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You just arrived in Korea, bought a T-Money card at the airport convenience store, and now you need to add money — but the kiosk only takes cash and the clerk keeps shaking their head at your Visa card. If you have ever stood in front of a Seoul subway reload machine wondering why your perfectly good credit card does not work, this guide will save you time, money, and frustration. With over three years of navigating Korea's public transit system as a non-Korean-card holder, I have tested every reload method available and mapped out exactly which cards work, where, and how — updated for the latest changes rolling out across Seoul Metro stations in 2026.
Last updated: February 2026
30-Second Summary
- Physical T-Money cards at convenience stores and old subway kiosks: cash only (Korean won).
- New subway kiosks (installed late 2025–early 2026): accept Korean-issued credit cards; international card support is planned but not live yet.
- Android users: reload via the Korea Tour Card T-money app with Visa, MasterCard, Amex, JCB, or UnionPay.
- iPhone users: T-Money works in Apple Wallet, but reloading requires a Korean Hyundai Card — or top up with cash at a kiosk using service mode.
- Best workaround for foreigners: use WOWPASS (accepts foreign currency) and transfer balance to built-in T-money, or simply keep ₩10,000–₩20,000 in cash for reloads.
Table of Contents
- T-Money Reload Methods at a Glance
- Method 1: Convenience Store Top-Up
- Method 2: Subway Station Kiosk Reload
- Method 3: Mobile App Reload (Android & iPhone)
- Which Foreign Credit Cards Actually Work?
- The WOWPASS Workaround for Foreign Card Users
- 2026 Update: New Kiosks & Open-Loop Payment Roadmap
- How Much You Save Using T-Money vs Cash Tickets
- Getting a Refund on Leftover T-Money Balance
- 5 Common T-Money Reload Mistakes to Avoid
- Pre-Trip T-Money Reload Checklist
- FAQ
The method you choose depends on one thing: do you have Korean cash or not?
T-Money Reload Methods at a Glance: Convenience Store vs Subway Kiosk vs Mobile App
There are three primary ways to add money to a T-Money card in Korea, and each comes with different payment options. The confusion most foreigners face is that Korea's transit card system was built around a domestic payment infrastructure — meaning international cards were never part of the original design. Understanding this context makes the workarounds much clearer.
| Method | Payment Accepted | Foreign Card? | Available Where | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience Store | Cash (KRW) only | No | GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, emart24, Ministop nationwide | Quick top-ups anytime, especially late night |
| Subway Kiosk (Old) | Cash (KRW) only | No | All subway stations | When you are already in the station |
| Subway Kiosk (New, 2025–2026) | Cash + Korean credit card | Not yet (planned) | 440+ Seoul Metro stations (Lines 1–8) | Korean residents who want card payment |
| Korea Tour Card App (Android) | Visa, MC, Amex, JCB, UnionPay | Yes | NFC-enabled Android phones | Foreigners without cash |
| T-money GO App (iPhone) | Hyundai Card (Korea) only | No | iPhone with Apple Wallet | Korean residents with Hyundai Card |
| WOWPASS (indirect) | 16 foreign currencies | Yes (indirect) | WOWPASS kiosk machines | Foreigners wanting cashless transit |
As the table shows, the only method that directly accepts foreign credit cards for T-Money reload is the Korea Tour Card app on Android. Every other method either requires Korean won cash or a Korean-issued card. This single fact is the root cause of nearly all the frustration foreigners experience at Seoul subway stations.
The easiest reload method? Walk into any convenience store with cash.
Method 1: Convenience Store Top-Up — Step-by-Step Process
Convenience stores are everywhere in Korea — there are over 55,000 across the country — and every single one of them can reload your T-Money card. This is the method most tourists and residents use, and it takes about 15 seconds once you reach the counter.
How to Reload T-Money at a Convenience Store in Korean
Walk into any GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, emart24, or Ministop. Hand your T-Money card to the cashier along with the amount of Korean won cash you want to load. Say "충전해 주세요" (chung-jeon-hae ju-se-yo), which means "Please recharge this." The cashier will place the card on their reader, key in the amount, and the balance updates instantly. You will hear a beep, and the screen briefly shows your new balance.
The minimum reload amount is ₩1,000 and the maximum per single transaction is ₩90,000, in increments of ₩1,000. Your total card balance cannot exceed ₩500,000. There is no service fee for reloading — the full amount you hand over goes onto the card.
Can You Use a Credit Card to Reload T-Money at a Convenience Store?
No. As of February 2026, convenience stores accept only cash (Korean won) for T-Money reloads. This applies to both Korean and foreign credit cards. The reload transaction is processed through the T-Money system, not the store's regular point-of-sale terminal, which is why card payments are not supported. This is a system-level limitation, not a store policy — so asking the manager will not change anything.
Subway kiosks are faster than convenience stores — but the rules are changing in 2026.
