Overview
Seoul's public transport is one of the easiest systems in Asia for a visitor to use. The subway is the backbone: an extensive, colour-coded network with trains running from roughly 5:30 am to midnight, station signs written in Korean, English and Chinese, and numbered exits at every station. Signage on the street and in stations is usually bilingual, so you can navigate without extra help.
Riding end to end is simple. Buy or charge a rechargeable transit card (T-money is the standard), tap in at the gate, ride to your station, and tap out on exit — the fare is calculated by distance and deducted automatically. If you pay cash for a single-journey ticket instead, you must buy it from a vending machine at your starting station and reclaim a small deposit at your destination. Transfers between subway lines are free, and a transit card also gives you free bus–subway transfers if you tap on and off each mode within the time window.
The network
Seoul Metropolitan Subway is operated by two major companies: Seoul Metro (서울교통공사, Seoul Gyotong Gongsa), a municipal corporation owned by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Korail, the national rail operator. Seoul Metro runs all of lines 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and part of lines 1, 3 and 4; trains on lines 1, 3 and 4 through-run with Korail services. The subway also functions as a commuter rail network for nearby cities and towns in Gyeonggi Province.
- Subway lines 1–9 — the core numbered network, colour-coded on maps. Line 2 is the large circle line through the city; Line 9 (the "Gold Line") was Seoul's first privately run subway line and has express trains.
- Airport Railroad Express (AREX) — links Incheon International Airport and Gimpo Airport with Seoul Station, with a non-stop Express Train and an all-stop train. It has its own fare area for the section between Cheongna International City and Incheon International Airport.
- Gyeongui–Jungang Line — a suburban rail line calling at Seoul Station, Yongsan, Cheongnyangni and Sangbong, among others.
- Suin–Bundang Line — suburban rail serving Suseo and Cheongnyangni.
- Gyeongchun Line — suburban rail with some trains at Cheongnyangni and Sangbong.
- Shinbundang Line — a separate-fare line between Sinsa and Gwanggyo.
- Ui-Sinseol Line (우이신설선, Ui-Sinseol-seon) — a light-rail line between Balgok and Tapseok, with its own additional fare.
- Sillim Line — a light-rail line in the city's southwest.
- Yongin EverLine — a light-rail line from Giheung to Jeondae/Everland with an additional fare.
- GTX — a high-speed commuter service; it now calls at Suseo, putting Guseong and Suseo about 15 minutes apart.
- Buses — colour-coded: blue for trunk routes between districts, green for branch routes linking subway stations and residential areas, small green "maeul" buses for local routes within one district, yellow for city-centre circulation, and red for rapid services to surrounding areas. Late-night buses also run.
- Ferries — there are ferry services to points in China from the neighbouring port city of Incheon. No ferry services run from Japan to Seoul; travellers instead take a coach, KTX or SRT train to Busan, where ferry and hydrofoil options are available.
Tickets & fares
Fares are distance-based and are approximate — they change, and a fare increase took effect on 28 June 2025. The base adult fare covers 10 km; beyond that you pay an additional ₩100 per 5 km (on some calculations, per 8 km over 50 km).
- Adult base fare: about ₩1,400 with a transit card and ₩1,500 for a cash single-ride ticket before the 2025 increase, rising to roughly ₩1,550 by card and ₩1,650 cash afterwards. Cash single tickets cost about ₩100 more than card fares.
- Teen (13–18): about ₩800 by card / ₩1,500 cash, rising to about ₩900 / ₩1,650.
- Child (6–12): about ₩500 by card / ₩500 cash, rising to about ₩550 / ₩550.
- Early-morning discount: 20% off your first ride before 6:30 am when using a transit card.
- Single-journey tickets: bought at station vending machines; you need the exact fare plus a ₩500 refundable deposit, which you reclaim at your destination from a "Deposit Refund Device."
- T-money card: the standard rechargeable smartcard. The card itself costs about ₩3,000 (non-refundable), has no expiration, and can be charged with any amount. Buy and top it up at convenience stores, subway stations and tourist information centres; you can also recharge via vendor stalls, the T-money Pay app and bank ATMs. It works on buses, the subway, taxis and many convenience stores, and even at some traditional markets. Refunds under ₩20,000 can be made at convenience stores for a small fee; larger balances only at T-money headquarters in Jung-gu. A T-money Mpass card exists for international visitors.
