Here's the guide you asked for on Instagram 👋
Cash or card in Seoul? Where cash still matters
- Cashless buses
- 183 Seoul routes, card or mobile pay only (Jan 2026 list)
- Subway machines
- New machines on Lines 1–8 take Visa and Mastercard since Mar 17, 2026 (about 3.7% fee)
- T-money top-up
- Cash at station machines and convenience stores
- Bring
- About ₩10,000 in notes for top-ups (our tip)
183 Seoul bus routes take no cash, subway machines now take foreign cards, and T-money top-ups still need won notes. Here's what to carry in 2026.
Seoul city bus 402 · Photo: Wikiwater2020 (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Buses: some won't take cash
- 183Cashless routes
Seoul's January 2026 list has 183 bus routes that take only transit cards or mobile pay, including the Namsan shuttles 01A and 01B and routes 402 and 600 from Gwanghwamun.
- NO CARDYou can still ride, but paying is awkward
Drivers let you on and hand you a fare notice to pay by bank transfer. That's hard without a Korean bank account, so carry a T-money card or a card with transit built in.
Subway: foreign cards now work at new machines
- MAR 17Visa and Mastercard at 440 machines
New ticket machines at 273 stations on Lines 1–8 accept foreign credit and debit cards, plus Kakao Pay and Naver Pay.
- WHATSingle tickets and Climate Card passes
You can buy single-journey tickets and buy or top up the Climate Card 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7-day passes. The 30-day pass isn't included yet.
- FEEAbout 3.7% extra
Foreign-card payments carry an average 3.7% service fee. Older machines still don't take foreign cards.
T-money: still cash to top up
- CASHStation machines and convenience stores
Topping up a regular T-money card is done with won cash. Keep about ₩10,000 in notes for it (our tip).
- IPHONEMobile T-money app
Since March 2026 the iPhone app takes some foreign cards (Mastercard, Amex, UnionPay). Visa and Android were still under discussion.
Getting won
- WOWPASSPrepaid card for visitors
WOWPASS kiosks at airports, Seoul Station, Hongik Univ. and Myeongdong turn your own currency into a prepaid won card that also works as T-money.
- CATCHIts T-money balance is separate
The transit part can't be loaded with foreign currency: top it up with won cash at a station machine or convenience store.
Say it in Korean (show this screen)
- Can I pay by card?
Ka-deu dwae-yo?
카드 돼요? - Please top up 10,000 won.
Man won chung-jeon hae-ju-se-yo.
만 원 충전해 주세요. - I don't have a transit card.
Gyo-tong-ka-deu-ga eop-seo-yo.
교통카드가 없어요.
Local tips
- Rules and fees change; check the machine screen before you pay.
- Break a large note at a convenience store before heading to the station (our tip).
FAQ
Can I pay cash on Seoul buses?
Not on all of them: as of January 2026, 183 Seoul bus routes are cashless and take only transit cards or mobile pay.
Can I use a foreign credit card in the Seoul subway?
Yes at the new ticket machines on Lines 1–8 since March 17, 2026, for single tickets and Climate Card short-term passes, with about a 3.7% fee.
Can I top up T-money with a credit card?
At station machines and convenience stores, T-money top-ups are cash. The iPhone Mobile T-money app takes some foreign cards (Mastercard, Amex, UnionPay).
Sources: Seoul Metropolitan Government: cashless bus routes (Jan 2026) · Seoul Metropolitan Government: foreign cards at subway machines (Mar 2026) · Daily An: foreigners using foreign cards in the subway (Mar 18, 2026) · SBS Biz: foreign cards for Mobile T-money (Mar 19, 2026) · Money Today: cashless buses and bank transfer (Mar 2023) · Trazy: WOWPASS kiosks and T-money