Transit & money · 교통카드 비교 2026
💳 T-money vs Climate Card vs WOWPASS
Three cards, three jobs. T-money pays per ride anywhere in Korea. The Climate Card short-term pass is unlimited Seoul transit for 1–7 days. WOWPASS is a prepaid spending card with a T-money wallet built in. Pick by how many rides a day you will really take — the picker below does the maths.
What changed on 1 September 2026. Seoul retired the 30-day Climate Card for residents (last top-up 31 Aug 2026) and folded it into the national Climate Pass / K-Pass “Modu Card”, which needs a Korean-issued bank or credit card — so it is not an option for a short visit. The tourist short-term passes (1, 2, 3, 5, 7 days) continue unchanged in price. Coverage is now “inside Seoul + rides that end at Incheon Airport”; the Gimpo, Goyang, Guri, Namyangju, Gwacheon, Hanam and Seongnam add-on zones were dropped.
30-second verdict
하루 1–2회 · 지방 이동
→ T-moneyPay per ride, works in Busan, Gyeongju, Jeju and on the AREX all-stop from the airport. The default for most itineraries.
하루 3회 이상 · 서울만
→ Climate Card short-term passUnlimited Seoul subway + city buses. From 4 rides on a 1-day pass or ~2 rides a day on a 7-day pass, it wins. Keep ₩5,000 on a T-money for the arrival leg.
한국 카드 없음 · 쇼핑 결제
→ WOWPASS (+ its T-money wallet)Load foreign cash or a card, pay in shops and restaurants like a Korean debit card, ride transit on the separate T-money balance.
Side-by-side, 2026
| T-money | Climate Card short-term | WOWPASS |
|---|
| Card price | ₩2,500–₩4,000 (about ₩3,000; character editions more). Not refundable. | ₩3,000 for the card + the pass: 1-day ₩5,000 · 2-day ₩8,000 · 3-day ₩10,000 · 5-day ₩15,000 · 7-day ₩20,000 | ₩5,000 membership, not refundable. Transit wallet is a normal T-money. |
| How you pay for rides | Per ride: ₩1,550 subway / ₩1,500 bus, free transfers, distance surcharges. | Flat — unlimited taps for the pass length. Pass starts the day you load it. | Per ride from the T-money wallet (same fares as T-money). |
| Where it works | Nationwide: Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Jeju… subways, city buses, AREX all-stop, most taxis, convenience stores. | Seoul Metro sections inside Seoul + Seoul-licensed city buses (incl. Owl buses); rides ending at Incheon Airport. Not AREX express, Shinbundang, red wide-area buses, Gyeonggi/Incheon buses, taxis, KTX. | Shops: anywhere Korean cards are accepted (restaurants, Olive Young, department stores). Transit: nationwide via the T-money wallet. |
| Top-up | KRW cash at CU / GS25 / 7-Eleven / station machines. No foreign cards. | Station ticket machines, KRW cash. Some convenience stores sell the card. | Foreign cash at WOWPASS kiosks (ICN arrivals, hotels, big stations) or foreign card in the app (~1–1.5 % fee). T-money wallet: KRW cash only. |
| Refund of leftover balance | ₩500 fee. Under ₩20,000 at GS25 / 7-Eleven; under ₩30,000 at CU / Emart24; under ₩50,000 at Seoul subway info centres; more at T-money Town (Seoul Station, weekdays). | Unused days are generally not refunded once the pass is active — buy the shortest pass that covers your Seoul days. | Spending wallet: kiosk withdrawal ₩1,000 per transaction or back to your card in the app. T-money wallet: same rules as T-money. |
| Expiry | Never — keep it for the next trip. | Pass expires after 1–7 days; card reusable for a new pass. | Card valid about 6 years. |
| Best for | Almost everyone; anyone leaving Seoul. | Dense Seoul sightseeing, 3+ rides a day, no day trips. | Travellers whose home card charges foreign-transaction fees or does not work in Korea. |
Break-even: how many rides make the pass worth it?
| Pass | Price | Beats T-money after… | Per day |
|---|
| 1-day | ₩5,000 | 4 rides | 4 / day |
| 2-day | ₩8,000 | 6 rides | 3 / day |
| 3-day | ₩10,000 | 7 rides | 2.3 / day |
| 5-day | ₩15,000 | 10 rides | 2 / day |
| 7-day | ₩20,000 | 13 rides | 1.9 / day |
Rides are counted at the ₩1,550 base fare with transfers folded in. Long hops (Gangnam ↔ Hongdae, anywhere ↔ Jamsil) cost ₩1,650–₩1,850 each on T-money, so the pass wins slightly sooner than the table suggests. Both cards cost ₩3,000, so the card fee cancels out.
Picker: which card for my trip?
How to get each one
티머니
T-money in 3 steps1) Any convenience store or subway station machine, ask 티머니 카드 주세요. 2) Hand over ₩10,000–20,000 cash to load. 3) Tap in / tap out. Full guide →
기후동행카드 단기권
Climate Card short-term in 3 steps1) Buy the ₩3,000 card at a Seoul subway station customer centre or participating convenience store. 2) At the station ticket machine choose 기후동행카드 → 단기권 → 1/2/3/5/7 days, pay cash. 3) The pass starts that day; tap in and out like a normal card.
