Korea Subway & Transit Apps 2026 — Seoul Guide for Foreign Teachers

Three apps cover most trips in Korea: a rail navigator, a multi-modal map, and a taxi-hailing app. Install one of each before your first day.

• Subway Korea — simple rail-only option for Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju lines.
• Naver Map — multi-modal routing (walk + bus + subway + taxi) with an English interface.
• Kakao Map — multi-modal alternative.
• Kakao T — local taxi-hailing app.

These are the current adult fares when paying with a T-money transit card in Seoul, taken from the Seoul Metropolitan Government English transit page.

• Seoul subway base fare: 1,550 KRW (adult, transit card).
• Seoul main-line / branch-line bus base fare: 1,500 KRW (adult, transit card).
• Default transfer window: 30 minutes between transit modes.
• Late-night transfer window (21:00–07:00): 60 minutes.
• Maximum 4 transfers per single trip when using a transit card.

Source: Seoul Subway & Bus Fare — Seoul Metropolitan Government

T-money is the contactless prepaid card used on Seoul subway, buses, taxis and many intercity buses. Buy one at any major convenience store (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Ministop) and top it up in cash there.

• Buy at any major convenience store; ID isn't required for the basic card.
• Top up in cash at convenience stores or at transit-card vending machines in subway stations.
• Balances can be refunded in cash at designated locations, minus a KRW 500 service fee; the card itself isn't refundable.
• Mobile T-money via Samsung Wallet works on supported Android phones with NFC.

Source: T-money for Foreigners — Tmoney (Korea Smart Card Co.)

International contactless cards on Seoul transit get a lot of online speculation, so here's what's actually live. From March 2026, 273 stations on Seoul Subway lines 1–8 have 440 new ticket vending machines that accept international credit and debit cards for Climate Card short-term passes and single-use tickets. It's a Seoul, station-machine-only feature — not full nationwide T-money top-up via Apple Pay or Mastercard. Seoul's broader open-loop rollout runs through 2030.

• Works: 273 Seoul Subway stations on lines 1–8, at the 440 new ticket vending machines.
• Covers: Climate Card short-term passes and single-use ride tickets.
• Doesn't cover: top-up of regular T-money cards across Korea, or tap-to-pay at every gate.
• Apple Pay / Mastercard tap-to-ride at transit gates: not nationwide yet; staged Seoul expansion through 2030.

Source: Seoul Climate Card (Public Transport Pass) — Seoul Metropolitan Government

Climate Card is a Seoul-centered flat-rate pass that covers Seoul Subway, city buses, Ttareungi public bicycles, and named segments of the Sinbundang Line, Gimpo Goldline, and SUI Line. The exact service range changes from time to time, so check the Seoul Metropolitan Government coverage map before buying. According to Seoul Metropolitan Government data published in 2026, Climate Card has accumulated over 17 million recharges, averages more than 720,000 daily users, and saves regular users about 30,000 KRW per month versus pay-as-you-go.

• Covers: Seoul Subway, Seoul city buses, Ttareungi bikes, and named extension segments into the metropolitan area — check the latest coverage before buying.
• Adoption (Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2026): 17M+ cumulative recharges, ~720K average daily users, about 30,000 KRW/month savings for regulars.
• Where to buy: Seoul Subway station vending machines. The new 440 machines on lines 1–8 (March 2026) accept foreign cards.

Source: Seoul Climate Card (Public Transport Pass) — Seoul Metropolitan Government

Per the Seoul Metropolitan Government's English taxi guide, a standard medium-class Seoul taxi has a daytime base fare of 4,800 KRW (first 1.6 km), with late-night surcharges that step up by hour: 5,800, 6,700, and 5,800 KRW depending on the time band. Hailing on the street still works, but most foreign teachers use Kakao T for English destination input and card payment.

• Standard daytime base fare: 4,800 KRW (first 1.6 km).
• Late-night surcharge brackets: 5,800 / 6,700 / 5,800 KRW depending on hour.
• Hailing app: Kakao T is the option most foreign teachers report using for English destination input and card payment.

Source: Seoul Taxi Fare — Seoul Metropolitan Government

From Incheon Airport to Seoul Station, the AREX Express direct train is 13,000 KRW for non-members and 12,500 KRW for members on the official AREX site. The slower AREX Commuter (all-stop) train is cheaper and works with a regular T-money card. Limousine buses also run between the airport and Seoul; fares depend on the route, so check the official Incheon Airport site for the route you need.

• AREX Express: non-member 13,000 KRW, member 12,500 KRW (AREX official site).
• AREX Commuter (all-stop): cheaper than Express, accepts a regular T-money card.
• Limousine bus: confirm the current route and fare on the official Incheon Airport site before travelling.

Source: AREX Airport Railroad — Official Site — AREX (Airport Railroad Express)

For travel between Korean cities (KTX, ITX, Mugunghwa), KORAIL runs a foreign-language booking site. Reservations typically open about 1 month in advance, with foreign-card payment supported. Use this site if the Korean-language booking page is hard to navigate.

• Site: korail.com (Global / foreign-language section).
• Booking window: roughly 1 month ahead — confirm the current window on the KORAIL site before booking.
• Trains covered: KTX, KTX-Sancheon, ITX-Saemaeul, ITX-Cheongchun, Mugunghwa, Nuriro.

Source: KORAIL — Foreign-Language Booking — KORAIL (Korea Railroad Corporation)