wait until you hear the array of benefits it has to offer for avid tourists. Discover Seoul Pass comes in 24-hour, 48-hour, and 72-hour passes so that travelers can choose one to suit their needs. The best part is that it not only offers transportation but also free admission to 34 attractions and discount benefits to 29! You’ll be able to truly discover Seoul with the Discover Seoul Pass, at only crazy prices on Trazy.com, especially with the help of your Bangtan Boys!
| Price: 24-hour pass: 39,900 won / 48-hour pass: 55,000 won / 72-hour pass 70,000 won
| Locations
- Purchase: Myeongdong Tourist Information Center, Dongdaemun Seoul City Tour Bus, Hongdae Tourist Information Center, Dongdaemun Tourist Information Center, Seoul Tourism Palaza Tourist Information Center, Online
- Refund: Unopened and unused cards purchased within 90 days can be refunded. Cards purchased through a seller other than the official Discover Seoul Pass website will be subject to their refund regulations.
***IMPORTANT
- Exclusively for foreigners
- Lost-passes are non-refundable
Comparison Chart of Travel Passes
 |  |  |  | |
| T-money (Standard) | M-Pass | Korea Tour Card | Discover Seoul Pass | |
| Price | 2,500 won~ | 15,000~64,500 won | 4,000 won | 39,900~70,000 won |
| Point of Sale | Trazy.com, Convenience stores, Subway stations, T-money Town, Myeong-dong Tourist Information Center | Seoul Station Tmoney Town (1F Seoul City Tower near Seoul Station) | Convenience stores, Card vending machines at Incheon Intl’ Airport T1 /Gimpo Intl’ Airport/Seoul Station (Airport Railroad Line)/Subway stations (Line 1~4), In-flight purchases (Jeju Airlines), Affiliated banks within airport | Trazy.com, Online & Various locations throughout Seoul |
| Benefits | Transportation No expiration date | Transportation (Up to 20 rides a day) *Cannot be used to pay for taxis and may not be accepted at convenience stores. *KRW 3,000 discount after 5pm! | Transportation Discounts on Shopping, Duty-Free, Food, Tourist Attractions, Entertainment No expiration date (+ Mobile Card available) | Transportation: T-money, 1 free ride for Airport Express Train (AREX), Seoul Public Bike (Ttareungi), 1 free ride for Airport Bus (Limousine) Free admission to more than 50 & discount benefits to more than 100 attractions (+Mobile Pass available) |
***IMPORTANT
- Reloadable at convenience stores with ONLY CASH!
- Fare for 2 or more payable on buses
- Fare discount of 100 won compared to cash payment/single ride ticket
- Transfer discount within 30 min (available up to 4 times)
- Seoul City Pass (Plus) is no longer available
Are you ready to navigate through Seoul like a pro with a travel pass now? Visit Trazy.com, Korea’s #1 Travel Shop, to discover some cool new things to do on your trip to Seoul next time!
[Photo Credits]
Brunch
T-money Official Website
Korea Tour Card Official Website
Discover Seoul Pass Official Website
Hi I wanted to ask if with the discover pass you need to use it 3 days consecutively for the 72 hour option. Or could I use it Monday, Wednesday and Friday for example
Is this pass for one person or 2person…..
Hello, travel passes are usually for one person.
Can we renew the pass after 72hrs?