🚇 Subway

How to ride subways in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju, from your transit card to the right exit.

Riding the subway is easy

1
Get a transit card
2
Find your route
3
Check line + direction
4
Tap in
5
Transfer if needed
6
Check your exit
7
Tap out

📍 At a subway station right now?

Tap what you need.

First subway ride in Korea?

You only need to remember these four things.

LINE

Check the line number or color.

DIRECTION

Check the next or last station on the platform sign before you go down.

TAP IN / TAP OUT

Tap the same card when you enter and when you leave.

EXIT NUMBER

Check the exit number before you leave the station.

Choosing the right exit can save you a 10 to 20 minute walk. Check your exit number before you go through the gate.

What do I need?

Transit card

Recommended for most travelers

T-money and compatible cards work on the subways of Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju. If you will also ride buses, a card is far easier than buying single tickets again and again.

Single-ride ticket

Good for one or two trips

The ticket type differs by city (paper-like card, deposit card or QR ticket). Follow the signs for “Ticket / Single Journey / QR Ticket” at the station.

Navigation app

Naver Map or KakaoMap

Search for your destination instead of memorizing the map. The app shows the line, the transfer station, travel time and usually the best exit.

Compare transportation cards →Read the T-money guide →

Can I just tap my Visa or Mastercard?

Do not assume that an overseas contactless credit or debit card will open the gates. For the simplest and most reliable ride, use a Korean-compatible transit card such as T-money.

How to ride, step by step

01
Find the nearest station
Search your destination in Naver Map or KakaoMap. Note the line, the transfer (if any) and the exit.
02
Find your line
Follow the line color and number. You do not need to learn the whole map.
03
Choose the correct direction
See the box below. Check the station names on the platform sign, not “east” or “west”.
04
Tap in
Touch your card to the reader until you hear a beep or the gate opens.
05
Board
Let passengers get off first. Stand behind the platform line or screen doors.
06
Transfer
Follow the signs marked TRANSFER (환승) with your next line number and color. Do not leave through the exit gate.
07
Get off
Check the station name, your exit number and whether you still need to transfer.
08
Find your exit
Large stations have many exits. Choose the one your app recommends.
09
Tap out
Tap the same card at the gate when you leave. This is what completes the fare and any transfer discount.

💡 Best trick for choosing the direction

Check the next station name on the platform sign. If it matches the route on your phone, you are on the right platform. Do not rely only on “inbound / outbound” or “east / west”.

Platform doors and car position

Most major stations have platform screen doors. Numbers such as 5-3 mark the car and door position. Your app may suggest a car for a faster transfer or exit.

Very important

⚡ Express vs local

Local trains stop at every station. Express trains skip some. Always check that your destination is an express stop.

🔄 Transfers

Follow TRANSFER (환승) signs and stay inside the gates. Leave through the exit gate only if your app tells you to.

🚪 Exit numbers

Large stations can have more than ten exits, hundreds of meters apart. The wrong one may leave you across a wide road. Search your destination in Naver Map or KakaoMap before you leave the paid area.

🌙 Do not miss the last train

Operating hours vary by city, line, station and day. Do not rely on a general “midnight”. Check your exact route in a navigation app, or the operator site, before a late trip.

♿ Need an elevator?

Look for the wheelchair or elevator symbol. Large stations may have a different route for elevators, so check the station map before taking a long staircase.

⏰ Rush hour

Trains are usually most crowded around 07:30–09:00 and 17:30–19:30, though it varies by city, station and day. With large luggage, allow extra time.

Step by step at the station

Six situations, with what to do in order. Tap a topic to jump to it.

Find your route in a map app

Open Naver Map or KakaoMap and tap the directions button (길찾기). Check the app’s language setting: Naver Map can be switched to English, KakaoMap is mainly in Korean.
Enter the destination as a station or place name (for example Hongik Univ. Station or 홍대입구역). For the start, use “My location”, or type the station you are in.
Open the public-transport tab (subway or bus icon) and compare the options. With luggage, choose the route with the fewest transfers, even if it is a few minutes longer.
Open the route and read it as a list: line, direction (last station), number of stops, transfer station and exit number. Take a screenshot in case the signal drops underground.

Using Google Maps?

Google Maps shows public-transport routes in Korea, but its walking and driving directions are limited, and its transit details may be less complete than Naver Map or KakaoMap.

