It’s your last day in Korea. You open your wallet and find a T-money card with some money still on it.
Do you toss it, or get your money back?
Here is the short answer. A T-money card refund covers your leftover balance only, not the price of the card itself. If the balance is small, you can walk into a convenience store, pay a ₩500 fee, and get the rest back in cash.
In this guide, I’ll show you where to buy a T-money card, how to top it up, and how to get your money back before you fly home. I’ve also checked the refund limits for each convenience store chain against T-money’s official guidance, because that’s the part most travelers get wrong.
The 30-Second Summary
- Card price (about ₩3,000–5,000): not refundable.
- Loaded balance: refundable, with a ₩500 fee.
- Small balance: refund in cash at a convenience store.
- Large balance: go to Tmoney Town near Seoul Station.
- Top-ups: cash at convenience stores or subway stations.
What Is a T-money Card?
T-money is Korea’s main transit card. You tap it on subways and buses, and you can also use it on taxis, intercity buses, and at some stores.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea), T-money has the largest number of partner stores of any Korean transit card. It’s prepaid, so there is no account to register.
That’s why many travelers buy one on their first day. The trouble starts on the last day, when nobody tells them what to do with the leftover money.
Where to Buy a T-money Card
The easiest place is a convenience store. GS25, CU, and 7-Eleven all sell them.
You can also buy one at the information centers inside Seoul subway stations on Lines 1 to 8. Cards usually cost ₩3,000–5,000, depending on the design.
Buying at a Convenience Store
Walk up to the counter and say, “T-money card juseyo” (티머니 카드 주세요). The cards are often displayed near the register.
One thing to watch for. Convenience stores also sell similar transit cards, such as the EZL card. Both work on transit, but their refund rules differ slightly, so look for the “Tmoney” logo on the package.
Buying at Incheon Airport
You can buy one at a convenience store in the airport. It’s handy if you plan to ride the airport railroad (AREX) right away.
Store locations differ by terminal, so check which one you’ll arrive at before you go.
How to Top Up Your T-money Card
There are two easy ways.
1) At a convenience store counter Hand over your card, say “Man won chungjeon hae juseyo” (10,000 won, please), and pay in cash. Your new balance is printed on the receipt.
2) At a subway station machine Tap your card on the reload machine, choose an amount, and pay. The maximum you can load at once is ₩500,000.
Can You Top Up With a Foreign Card?
This is where many visitors get stuck. Assume T-money top-ups are cash only (Korean won).
Bring a little Korean cash before you arrive. If you don’t have any, you can exchange money at the airport, or look at an alternative such as WOWPASS, which works with foreign cards.
How Much Should You Load?
This question matters for refunds. The more you load at the start, the more you’ll have to refund at the end.
A simple formula works: rides per day × base fare × number of days.
For example, say you ride 6 times a day and the base fare is about ₩1,550. That’s about ₩9,300 a day, or roughly ₩37,200 for four days. With transfer discounts, ₩30,000–40,000 is usually enough.
Fares can change, so check the current base fare on Seoul Metro or T-money’s official pages.
Top Up in Small Steps
Start with ₩20,000, then add ₩10,000 whenever you run low. This keeps your final balance small.
A small balance means you can finish the refund at any convenience store. That’s the most practical tip in this whole guide.
T-money Card Refund: How It Works
Now for the main part. Here is T-money’s official refund policy in plain English.
Refund Rules at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| What’s refundable | Loaded balance only (not the card price) |
| Fee | ₩500, taken out of your balance |
| Fee waived | If your balance is below the base fare |
| How you get it | Cash, and you keep the card |
Refund Limits by Convenience Store
According to T-money’s official guidance, the limit depends on the chain.
| Convenience store | Refundable balance |
|---|---|
| GS25 | Under ₩20,000 |
| 7-Eleven | ₩20,000 or less |
| CU, emart24, Ministop | ₩30,000 or less |
If this feels confusing, just keep your balance under ₩20,000. Then any of these stores can process it.