Method 2: Subway Station Kiosk Reload — Old Machines vs New Machines
Every Seoul Metro station has at least one reload machine, typically located near the entry gates. These machines are available in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. The process takes about 30 seconds and does not require interacting with any staff.
Step-by-Step Subway Kiosk Reload Process
Place your T-Money card on the designated pad (marked with a card symbol or the T-Money logo). The screen will display your current balance. Select your language if needed. Tap "Reloading the transit card" or the equivalent option. Choose the amount you want to load (common options: ₩5,000, ₩10,000, ₩20,000, ₩30,000, ₩50,000). Insert cash — bills or coins. The machine will confirm the reload, beep, and display your new balance. Remove your card.
These older machines only accept cash. They do not have card readers for credit or debit cards. They do not give change in coins for bills (though some newer models do), so it is best to insert the exact amount or accept a slightly higher reload.
New Kiosks Installed in 2025–2026: What Changed?
Starting in late 2025, Seoul Metro began installing brand-new ticket kiosks at stations on Lines 1 through 8, replacing machines that had been in service for 17 years. As of January 2026, approximately 440 new kiosks have been installed across major stations. These new machines offer several upgrades: they accept Korean-issued credit and debit cards for both purchasing single-ride tickets and reloading T-Money or Climate Cards, and they include an on-site refund function that previously required visiting a customer service counter.
However — and this is the critical point for foreign travelers — these new kiosks do not yet accept internationally-issued credit cards. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's October 2025 announcement, international card support is planned but depends on resolving overseas transaction fee structures between card networks and transit operators. The city's target is to enable this functionality within 2026, but no firm date has been confirmed.
Your smartphone might be the only way to avoid carrying cash entirely.
Method 3: Mobile App Reload — Android (Korea Tour Card) and iPhone (Apple Wallet)
Mobile T-Money is where the most significant changes have happened in 2025–2026, though the experience differs dramatically between Android and iPhone users — and between Korean residents and foreign visitors.
Android Users: Korea Tour Card T-money App Accepts Foreign Cards
The Korea Tour Card T-money app (available on Google Play) is an NFC-based mobile transit card designed specifically for foreigners. It turns your Android phone into a virtual T-Money card and — critically — allows you to reload using international credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, and UnionPay. This is currently the only official method that lets foreigners reload T-Money without Korean cash.
To use it, download the app, create a virtual T-Money card, add your foreign credit card as a payment method, and reload. Your phone must have NFC capability, and you tap your phone on the subway gate or bus reader just like a physical card. The Seoul Metropolitan Government confirmed in its October 2025 announcement that "Android (Galaxy) users can already reload their transit cards using overseas cards using Tmoney's Korea Tour Card app."
iPhone Users: Apple Wallet T-Money Has Limitations for Foreigners
In July 2025, T-Money became available in Apple Wallet for iPhones in South Korea — a long-awaited feature. You can add a virtual T-Money card and tap your iPhone at subway gates and bus readers. However, recharging the Apple Wallet T-Money balance requires a Korean-issued Hyundai Card, which is the only domestic credit card that currently supports Apple Pay in Korea.
For foreigners without a Korean bank account, this means you cannot reload the Apple Wallet T-Money card through the app. There is a workaround: you can top up your Apple Wallet T-Money card with cash at subway kiosk machines. Go to the kiosk, place your iPhone near the reader, enable "service mode" on your T-Money card in the Wallet app (Card Details → Service Mode), and the kiosk will read your virtual card and accept cash for the reload. Several travelers on Reddit confirmed this method works as of January 2026.
The real question every traveler asks: will my foreign Visa or Mastercard work?
Which Foreign Credit Cards Actually Work for T-Money Reload?
Let me be direct: in most situations, foreign credit cards do not work for T-Money reloads. But there are specific exceptions worth knowing about, and the landscape is shifting in 2026.
Foreign Cards That Work (As of February 2026)
| Card Network | Korea Tour Card App (Android) | Convenience Store | Old Subway Kiosk | New Subway Kiosk | Apple Wallet T-Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa (foreign-issued) | Yes | No | No | Not yet | No |
| MasterCard (foreign-issued) | Yes | No | No | Not yet | No |
| Amex (foreign-issued) | Yes | No | No | Not yet | No |
| JCB (foreign-issued) | Yes | No | No | Not yet | No |
| UnionPay (foreign-issued) | Yes | No | No | Not yet | No |
| Korean Hyundai Card | N/A | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Other Korean credit cards | N/A | No | No | Yes | No |
The pattern is clear: unless you are using the Android Korea Tour Card app, you need Korean won cash. The reason lies in Korea's closed-loop transit payment system. Unlike cities such as London or Singapore where transit gates accept contactless international cards directly (open-loop), Seoul's system uses a proprietary T-Money protocol. Every card payment must go through T-Money's settlement system, which was not designed to handle international card network fees. A single subway ride costs ₩1,550 — absorbing a 2–3% international transaction fee on such small amounts creates a significant financial burden for transit operators already running at a deficit.
