The Seoul Transit Card
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If you searched for the Seoul Climate Card and found guides telling you to load 62,000 won for unlimited rides, those guides are out of date. The Climate Card was replaced on September 1, 2026, and the new setup is a bit confusing. This guide explains how the Seoul transit card for foreigners works now: what changed, what to buy, and how to get your refund.
What changed with the Climate Card
The old 30-day Climate Card is gone. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the city merged it with the national Everyone’s Card (also called K-Pass) into a program called Climate Pass, starting September 1, 2026.
The old card was prepaid: you paid up front and rode for 30 days. The new one is refund-based. You pay normal fares with a registered card, and the following month you get money back to your bank account.
How the Climate Pass refund works
Seoul’s official numbers for adults are:
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If you spend less than 62,000 won a month on transit, you get a 20% refund.
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If you spend 62,000 won or more, you get back the difference, so your effective cost is capped at 62,000 won.
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A “Plus” flat rate of 100,000 won covers heavy users of regional buses and rail.
Youth, older adults, two-child households, three-child households and low-income users get higher refund rates, from 30% to 53.3%. The same page says the youth age range is 19 to 39. The details are in Seoul’s Climate Card Plus announcement.
Jun’s tip: the refund comes the next month, so your first month feels like you paid full price. That’s normal. Look for the refund after the month closes.
Can foreigners use K-Pass?
Yes, with one condition. Seoul’s official Q&A says only foreigners with a Foreign Resident Registration Number can sign up, and you can enter that number in place of a resident registration number. That means you need your ARC first. If you don’t have one yet, start with my ARC guide.
Also, the benefits are only for Seoul residents. The old Climate Card worked for anyone, but the refund program depends on where you live.
How to get a card and register it
The city lists three ways to get an Everyone’s Card:
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Apply for a credit or debit card from one of the participating card companies.
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Buy a prepaid card at a convenience store.
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Download a supported mobile app. The Tmoney app offers a mobile card.
After you have the card, you must register the card number on the K-Pass website and with your card issuer before you use it. The city says to register your personal information and card number first, then ride. The K-Pass site, korea-pass.kr, is in Korean, so keep a translation app ready.
If your address can’t be verified automatically, the Q&A says you can upload a Certificate of Domestic Residence for foreigners under My Local Government in your K-Pass account.
Jun’s tip: do the registration on a laptop with your browser’s translate feature turned on. It is easier than doing it on a phone while standing at a subway gate.
What visitors and new arrivals can still buy
If you don’t have an ARC yet, or you’re only here for a short stay, the Climate Card short-term passes continue. Seoul says the 1-, 2-, 3-, 5- and 7-day passes remain available, and they can’t be combined with the monthly program. From October 1, the city says they work within Seoul and for trips ending at Incheon International Airport.
Prices were listed on Tmoney’s foreigner guide as 5,000 won for 1 day, 8,000 for 2 days, 10,000 for 3 days, 15,000 for 5 days and 20,000 for 7 days. Check the page before you buy, since prices can change.
Jun’s tip: a short-term pass only makes sense if you ride a lot. A regular transit card with a few rides a day may cost less, so count your trips first.
Quick checklist
- Do you have your ARC and a Seoul address?
- Did you pick a card (bank card, convenience store prepaid, or mobile)?
- Did you register the card on your issuer’s site and on K-Pass before riding?
- Did you add a bank account for the monthly refund?
- Did you check the current refund rates? The temporary half-price measure the city announced ran through September, so confirm what applies now.
Final thoughts
The name changed, but the idea is simple: ride with a registered card, and Seoul pays part of it back. Once you’ve done the registration once, you can forget about it. Getting around is easier with a good map, so see my Naver Map guide.
Next up: how to send money abroad from Korea without getting hit by bad exchange rates.
Checked against official Seoul Metropolitan Government pages in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm on the official site before you act.