Buy and reload a transit card

Buy a card at a convenience store (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Emart24) or at a card machine in some stations. Ask for “T-money” (티머니) or a compatible card.
Top up with cash at the shop counter or at a recharge machine in the station (look for 충전 / Recharge). Some cards can also be topped up in an app.
Load enough for the day. The gate may refuse the card if the balance is below the fare, so top up before you go through, not after.
Keep the card when you leave if you want the balance back. Refund rules, fees and where you can get one differ by card, so check the card’s official page before you rely on a refund.

Compare transportation cards →

Check the platform direction

Find your line number and color on the signs over the stairs and gates, and follow them down to the platform.
Each side of the platform shows the last station of its direction (방면 means “toward”). Choose the side whose last station is on the route shown in your app.
Seoul Line 2 is a loop. Its platforms say inner circle (내선순환) or outer circle (외선순환) instead of a last station. Your app tells you which one reaches your stop first.
Before you board, check the next-station display on the platform sign or screen door. After boarding, check the display in the train: if the next stop is not the one your app expects, you are probably going the other way.

Express on the same platform

On some lines an express train uses the same platform as the local. Check for 급행 / Express on the sign before you board, and make sure your destination is an express stop.

Transfers and exit numbers

Before you get off, check in your app which car is closest to the transfer stairs or to your exit. Platform marks like 5-3 show the car and door number.
At a transfer station, follow the 환승 / Transfer sign with your next line number and color, and stay inside the gates. Do not tap out.
Some transfers are a long walk of several minutes with stairs. Allow extra time, and look for the elevator symbol if you have luggage or a stroller.
To find your exit, look for the number your app shows. Exit numbers hang from the ceiling and appear on pillars. The map near the gates lists landmarks beside each exit. Check it before you tap out.

Not sure which exit?

Ask at the Station Office (역무실) or show your app screen. “5번 출구가 어디예요?” means “Where is Exit 5?”

If you boarded in the wrong direction

Stay calm. A wrong direction usually costs a few minutes. Do not tap out yet.
Get off at the next station. At many stations you can cross to the opposite platform inside the gates: follow the sign for the other direction (or your line’s last station).
At some stations you must leave through the gates and come back in. A new tap-in may be charged as a new fare. Before you tap out, ask at the Station Office (역무실) and show your card.
If you walked onto the wrong platform but have not boarded, simply walk to the other side. If you passed the gate on the wrong line, tell staff: 반대 방향으로 잘못 들어왔어요. (I entered the wrong way.)

Seoul Line 2 is a loop

Going the wrong way on Line 2 still reaches your stop eventually, but it can take much longer. Compare the number of stops in both directions in your app first.

If you miss the last train

Check the last train for your exact station and direction in your app, and be on the platform at least 10 minutes early. Times differ by line, station and day.
Night bus: in Seoul, late-night “owl” buses (올빼미버스, route numbers starting with N) run on limited routes after the subway stops. Look them up in Naver Map or KakaoMap and pay with your transit card.
Taxi: use a taxi app such as Kakao T or go to a taxi stand. Late-night surcharges may apply. Show the address in Korean on your phone.
Wait for the first train: a 24-hour café, fast-food place or jjimjilbang (sauna, usually charges an overnight fee) is an option. First trains often start around 05:00–05:30, but check your line.

Have your address ready

Save your accommodation’s name and address in Korean on your phone so a driver can take you straight there, even with no data signal.

City guides

Seoul Metropolitan Subway

Best for: Seoul plus nearby parts of Gyeonggi and Incheon

Transit card

₩1,550+

Single-ride ticket

₩1,650+ (includes a ₩500 refundable deposit)

Distance based: the fare goes up after the first 10 km.

Useful lines for visitors

Line 1
Seoul Station · City Hall · Jongno
Line 2 🟢
Hongdae · City Hall · Gangnam · Jamsil
Line 3 🟠
Gyeongbokgung · Anguk · Sinsa
Line 4 🔵
Seoul Station · Myeongdong · Dongdaemun
Line 5
Gwanghwamun · Yeouido · Gimpo Airport
Line 9
Gimpo Airport · Yeouido · Express Bus Terminal · Gangnam area

⚡ Express does not stop at every station

On some lines, such as Line 9, express and local trains share the track. Check that your station is an express stop before you board.

🔄 Bus ↔ subway transfers

With a transit card, tapping in and out lets you get a transfer discount, usually within 30 minutes of getting off (60 minutes between 21:00 and 07:00). Transfers are not always free: distance or fare differences can still add to the price.

