🚇 How to Master the Seoul Metro System -Travel to Korea
🚇 Seoul Metro Guide for Foreigners — Fares, T-money, Apps & Etiquette
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“How do I get around Seoul like a local without getting lost in the subway maze?”
This guide helps foreign travelers and residents use the Seoul metro with confidence.
서울 지하철을 처음 타는 외국인도 요금 · T-money · 환승 규칙 · 앱 · 에티켓을 한 번에 정리해서 볼 수 있도록 만들었습니다.
📑 Table of Contents
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- 💰 Subway Fares (Basic Idea)
- 💳 T-money Card — Price & Where to Buy
- 🔄 Transfer Rules (Subway & Bus)
- 📊 How Big Is the Seoul Metro?
- 🗺 Finding Routes & Exits
- 📱 Best Subway Apps (with links)
- 🙋 Useful Korean Phrases for the Subway
- 🙏 Cultural Etiquette on the Metro
- 📝 Quick Quiz
- ⏱ 1-Minute Habit
- 👩🏫 Teacher’s Tips
- 🌀 Did You Know?
- ✨ Final Thoughts
- 👋 Take a Lesson with Me
- 📣 Next in the Series
- 💬 Stay Connected
💰 Subway Fares (Basic Idea)
For adults using a T-money card, the base fare is usually around ₩1,400 for up to a basic distance. After that, a small extra charge is added as you go farther. (Fares can change over time — always check the newest information on station notices or official websites.)
성인이 T-money 카드로 지하철을 탈 때 기본요금은 보통 ₩1,400 전후이며,
일정 거리 이후에는 구간별로 소액의 추가 요금이 붙습니다.
※ 요금은 수시로 조정될 수 있으니, 역사 안내문 또는 공식 사이트에서 최신 정보를 확인하세요.
💳 T-money Card — Price & Where to Buy
A T-money card usually costs around ₩2,500–₩4,000 (card only, no balance). You can buy it at GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, Emart24, or at ticket machines and counters in subway stations. You can recharge at the same places.
T-money 교통카드는 보통 ₩2,500–₩4,000 정도이며, 카드 가격에 잔액은 포함되지 않습니다.
GS25, CU, 세븐일레븐, 이마트24 같은 편의점이나 지하철 역사 내 매표소·충전기에서 구매·충전할 수 있습니다.
🔄 Transfer Rules (Subway & Bus)
In the Seoul area, transfers between subway and bus (and between lines) are often free within a certain time (for example, around 30 minutes) if you use T-money and tap correctly.
서울·수도권에서는 T-money로 지하철과 버스를 이용할 경우, 일정 시간(예: 약 30분) 안에 환승하면 추가 요금 없이 또는 할인으로 이동할 수 있습니다.
- Always tap when you get on and when you get off.
- 지하철·버스를 탈 때와 내릴 때 항상 카드 태그를 해야 환승 혜택이 적용됩니다.
📊 How Big Is the Seoul Metro?
The Seoul metropolitan subway network includes lines across Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi, with hundreds of stations and millions of passengers every day.
서울·인천·경기 지역을 잇는 수도권 전철·지하철은 수백 개의 역과 수백만 명의 일일 이용객을 가진 대규모 교통망입니다.
🗺 Finding Routes & Exits
Major stations have clear English signs, colored line maps, and exit numbers. If you know your station name + exit number, moving around becomes much easier.
대부분의 주요 역에는 영어 표지판, 노선도, 출구 번호가 잘 정리되어 있습니다. 역 이름 + 출구 번호만 알아두면 훨씬 빠르게 이동할 수 있어요.
Combine station signs with the apps below to find the best route and the right exit for shopping streets, tourist spots, or your hotel.
📱 Best Subway Apps (with Links)
-
KakaoMetro — real-time routes, transfers, and train arrival info
Android: Google Play · iOS: App Store -
Naver Map — subway + bus + walking, English interface available
Android: Google Play · iOS: App Store - Offline map apps — simple schematic subway maps for times with weak signal
💡 Tip: Before your trip, set the app language to English and save your hotel, airport, Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam as Favorites.
