Price verified July 2026 · Seoul Metro, Seoul, South Korea
Honestly one of the best transit deals anywhere. ₩1,550 gets you across a city of ten million on a system that’s clean, fast, and easy to use in English. The only things that’ll catch you off guard: the airport express and the Sinbundang line.
Seoul subway costs ₩1,550 at Seoul Metro, Seoul, South Korea, as of July 2026. ()
What you get
Tapped my card at the gate and there it was on the little screen: ₩1,550. That’s the standard adult fare with a transit card — not just for Seoul, but for the whole Capital Area. Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi all run as one system, and that base fare covers your first 10km. Paying cash? ₩1,650. A card is always ₩100 less, and here’s the part that actually matters: only a card gets you the transfer discount. Got kids with you? The fare scales down by age. Children 6–12 pay ₩550, teens 13–18 pay ₩900, and anyone under 6 rides free. Same distance rules, same transfer rules — just a lower starting point. Ride further and the price creeps up by distance, never by line. It’s +₩100 for every 5km between 10 and 50km, then +₩100 per 8km after that. In practice, a 25km trip runs about ₩1,850 and 30km about ₩1,950. And since the whole capital area is one network, transfers mid-trip cost nothing — you’re only charged on total distance. You get up to four transfers, buses included, as long as you tap back in within 30 minutes of tapping out. Quick caveat: that ₩1,550 is a Seoul/Capital-area number. Other cities do their own thing. Now, the stuff that trips visitors up. The airport is the big one: the non-stop Express is a separate ₩11,000 ticket, and it gives you zero transfer discount. Everything else — Gimpo Gold, Ui-Sinseol, Yongin EverLine — is on the normal fare now, thankfully. One last thing so you don’t panic at the machine: a single-journey ticket adds a ₩500 deposit, but you get it back from a refund machine after you exit. It’s not a real cost. Oh, and riders 65 and up (plus people with disabilities and national-merit holders) ride the integrated lines free with ID — though that doesn’t extend to the airport Express.
Price details
| Item | Seoul subway (Capital-area) base fare |
| Price | ₩1,550 — |
| Where | Seoul Metro, Seoul, South Korea |
| Date | July 2026 |
| Best for | Every traveler in Seoul — it’s the cheapest, fastest way to get around, and you only need one transit card. |
| Would I buy again? | Every single day. Just tap a T-money card, not cash — a card is ₩100 less and cash gets no transfer discount. |
Tip: Just get a T-money card (or use a foreign contactless card where it’s accepted) — it’s ₩100 less than cash, works on buses too, and unlocks the transfer discount. Top it up at any station machine or convenience store.
FAQ
How much is the Seoul subway?
₩1,550 for an adult with a transit card, or ₩1,650 in cash — that covers your first 10km, per the June 2025 fare. Go further and it adds ₩100 per 5km.
Does a transit card cost less than cash?
Yes, always. A T-money or other transit card saves you ₩100 per ride, and cards are the only way to get the transfer discount. Single-journey tickets also tack on a ₩500 deposit — refunded after you exit, but still a hassle.
How much is the subway to Incheon Airport?
The non-stop AREX Express is a whole separate ₩11,000 ticket, and it gets no transfer discount.
Do seniors and children get discounts?
Riders 65 and over (plus people with disabilities or national-merit status) ride the integrated lines free with ID. Kids 6–12 pay ₩550, teens pay ₩900, and under-6s ride free. The airport Express isn’t included in any of this.
This price is as of July 9, 2026 (date of writing) and may vary by store.