How to Refund at a Convenience Store
If you’re wondering how to handle a T-money card refund, this is the most common way.
- Go into a convenience store that offers T-money refunds.
- Hand the card to the clerk and say “Hwanbul hae juseyo” (환불해 주세요), which means “Refund, please.”
- The clerk checks your balance on the reader.
- You receive your balance minus ₩500, in cash.
- You get your card back.
Examples
- ₩7,000 balance → ₩7,000 − ₩500 = ₩6,500 back
- ₩15,000 balance → ₩15,000 − ₩500 = ₩14,500 back
Partial refunds are usually not possible at convenience stores. Plan on a full refund of the balance.
What If You Have a Lot Left?
If your balance is over a store’s limit, the store can’t help. You’ll need to go to Tmoney Town (T-money’s headquarters office) near Seoul Station.
VisitKorea says refunds over ₩50,000 can only be handled at Tmoney Town near Seoul Station. It’s listed near Exit 10, in the Seoul City Tower building.
Bring your passport to be safe. Opening hours and the floor can change, so check T-money’s official website before you go.
Some guides say subway station customer centers handle refunds between ₩20,000 and ₩50,000. Policies can vary by station, so don’t count on it without checking first.
5 Common Refund Mistakes
1) Expecting the card price back The card price isn’t refundable. Only your loaded balance is.
2) Waiting until after security Guides warn that there’s no easy place to refund once you pass airport security. Finish your refund before check-in and security, at a store on the arrivals level.
3) Not knowing the store limit Limits differ by chain. Keeping your balance under ₩20,000 avoids most problems.
4) Throwing the card away Many travelers toss cards with money still on them. Even a small balance can be turned into cash.
5) Assuming every store does refunds Some branches may not. Ask “Hwanbul dwaeyo?” (Can I get a refund?) before you hand over the card.
Or Just Spend the Balance
The cleanest option is to use up your balance. You skip the ₩500 fee entirely.
T-money works on transit and at many partner stores. On your last day, buy snacks or drinks at a convenience store until the balance is gone.
Using the leftover for your airport railroad ride is another easy way.
Coming back to Korea someday? Keep the card. It doesn’t expire, so you can top it up again on your next trip.
Don’t Mix It Up With the Climate Card
If you’re staying in Seoul, you’ve probably heard of the Climate Card. It is a completely different product, and its refund process is different too.
Some things changed on October 1, 2026. According to VisitKorea and the Seoul city government, the 30-day Climate Card has been discontinued, and visitors can use the 1-day to 7-day short-term passes. The card now works within Seoul only.
Short-term pass prices are ₩5,000 for 1 day, ₩8,000 for 2 days, ₩10,000 for 3 days, ₩15,000 for 5 days, and ₩20,000 for 7 days. The physical card is ₩3,000. You can buy and load it with cash or a Korean-issued card.
If you don’t have a Korean bank account, a refund means visiting T-money headquarters. That’s why the official advice is to spend what’s left before you leave.
If you’ll mostly ride transit around Seoul for several days, the Climate Card can save money. If you’re traveling to several cities, T-money is simpler. I’ll compare them in detail in the next post.
Your Pre-Departure T-money Checklist
Run through this the day before you fly out.
- I checked my remaining balance (tap at a gate, or ask at a store).
- My balance is under ₩20,000.
- If it’s higher, I tried spending some at a convenience store.
- I picked a convenience store to visit before check-in.
- I’m okay with the ₩500 fee.
- If I have over ₩50,000, I checked Tmoney Town’s opening hours.
- If I’m coming back, I kept my card.
Final Thoughts: Small Money, but Worth Getting Back
A leftover T-money balance is usually only a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of won. Still, that’s a coffee, or a few convenience store snacks.
A T-money card refund takes about five minutes before you leave. Stop at a convenience store on the way to the airport.
If this helped, keep an eye out for my next post, which compares the Climate Card and T-money so you can pick the right card from day one. A guide on avoiding taxi overcharging is coming in the same series.
And if a friend is planning a trip to Korea, send this their way. It’ll save them money on the last day.