🙋 Useful Korean Phrases for the Subway
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 이 노선이 강남까지 가나요? | I noseoni Gangnamkkaji ganayo? | Does this line go to Gangnam? |
| 어디에서 갈아타야 하나요? | Eodieseo garataya hanayo? | Where should I transfer? |
| 교통카드를 어디서 충전하나요? | Gyotong kadeureul eodiseo chungjeonhanayo? | Where can I recharge my transportation card? |
🙏 Cultural Etiquette on the Metro
-
Priority seats: Leave them for the elderly, pregnant women, disabled passengers, and people with small children.
노약자·임산부·장애인·아이 동반 승객에게 배려석을 양보하는 것이 기본 매너입니다. - Escalators: In many stations, people stand on one side and walk on the other — just follow the local flow.
- Noise: Keep your voice low, and avoid long phone calls inside the subway cars.
📝 Quick Quiz
- What card do most people use for subway + bus in Seoul?
- Why is it important to tap your card when you get off the subway or bus?
Show Answers
1) T-money (and similar stored-value transportation cards).
2) To apply transfer discounts correctly and avoid being charged extra.
⏱ 1-Minute Habit
Right now, open your map app and save at least three places as Favorites: your hotel, airport, and one subway station near a popular area (for example, Myeongdong or Hongdae). That tiny habit removes a lot of stress when you actually land in Korea.
지금 사용하는 지도 앱을 열고 숙소·공항·가고 싶은 번화가 근처 역 3곳을 즐겨찾기에 저장해 보세요. 아주 작은 습관이지만, 한국에 도착했을 때 길 찾기 스트레스를 크게 줄여 줍니다.
👩🏫 Teacher’s Tips
Always check the exit number for your destination (café, hotel, market). Big hubs like Seoul Station, Gangnam, or Hongdae can have many exits. Choosing the right one can save you 10–15 minutes of walking.
카페·호텔·시장 등에 갈 때는 반드시 출구 번호를 확인해 두세요. 서울역, 강남, 홍대처럼 출구가 많은 역에서는 올바른 출구만 골라도 10~15분 정도의 도보 시간을 줄일 수 있습니다.
🌀 Did You Know?
Seoul’s metro system is often ranked as one of the most efficient and dense in the world. Trains usually arrive every few minutes during the day, and transfers between lines are designed to be smooth and fast.
서울 지하철은 효율성과 촘촘한 노선망 덕분에 세계적으로도 높은 평가를 받습니다. 낮 시간대에는 열차가 몇 분 간격으로 도착하고, 대부분의 환승역은 갈아타기 편하게 설계되어 있습니다.
✨ Final Thoughts
Once you understand fares, T-money, transfers, and a few key phrases, the Seoul metro changes from something scary into a powerful tool for exploring the city.
요금·T-money·환승 규칙·간단한 표현만 익히면, 지하철은 더 이상 두려운 대상이 아니라 서울을 자유롭게 여행하게 해 주는 최고의 도구가 됩니다.
👋 Take a Lesson with Me!
Want to practice real subway conversations (asking directions, transfers, exits) before you come to Korea? In my 1:1 lessons, we use your actual travel plan to build sentences that you can use immediately in Seoul.
📣 Next in the Series
- How to Commute in Korea — Subway, Bus & Apps
- Getting a Korean Phone Number — SIM Card or Carrier
- Korean Greetings & Cultural Etiquette
💬 Stay Connected
Was this Seoul metro guide helpful? If yes, please bookmark this page, share it with a friend who’s coming to Korea, and leave a comment with your questions.
이 지하철 가이드가 도움이 되었다면, 북마크해 두었다가 여행 전에 다시 한 번 읽어 보세요. 한국 여행을 준비 중인 친구에게 공유하고, 궁금한 점은 댓글로 남겨 주세요!
Update & Transparency: This post was originally written as a simple fare guide and has been rewritten and restructured to match the new “Living in Korea / Travel” series on learningkr.com, with more focus on practical phrases, etiquette, and internal links.