🎟️ Staying a few days?

Seoul still sells short-term Climate Card passes (1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days). The old 30-day Climate Card was replaced in 2026, so ignore older blog posts. Compare it with T-money on the cards page.

🗺️ Subway route map Official site: Seoul Metro

Language help and payment by city

City	Signs and announcements	How to pay
🏙️ Seoul	Korean and English signs. Train announcements in Korean and English, often with Japanese and Chinese at busy tourist stations.	Transit card, or a single-ride card with a ₩500 deposit that you get back at a deposit-refund machine.
🌊 Busan	Korean and English signs. Announcements are in Korean and English; other languages vary by station.	Transit card, or a QR ticket from the ticket machine (pick your destination and pay).
🍎 Daegu	Korean and English signs. Fewer announcements in other languages than in Seoul; staff can help at the Station Office.	Transit card or a single-ride ticket from the machine; the ticket type differs by city.
🌳 Daejeon	Korean and English signs. Fewer announcements in other languages than in Seoul; staff can help at the Station Office.	Transit card or a single-ride ticket from the machine; the ticket type differs by city.
🌿 Gwangju	Korean and English signs. Fewer announcements in other languages than in Seoul; staff can help at the Station Office.	Transit card or a single-ride ticket from the machine; the ticket type differs by city.

Need an interpreter?

Call the 1330 Korea Travel Helpline for interpreter help (it runs around the clock; from a mobile phone, dial 02-1330).

Services differ by station and operator, and can change. Check the official operator before you travel.

Subway route maps

Open the official route map in your language. If the operator has no page in your language, the English version opens.

Fares at a glance

City	System	Adult transit-card fare	Fare system
🏙️ Seoul	Metropolitan Subway	₩1,550+	Distance based
🌊 Busan	Lines 1–4	₩1,600 / ₩1,800	2 sections
🍎 Daegu	Lines 1–3	₩1,500	Flat
🌳 Daejeon	Line 1	₩1,550 / ₩1,650	2 sections
🌿 Gwangju	Line 1	₩1,250	Flat

Fares can change. Check the official operator for the latest price.

Signs you will see

Korean	English	Meaning
승강장	Platform	Where the trains stop
타는 곳	Boarding	Where to board
환승	Transfer	Change lines
출구	Exit	Way up to the street
역무실	Station Office	Ask staff for help
급행	Express	Skips some stations
막차	Last train	The final train of the day
엘리베이터	Elevator	Lift
화장실	Restroom	Toilet

Something went wrong?

The gate will not open

Check your balance first. Use a recharge or fare-adjustment machine, or ask at the Station Office.

I went through on the wrong side

Do not jump the gate or force it. Tell station staff: “반대 방향으로 잘못 들어왔어요.” (I entered the wrong way.)

My balance is too low

Look for a recharge or fare-adjustment machine near the gates. Cash works at most of them.

I missed my stop

No problem. Get off at the next station and ride back the other way.

I took the wrong exit

Use your navigation app to walk to your destination, or go back down and use the right exit.

I left something behind

Contact the Station Office as soon as possible. Say the line, direction and time.

Quick Korean

___ 가요?
Does this train go to ___?
___ 가는 승강장이 어디예요?
Which platform goes to ___?
반대 방향으로 잘못 들어왔어요.
I entered the wrong platform.
5번 출구가 어디예요?
Where is Exit 5?

Subway FAQ

Can I use T-money in cities outside Seoul?

Yes. T-money works on the subways of major cities including Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju.

Do I tap when entering and leaving?

Yes. Tap in at the gate before the platform and tap out when you leave.

Can several people share one T-money card?

For subway travel, give each passenger their own card. It is the simplest and safest approach.

Do the stations have English signs?

Station names, line numbers and major direction signs are generally shown in English as well as Korean. The detail varies by operator.

Can I eat on the subway?

It is better not to. Strong-smelling or messy food is generally considered poor etiquette.

Can I bring luggage?

Yes, but keep doors and aisles clear, especially at rush hour. With large bags, allow extra time.

Who should use the pink priority seats?

Priority seats are for people who need them: older adults, people with disabilities, pregnant passengers and people with injuries. Pregnancy seats are usually pink. If you can, leave them free.

Official information

Schedules, fares and rules can change. Always check the official operator before you travel.

Information last verified: 2026-10-07 · Updated: 2026-10-07