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Subways

subway【 Photo: Seoul Metropolitan Subway Map (Credit: Seoul Metro) 】

Subways serve as a convenient mean of transportation, probably the most favored public transportation by both Koreans and international visitors. Subways are currently available in five major cities consisting of the Seoul Metropolitan Area, which includes Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and Incheon; Busan, Daegu, Gwangju and Daejeon. Seoul Metropolitan Area subway system covers an expansive area, including Line 1 to 9 with additional lines, such as Sinbundang Line, Gyeongchun Line, Gyeongui-Jungang Line, Ever Line, Uisinseol Line, and more, branching throughout the metropolitan area. Each subway line has a designated color to aid passengers in using the subway with ease.

Seoul Metropolitan Subway Map (Credit: Seoul Metro)

Subway Fares by Region

Seoul Subway Base Fares

  • Transportation Card users
    Adults 1,250 won / Teenagers 720 won / Children 450 won
  • Single Journey Ticket users
    Adults & Teenagers 1,350 won / Children 450 won

    * Base fare applies to travel distance of 10 km or less
    * Additional fare: 100 won for every 5 km traveled within 10~50 km distance / 100 won for every 8 km traveled for over 50 km distance
    * Subway fare system varies by region

Busan Subway Fares

  • Transportation Card users
    Section 1 – Adults 1,300 won / Teenagers 1,050 won / Children 650 won
    Section 2 – Adults 1,500 won / Teenagers 1,200 won / Children 750 won
  • Single Journey Ticket users
    Section 1 – Adults 1,400 won / Teenagers 1,150 won / Children 700 won
    Section 2 – Adults 1,600 won / Teenagers 1,300 won / Children 800 won

    * Fare structure: Section 1 (within 10 km) / Section 2 (exceeding 10 km)

Daejeon Subway Fares

  • Transportation Card users
    Section 1 – Adults 1,250 won / Teenagers 880 won / Children 550 won
    Section 2 – Adults 1,350 won / Teenagers 960 won / Children 600 won
  • Single Journey Ticket users
    Section 1 – Adults & Teenagers 1,400 won / Children 600 won
    Section 2 – Adults & Teenagers 1,500 won / Children 650 won

    * Fare structure: Section 1 (within 10 km) / Section 2 (exceeding 10 km)

Daegu Subway Fares

  • Transportation Card users
    Adults 1,250 won / Teenagers 850 won / Children 400 won
  • Single Journey Ticket users
    Adults & Teenagers 1,400 won / Children 500 won

Gwangju Subway Fares

  • Transportation Card users
    Adults 1,250 won / Teenagers 900 won / Children 500 won
  • Single Journey Ticket users
    Adults & Teenagers 1,400 won / Children 500 won

    * Fares above are based on November 29, 2019
    * Adults (ages 19-64) / Teenagers (ages 13-18) / Children (ages 6-12)
    * Senior citizens (ages 65 & over) are charged the same fare as adults; free of charge for senior citizens who have permanent residency in Korea
    * Free of charge for children under age 6 accompanied by an adult regardless of residency

Purchasing Transportation Cards

subway【 Photo: Ticket vending and card reload device 】

In order to use the subway, the first step is purchasing the right transportation card or ticket to meet your needs. Passengers can buy either a Single Journey Ticket or a rechargeable card like Tmoney, Cashbee or MPASS for multiple uses. Single Journey Ticket cards can be purchased using a ticket vending machine and require an additional 500 won security deposit. The deposit can be refunded when returning the card through a deposit refund machine after use.

☞ Related Pages
- Tmoney & Cashbee
- Exclusive Tourist Cards

Deposit Refunds

You can receive your 500 won deposit refund for a Single Journey Ticket by returning the ticket to a deposit refund device at your destination. Simply insert the ticket into the device, and collect your refund.

  1. Deposit Refunds01
  2. Deposit Refunds02
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【 Photo: Use the deposit refund device to receive your refund 】

Subway Lockers

Subway Lockers【 Photo: Subway lockers 】

Many of the subway stations in Seoul are equipped with storage lockers. In addition, most lockers offer instructions in multiple languages. Locker fees and storage hours may vary depending on the terms and conditions of each facility.

- Basic storage time: 2-4 hours
- Fees (based on basic storage time): Small locker 2,000 won / Medium locker 3,000 won / Large locker 4,000 won
* Fees may differ by subway station. Additional fees may be charged after the basic storage time.
- Payment method: Most lockers accept transportation cards; some lockers also accept payment in cash.

Regional Subway Websites

- Seoul Metro: www.seoulmetro.co.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
- Seoul Metro 9 (Seoul Subway Line 9): www.metro9.co.kr (Korean, English)
- Busan Transportation Corporation: www.humetro.busan.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
- Daejeon Metropolitan Subway Corporation: www.djet.co.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
- Daegu Metropolitan Subway Corporation: www.dtro.or.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
- Gwangju Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation: www.gwangjusubway.co.kr (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)

This page was last updated on November 29, 2019, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here.