Why the Korea Tour Card App Is Different
The Korea Tour Card app works around this limitation because it is a prepaid mobile wallet, not a direct transit gate payment. When you load money using your foreign card, the app handles the international transaction at the reload stage (with the card network fees built into the exchange rate), and then the stored balance functions within the domestic T-Money network. It is essentially a currency conversion step followed by a domestic prepaid card — clever engineering that sidesteps the open-loop problem.
No Korean cash? There is a card that solves everything.
The WOWPASS Workaround: How Foreigners Use Foreign Cards for T-Money
WOWPASS has become the most popular solution for foreigners who want to avoid carrying Korean cash entirely. It is a prepaid card that includes a built-in T-Money function, and it can be loaded with 16 different foreign currencies at WOWPASS kiosk machines found at airports, tourist areas, and subway stations across Seoul.
How WOWPASS T-Money Works — Step by Step
Purchase a WOWPASS card at a WOWPASS kiosk (available at Incheon Airport, Myeongdong, Hongdae, and dozens of other locations). Load money onto the card by inserting foreign currency bills or using a foreign debit card at the WOWPASS kiosk machine. The exchange rate is competitive — typically better than airport exchange counters. In the WOWPASS app on your phone, manually transfer a portion of your WOWPASS balance to the T-Money function. This T-Money balance then works identically to a regular T-Money card on all buses, subways, and taxis.
WOWPASS vs Regular T-Money for Foreigners
| Feature | Regular T-Money | WOWPASS |
|---|---|---|
| Card cost | ₩3,000–₩5,000 | ₩5,000 (free during promotions) |
| Transit function | Built-in | Built-in T-Money |
| Load with foreign currency | No | Yes (16 currencies at kiosk) |
| Load with foreign credit card | Only via Android app | Yes (at WOWPASS kiosk) |
| Use as debit card for shopping | Limited (convenience stores, DAISO) | Yes (all Korean card terminals) |
| Refund | Cash, ≤₩20,000 at stores | Via app or kiosk |
| Available at airport | Yes | Yes (Incheon T1 & T2) |
Based on my experience, WOWPASS is the better choice for tourists staying less than a week. You avoid the cash-dependency problem entirely, and the card doubles as a payment method for restaurants, cafes, and shops. For longer stays in Seoul, a Climate Card (₩65,000/month for unlimited rides) combined with a regular T-Money for non-Seoul travel offers the best value.
Seoul is changing fast — here is what is coming for foreign transit card users.
2026 Update: New Kiosks, Apple Pay Changes, and the Open-Loop Payment Roadmap
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has laid out an ambitious plan to make public transit accessible to international payment cards. Understanding this roadmap helps you plan not just your current trip but future visits as well.
Seoul's EMV Open-Loop Payment Timeline
According to the official announcement from October 2025, Seoul is transitioning from its closed-loop T-Money system to an EMV-based open-loop system in three phases. In the first phase (2025–2026), EMV-certified modules are being installed on bus payment terminals, and a new back-office settlement server is being built. In the second phase (2027), EMV terminals will replace existing readers on subway Lines 1 through 8. In the third phase (2028–2030), the system will expand to town buses, private railway lines (such as Shinbundang Line and airport railroad), and integrated transfer services across the greater Seoul metropolitan area including Gyeonggi-do and Incheon.
When fully implemented, you will be able to tap a foreign Visa or Mastercard directly at a subway gate — no T-Money card needed. This is how transit works in London, Singapore, Sydney, and New York. But for 2026 travelers, the reality is that this system is not yet live.
What Is Available Right Now (February 2026)
The 440+ new kiosks at Seoul Metro stations (Lines 1–8) accept Korean credit cards for T-Money reload and single-ride ticket purchases. Naver Pay and Kakao Pay support has been added for ticket purchases at kiosks. The on-kiosk refund function means you no longer need to visit a service counter to get your deposit back. International card support at these kiosks is expected but not yet confirmed — the Seoul government cited ongoing negotiations over international transaction fees.
For Apple Pay users, Seoul aims to allow T-Money reload using foreign cards via the Apple Pay integration within 2026. Until then, the cash-at-kiosk workaround (using service mode) remains the only option for iPhone-carrying foreigners.
Using T-Money saves real money on every single ride.
How Much You Save Using T-Money vs Cash Tickets — Real Numbers
Beyond convenience, there is a concrete financial reason to use a T-Money card instead of buying single-ride cash tickets.