와우패스
WOWPASS in 3 steps1) Install the app and register before you fly. 2) At an orange WOWPASS kiosk (ICN arrivals, Seoul Station, Hongdae, Myeongdong, many hotels) issue the card for ₩5,000 and load foreign cash. 3) Load the T-money side separately with KRW cash for transit.
Pitfalls that cost people money
The two-wallet trap. WOWPASS spending money and its T-money balance are separate. A ₩200,000 spending balance will not open a subway gate if the T-money side is empty.
Climate Card is not valid on the AREX express, Shinbundang, or red buses. If you exit outside the Seoul zone you pay the full fare to station staff — plan Suwon or Incheon day trips on T-money.
Arrival leg is not covered. Even with the September 2026 rule, only rides ending at Incheon Airport are included. Ride the all-stop into Seoul on T-money (₩4,150), then start the pass.
Don’t over-load T-money. Refunds cost ₩500 and larger balances mean a trip to T-money Town. Aim to land under ₩10,000 on your last day.
Kids’ fares need a registered card. An unregistered card charges adults’ ₩1,550; ask the cashier to set 어린이 or 청소년 with the child’s birth date.
Card fee is never refunded on any of the three. Keep T-money/WOWPASS for your next trip — neither expires quickly.
Transit cards 2026 — FAQ
Is the Climate Card still available for tourists in 2026?
Yes. The 30-day resident Climate Card ended on 31 August 2026 and became the Climate Pass (K-Pass “Modu Card”), which requires a Korean-issued card. The tourist short-term passes — 1 day ₩5,000, 2 days ₩8,000, 3 days ₩10,000, 5 days ₩15,000, 7 days ₩20,000 — continue, valid inside Seoul and on rides ending at Incheon Airport.
Which is cheaper, T-money or the Climate Card?
T-money if you ride fewer than about 3 times a day or leave Seoul. The Climate Card short-term pass if you ride 3–4+ times a day and stay inside Seoul: a 1-day pass pays off at 4 rides, a 3-day pass at 7 rides, a 7-day pass at 13 rides.
Can I use the Climate Card from Incheon Airport into Seoul?
No — from September 2026 the pass covers rides that end at Incheon Airport, not rides that start there. Take the AREX all-stop into Seoul on T-money (₩4,150 from T1) and start the pass in the city. The AREX express always needs its own ₩13,000 ticket.
Is WOWPASS worth it?
Worth it if your home debit or credit card charges foreign-transaction fees, does not work in Korea, or you want to spend cash without carrying it. The card costs ₩5,000, kiosks take foreign cash at close-to-market rates, and it includes a T-money wallet. If your card already works fee-free abroad, plain T-money is simpler.
How much does a T-money card cost and how much should I load?
₩2,500–₩4,000 for the card (about ₩3,000 at most convenience stores). Load ₩10,000–₩20,000 cash for 3–4 days of city rides; top up any time at CU, GS25, 7-Eleven or station machines. Cash only.
How do I refund a T-money balance before flying home?
Under ₩20,000 at GS25 or 7-Eleven, under ₩30,000 at CU or Emart24, under ₩50,000 at Seoul subway station info centres; larger balances at T-money Town in Seoul Station (weekdays). A ₩500 fee is deducted and the card price is not refunded — most people keep the card for the next trip.
Can I use these cards in Busan or Jeju?
T-money and the WOWPASS transit wallet work nationwide on city buses and subways (Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Jeju buses). The Climate Card is Seoul only. None of them cover KTX or SRT trains.
🇰🇷 한국어 요약 · 티머니 vs 기후동행카드 단기권 vs WOWPASS
- 2026년 9월 1일부터 서울시민용 기후동행카드 30일권은 종료되고 “모두의카드(기후동행패스)”로 통합. 한국 카드 필요 → 단기 여행자는 이용 불가.
- 관광객용 단기권(1일 5,000 · 2일 8,000 · 3일 10,000 · 5일 15,000 · 7일 20,000원)은 그대로 유지. 범위는 서울 내 + 인천공항 도착 구간. AREX 직통·신분당선·광역버스 제외.
- 하루 3~4회 이상 타면 단기권, 지방 이동이 있으면 티머니가 유리. 카드값 3,000원은 동일.
- WOWPASS는 5,000원, 외화 현금·해외카드 충전 후 일반 결제 + 별도 티머니 지갑. 두 지갑 잔액은 분리됨.
- 티머니 환불: 편의점 2만~3만원 이하(수수료 500원), 역 고객센터 5만원 이하, 그 이상은 서울역 티머니타운.
✅ Checked 2026-09-04 · Sources: Seoul Metropolitan Government — Climate Card Plus / Climate Pass notices (Jul–Aug 2026) · Seoul Climate Card short-term pass fare table · T-money refund policy (tmoney.co.kr) · WOWPASS service guide (Orange Square). Fares and rules change — the gate screen, ticket machine or official notice wins over this page.