Good news for tourists, the Climate Card, which is new from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will be available for tourist for the first time and is a way to save money on transportation while you explore Seoul. Starting July 1st 2024, the Climate Card Tourist Pass will be available to short-stay and foreign visitors to South Korea. It will give visitors unlimited access to Seoul’s subway, bus system for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days.
For a short video version of this article:
Origin of the Climate Card (Not for tourist)
The Seoul Metropolitan Government started the first pilot program for the Climate Card (기후동행첃瓻) on January 27, 2024, and it will run until June 30, 2024. This is Korea’s first eco-friendly prepaid travel fare card. It lets you use Seoul’s public transportation as much as you want for a month, and it’s good for 30 days from the first day you use it. It comes in two different plans.
The first one costs KRW 62,000 for subway and bus use only. The second one costs KRW 65,000 and includes the use of the Seoul bike service (Ttareungi) along with subway and bus use. The goal of the Climate Card is to fight climate change while also making it easier for people to use public transportation. Learn more about the Korean Climate Card
Where can you purchase the Climate Card Tourist Pass?
Starting in July 2024, international tourists can purchase a physical Climate Card Tourist Pass from several locations:
- Tourist Information Center in Seoul Tourism Plaza (Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-gu)
- Myeongdong Tourist Information Center
- Customer safety centers in subway stations on lines 1 to 8,
- Convenience stores near subway stations.
- Machines located in Lines 1 to 8 (Seoul Metro) stations, Line 9, Sillim Line, and Ui-Sinseol Line.
How much is the Climate Card Tourist Pass?
The Climate Card Tourist Pass is offered in four durations: one-day, two-day, three-day, and five-day. The prices for each pass are as follows:
- One-day pass: KRW 5,000
- Two-day pass: KRW 8,000
- Three-day pass: KRW 10,000
- Five-day pass: KRW 15,000
Where can you use the Climate Card’s unlimited use of public transport
Here is a list of the Subway lines you can use with the Climate Card:
- (Line 1) Onsu Station/Geumcheon-gu Office Station to Dobongsan Station
- (Line 3) Jichuk Station to Ogeum Station
- (Line 5) Banghwa Station to Gangil Station/Macheon Station
- (Line 7) Onsu Station to Jangam Station
- (Line 9) All stations
- (Sillim Line) All stations
- (Gyeongui-Jungang Line) Susaek Station to Yangwon Station/Seoul Station
- (Suin-Bundang Line) Cheongnyangni Station to Bokjeong Station
- (Line 2) All stations
- (Line 4) Namtaeryeong Station to Danggogae Station
- (Line 6) All stations
- (Line 8) All stations
- (Ui-Sinseol Line) All stations
- (AREX) Gimpo Int’l Airport Station to Seoul Station
- (Gyeongchun Line) Cheongnyangni Station to Sinnae Station
- (Gimpo Goldline) All stations
You cannot use the Climate Card outside of Seoul. You can’t use the Climate Card to get on and off the subway in Seoul and outside of Seoul. Do not leave the train or bus without tapping in and out.
To give you an example, you can’t use the Climate Card to get on at Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station in Seoul and get off at Indeogwon Station in Gyeonggi-do; station workers will have to take your fare separately.
*From Fri, Sep. 13, 2024, you can get off at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 and Incheon International Airport Terminal 2. (However, you cannot take the train at T1 and T2).
Who is the Climate card tourist pass for?
For tourist who are planning to travel strictly in Seoul, the Climate Card Tourist Pass will be useful and can save you some money travelling in Seoul. If your travel itinerary includes travelling to locations outside Seoul, then the T-Money Card is still the best transportation card for travellers.
My recommendation for saving money is, allocating one to five days of purely travelling within Seoul to fully utilize the Climate Card Tourist Pass, this way, you’ll be able to use the unlimited travel using subways and busses, while having the peace of mind of not overspending for transportation.
For those who are planning to travel in Seoul, it’ll be useful to read this guide on taking Kakao Taxis for foreigners, and also renting a car and driving in Korea.
When is climate card tourist pass activated?
The 1, 2, 3, and 5-day passes can be added to an existing Climate Card. However, unlike the 30-day Climate Pass, which lets users choose a start date within 5 days of loading, these shorter passes start immediately upon loading, requiring careful planning by users.
Can Tourists Use the Mobile Version of the climate card?
For tourists, the Climate Card Tourist Pass can only be used as a physical card. Mobile versions are only available to people who have a resident registration number, a foreign resident registration number, and debit or credit cards from Korean banks.
What are other benefits of the climate card tourist pass?
In addition to getting unlimited access to Seoul’s public transport, tourist pass users can also benefit from the same discounts for cultural and performance facilities that are applied to the Climate Card, such as 50% off admission to the Seoul Science Center and Seoul Grand Park.
Can you use Seoul Bike with the climate card tourist pass?
No, Seoul Bike is only available for use on the Pilot program of the 30 day Climate Card, and it is not available for tourist. If you’re interested in using Seoul Bike as a tourist, please read the Seoul Bike Instructions and Chatbot service for Internation Tourists.
