Climate Card Seoul: Short-Term Pass Prices and Rules

What to do

If you will ride the subway and city buses many times a day inside Seoul, buy a Climate Card and load a short-term pass for the number of days you need. You then tap the card at gates and bus readers as usual, and no fare is taken for each ride during the pass period.

The pass is a Seoul city product. It suits a stay based in central Seoul with day trips by subway, not travel to other regions.

What changed in October 2026

Seoul launched a new resident program, the Climate Pass, on September 1, 2026. According to the city’s announcement, the short-term passes for 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days remain on sale, but their service area changed on October 1, 2026:

• The pass now works for travel within Seoul and for trips ending at Incheon International Airport.
• Nearby cities that used to be covered (Gimpo, Goyang, Gwacheon, Guri, Seongnam, Hanam and Namyangju) are no longer included.
• Gimpo Airport Station, which is inside Seoul, can be used with the pass.

The Climate Pass itself only accepts foreigners who hold a foreign resident registration number, so a short visit means the short-term pass.

Step by step

1. Get the card. The physical Climate Card costs ₩3,000. Seoul lists card machines in subway stations and convenience stores near stations. VISITKOREA also names the Seoul Tourist Plaza and Myeongdong tourist information centers, plus Seoul Metro information centers on Lines 1 to 8.
2. Load a short-term pass. Choose 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days at a station machine. Payment can be cash or a card.
3. Start riding. The pass starts on the day you load it. Tap in and tap out on every subway and bus trip.
4. Reload if needed. When the period ends, you can load another short-term pass onto the same card.

Prices

Pass	Price	Per day
1 day	₩5,000	₩5,000
2 days	₩8,000	₩4,000
3 days	₩10,000	about ₩3,333
5 days	₩15,000	₩3,000
7 days	₩20,000	about ₩2,857
Physical card (once)	₩3,000	Not a pass

Prices are from the Seoul Climate Card page, checked October 2026. Per-day figures are simple division.

Paying with a foreign card

From March 17, 2026, Seoul installed 440 new card machines in 273 stations on Lines 1 to 8, per the city’s notice. They take Visa and Mastercard issued abroad, as well as Kakao Pay and Naver Pay, for buying a Climate Card and loading short-term passes.

The city says an average fee of about 3.7% applies when you pay with an international card. Cash avoids that fee if you already have won.

How the days are counted

A pass runs by calendar day, not by 24-hour blocks. Seoul’s example: a 1-day pass loaded on a Monday is good until the last bus or subway that same Monday. Loading late in the evening therefore gives you very little value from the first day.

You cannot charge a pass ahead of time for a later date. Load it on the morning you plan to start using it.

What it covers

Seoul describes coverage as Seoul-based subway lines and Seoul-licensed city and town buses. VISITKOREA adds that Seoul night buses are included.

Excluded, according to the city and VISITKOREA:

• The Sinbundang Line and GTX
• Subway lines outside Seoul
• Intercity buses and airport buses
• Buses not licensed by Seoul
• Ttareungi (Seoul Bike) and the Hangang Bus, which are only part of the 30-day options

For airport trips, the policy page says you can get off at the Incheon Airport T1 and T2 stations but cannot board there with the pass. So the pass helps for the ride out to the airport at the end of your trip, but not for the first ride into the city.

Tapping out matters

Tap your card when you leave the subway and when you get off a bus. Seoul says that missing the exit tap twice leads to a 24-hour suspension.

Refunds

Seoul calculates a refund as the amount charged, minus what you have used on public transport, minus a ₩500 fee. You must ask before the pass period ends, since nothing is refunded after it expires.

Visitors without a Korean bank account can get a refund by visiting Tmoney headquarters, according to both Seoul and VISITKOREA. Check the address with Tmoney before you go.

Common mistakes

• Expecting the pass to cover a day trip to a nearby city. Since October 1, 2026 places such as Goyang, Seongnam and Gwacheon are outside the area.
• Trying to start a trip at Incheon Airport with the pass. Seoul only allows getting off there.
• Riding the Sinbundang Line or an airport bus and finding the pass does not apply.
• Loading a pass late at night and losing most of that day.
• Forgetting to tap out on buses, which can lead to a suspension.

When it does not apply

If you will take only a few rides a day, a regular T-money card that you top up may cost less, so compare it with your plans. If your trip includes regions outside Seoul, the short-term pass will not help for those rides. Residents with a foreign resident registration number should look at the Climate Pass instead. Rules for this pass have changed more than once, so check the Seoul Climate Card page shortly before you travel.