- Transfers: transfers between subway lines are free. With a transit card you get up to four free transfers (five rides in total) between buses and between bus and subway, provided you tap on and off each mode, transfer within 30 minutes (60 minutes between 9 pm and 7 am) and stay within 10 km. The highest base fare among the modes used is charged. Cash payments generally do not receive transfer benefits.
- Commuter passes: a Seoul citywide pass costs about ₩68,200, and distance-based passes run in 18 tiers from about ₩68,200 (up to 20 km) to about ₩129,000 (over 130 km).
- Climate Card (Gihoo Donghaeng Card): short-term unlimited travel passes for visitors on eligible Seoul public transport — 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days for about ₩5,000, ₩8,000, ₩10,000, ₩15,000 and ₩20,000 respectively. Note that short-term passes do not cover all transport services.
- Separate fares: additional fares apply on the AREX independent area, the Shinbundang Line, the Yongin EverLine and the Ui-Sinseol LRT.
- Seniors: people aged 65 and over ride the subway free.
If your card balance is too low to exit, use the fare adjustment machines near the turnstiles. Bus fares are separate and vary by colour: blue and green city buses are about ₩1,500 for adults, yellow and short-distance buses about ₩1,400, red intercity buses about ₩3,000, town buses about ₩1,200 and late-night buses about ₩2,500. Board buses at the front and tap on entry, then exit through the rear door and tap off.
From the airport
Most visitors arrive at Incheon International Airport (ICN) on Yeongjong Island; Gimpo Airport (GMP) mostly handles domestic flights plus a few routes to China, Japan and Taiwan.
- AREX Express Train: non-stop from Incheon to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes from Terminal 1 or 51 minutes from Terminal 2. Sources give the adult fare as ₩13,000 or ₩9,500 — treat it as roughly ₩10,000–13,000 and check the official AREX site for current prices. Trains depart every 20–40 minutes.
- AREX All-Stop Train: also serves Gimpo Airport and other stations; from Seoul Station the card fare is about ₩4,750 to Terminal 1 or ₩5,350 to Terminal 2, with travel times of roughly 59 and 66 minutes. Trains run every 5–10 minutes. The two services use separate platforms and ticketing arrangements.
- Airport limousine buses: the best option if you have a lot of luggage or are heading to southern Seoul such as Gangnam. Bus 6009 to Gangnam takes about 80 minutes from Terminal 1 and 100 minutes from Terminal 2; journey times vary with traffic.
- Taxi: a direct taxi to Seoul costs around ₩50,000 regular / ₩70,000 deluxe; flat-fare international taxis from Incheon run about ₩70,000–95,000 for a midsize car.
- From Gimpo Airport: AREX reaches Seoul Station in about 20 minutes (Express) or 26 minutes (All Stop), with trains every 10 minutes and tickets around ₩1,500–3,100. Subway lines 5 and 9 also serve the airport, and all three lines intersect Line 2. A taxi to central Seoul costs around ₩30,000.
Etiquette & customs
- Queuing: wait behind the platform markings and let passengers off before boarding. Boarding is orderly and generally follows the marked queue positions.
- Escalators: keep to one side so people in a hurry can pass — follow the example of those around you, as the standing side can vary by station.
- Priority seating: front seats and marked priority seats are for the elderly, disabled passengers and pregnant travellers; yield them without being asked.
- Quiet cars: keep phone calls and conversation low; many carriages are noticeably quiet.
- Eating and drinking: avoid eating on trains and platforms; drinks are tolerated but keep them tidy.
- Rush hour: expect heavy crowding roughly 07:30–09:00 and 18:00–20:00. Move right down the platform, keep backpacks in front of you, and don't block the doors.
- Tap out: always tap your card on exit as well as entry, or you'll be charged a maximum fare and lose your transfer discount.
Official links
Survival terms
- 지하철 (jihacheol) — subway/metro
- 표 (pyo) — ticket
- 호선 (hoseon) — line (e.g. 2호선, i-hoseon, Line 2)
- 입구 (ipgu) — entrance
- 출구 (chulgu) — exit
- 환승 (hwanseung) — transfer
- 기본요금 (gibon yogeum) — single/base fare
- 일일권 (irilgwon) — day pass
Charge your T-money card generously at the start of each day and always tap out at your destination — it keeps your fare correct and your free transfers intact.