2026 Seoul Transit Fare Comparison
| Transport Type | T-Money Card Fare | Cash / Single-Ride Fare | Savings per Ride |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subway (adult, base) | ₩1,550 | ₩1,650 | ₩100 |
| Trunk / Branch Bus | ₩1,500 | ₩1,500 | ₩0 (but transfer discount only with card) |
| Rapid Bus (Red) | ₩3,000 | ₩3,000 | ₩0 (transfer discount with card) |
| Circulation Bus (Yellow) | ₩1,400 | ₩1,400 | ₩0 (transfer discount with card) |
The per-ride discount looks small — just ₩100 on the subway. But the real savings come from the transfer discount system. When you use a T-Money card and tap out on every bus and subway, transfers within 30 minutes (60 minutes between 9 PM and 7 AM) are free or charge only the distance difference, up to four transfers per journey. Without a T-Money card, every boarding is a full-price fare.
Real-World Savings Example
A typical tourist day in Seoul involves a subway ride from the hotel to a sightseeing spot, a bus transfer to lunch, another subway ride to a shopping area, and a subway ride back. That is four rides. With a T-Money card and proper tap-outs, the transfer system might charge you for only two base fares plus distance differences — roughly ₩3,100–₩3,500 total. Without T-Money (buying individual cash tickets), the same four rides would cost ₩6,600. Over a 7-day trip with this pattern, you save approximately ₩21,700 — more than enough to pay for two or three meals.
There is also an early morning discount: rides taken before 6:30 AM using a T-Money card receive a 20% fare reduction. The subway base fare drops from ₩1,550 to ₩1,240, and bus fares see similar cuts. If you are catching an early flight or heading to a sunrise spot, this discount adds up quickly.
Fare data sourced from the Seoul Metropolitan Government's official transportation page, effective June 28, 2025.
Heading home? Here is how to get your remaining balance back.
Getting a Refund on Leftover T-Money Balance
If you have money left on your T-Money card when you leave Korea, you can get a cash refund — but there are rules. For balances of ₩20,000 or less, visit any convenience store (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven). Hand the card to the cashier and say "환불해 주세요" (hwan-bul-hae ju-se-yo), meaning "Please refund this." A ₩500 service fee is deducted, and you receive the remaining balance in cash. The card itself is non-refundable (you keep it).
For balances above ₩20,000, a partial refund is available but only in increments of ₩10,000 and only for amounts between ₩10,000 and ₩50,000. Amounts above ₩50,000 require visiting the T-money Town customer center at Seoul Station (Exit 10, Seoul City Tower 1F). Alternatively, you can spend down your balance at convenience stores, DAISO, vending machines, or even some cafes and restaurants that accept T-Money.
Can I get a T-Money refund at the airport?
Does the T-Money card expire?
Avoid these mistakes and you will never get stuck at a gate again.
5 Common T-Money Reload Mistakes Foreigners Make (and How to Avoid Them)
Mistake 1: Assuming foreign credit cards work at kiosks. This is the number one complaint on travel forums. Despite Seoul being an ultra-modern city, the transit card system is cash-only for foreign visitors at physical reload points. Always carry ₩10,000–₩20,000 in cash as a backup for T-Money reloads.
Mistake 2: Not tapping out on buses. If you forget to tap your T-Money card when exiting a bus, you lose the transfer discount on your next ride — and on the 30-day Climate Card, two missed tap-outs suspend your card for 24 hours. Always tap at the rear door reader when getting off.
Mistake 3: Trying to reload at a convenience store with a credit card. The store's regular card terminal and the T-Money reload pad are separate systems. Even if the store happily takes your Visa for buying a coffee, they cannot use it for T-Money reload. This confuses many visitors who see the card reader and assume it works for everything.
Mistake 4: Over-loading the card before departure. Loading ₩50,000 on day one when you are only staying three days means you will be scrambling to spend the balance or dealing with the refund process. For short trips, load ₩10,000–₩20,000 at a time. You can always add more at any of the thousands of convenience stores in Seoul.
Mistake 5: Ignoring the Korea Tour Card app (Android users). Many Android-carrying tourists buy a physical T-Money card and deal with cash reloads, unaware that the Korea Tour Card app lets them reload digitally with their foreign credit card. If you have an NFC-enabled Android phone, this app eliminates the cash problem entirely.
Pre-Trip T-Money Reload Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recharge my T-Money card with a foreign credit card?
Where can I recharge my T-Money card in Korea?
How much can I load onto a T-Money card at once?
Does T-Money Apple Wallet work for foreigners?
What is the cheapest way for foreigners to use T-Money in Korea?
Will Seoul subway gates accept foreign Visa or Mastercard taps in 2026?
Is WOWPASS better than T-Money for tourists?
Can I use T-Money outside of Seoul?
If you found a better way to reload T-Money with a foreign card, or if any of the kiosk updates have changed since this was written, leave a comment below — it helps other travelers stay up to date.
Share this guide with someone planning a trip to Korea!
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