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by 야나트립 Mar 31. 2022

Transportation cards in Korea

The Tmoney and cash bee cards

Internship report by Rand

Given the city's size, public transportation is the most commonly used mode of transportation in Seoul. If you don't want to buy tickets every time you take the subway or bus, you should get a Tmoney or cash bee card!

What is the difference between the Tmoney card and the cash bee card?

Tmoney cards can be used as both a transportation card and a payment method at affiliated stores. The Cashbee card can also be used as a transportation card and a payment method at affiliated shopping centers and convenience stores. Moreover, Tmoney cards are classified into the following types: basic Tmoney cards, integrated cards, foreigner exclusive cards, customized cards, and mobile Tmoney.

How to get one of these cards?

You can either buy them from convenience stores (G25, emart, 7eleven...) or sometimes, or, when it comes to the Tmoney card, it can also be purchased from ticket vending machines and card reloading machines located inside subway stations throughout the Seoul metropolitan area. The prices are from W2,000 for a card. Then, you reload them with money and start your journey!

Another good point about these cards is that you can choose the design for your card! IF you want a simple design, a Kpop design, a cute design, you can find what you want, just ask the cashiers to show you the designs they have.

(photos)

How to use these cards?

When I arrived in Seoul, this was a problem. It's not so much a question of how to use these cards as it is of when to use them... When you have your card, you must tap it every time you enter and exit a subway. The same is true for the bus; each time you board, you must tap your card when entering and again before exiting (so 1 station before). I didn't realize we had to tap again before getting off the bus until I saw other people doing it. Same thing with the subway; I assumed that because the doors were open, we didn't have to swipe our cards (French thinking! ), but we still have to.

Furthermore, these cards are also useful when taking a taxi. You can tell the driver to pay with your Tmoney or cashe bee card, but please remember that you have to have enough money on the card to pay the total!

How to reload these cards?

If you will use the subway, you can reload your card with machines inside the subway. These machines are in Korean and English so no stress about using them! In subways, you also have bank machines in case you need to withdraw money to reload your card. (photo)

If you take the bus, you can reload your card in convenience stores. You go to the cashier, hand over your card, and give them the amount you want to reload and they will do it for you.

Alternative to the card

In case you are afraid of losing the card, or you are more the type to use the phone for everything, you have the Tmoney app. The same process as a card, you just have to tap with your phone. The difference is that you don't have to reload anything because you are paying directly with your credit card. Another advantage is that you can pay the card directly from the app (W3,000), so you don't need to go to convenience stores to get one (as an introvert, I say yes!). You also have Tmoney Pay where you can pay with your phone at some places!