T-Money Card

If you’re going to be living in Seoul, you need to have a T-Money card. What is a T-Money card? It’s a transport card that lets you get ride the subway and bus system here in Seoul and can pay for taxis as well. T-Money can also be used in most cities outside of Seoul.

T-Money cards can be purchased at just about every subway station. If there is not a T-Money card machine (always next to the text dispensers), than you can buy one at the convenience store in the subway. If you buy from a convenience store, you’ll have a lot more options than buying from the machine.

If you get you card from a machine (don’t worry, there’s an English option to make purchasing easier), simply select the card or phone charm that you want and insert your money. Cards cost 3,000 won and there are a few varieties to pick from. If you would rather have a cell phone charm, the cost is 5,000+ won. Depending on the store, there will be several varieties of cell phone charms to choose from.

Getting a T-Money money card is very helpful and cost effective. The usual subway fee is 1,150 won plus a 500 won deposit. The bus fee is also 1,150 won. However, with a T-Money card, the subway and bus fare is 1,050 won (and no deposit). The T-Money card has one more useful option: you can transfer from the subway to the bus or visa versa for free. Without a T-Money card, a transfer to the subway to a bus and visa versa costs an additional 1,150 won.

To charge your T-Money card, you can charge it at the subway station at the charging machines or charge it at most convenience stores (GS-25, 7-11, C&U, etc.) You can charge in amounts of 1,000-90,000 won.  

Outside of Seoul, the Cash Bee card is used. While the T-Money card is accepted outside of Seoul, charging it is a little more difficult. So if you’re not living in Seoul, you should buy a Cash Bee card, not a T-Money a card. Cash Bee cards are not accepted in Seoul. 

If you decide to get buy a T-Money card from a store rather than a vending machine, here is some useful vocabulary:

T-Money 카드가 있어요?  ‘T-Money kadue ga issoyo?’ (Do you have a T-money card?)

이것을 주세요. ‘Igosool juseiyo’ (This one please.)

For more information on T-Money cards, please visit: http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/TR/TR_EN_5_4.jsp