How to use the Climate card in Seoul: Guide for Malaysians

If you’re planning a vacation to Korea, you might be thinking of getting a Tmoney card for public transport. But if you’re planning to travel only in Seoul and you want a possibly cheaper option, the Climate card might be a better alternative.

We’ll talk about what the Climate card is, where you can purchase one, how much it will cost and more in this guide. Additionally, we’ll also talk about how the Wise card can help you get even more bang for your ringgit when you’re travelling.

What is the Climate Card in Seoul?

The Climate Card is a transportation card that is meant for use in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. It provides unlimited use of most subway lines and buses for 30 days, with a plan that includes the use of Seoul public bicycles¹.

Is there a Climate Card for tourists?

There is a Climate Card Tourist Pass, which allows for tourists to purchase short-term passes for 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 5 days or 7 days of unlimited use of the Seoul public transport system². Aside from that, there’s very little difference. Climate Card Tourist Pass holders will be entitled to benefits like admission discounts to cultural and performance facilities such as the Seoul Science Center and Seoul Grand Park.

Seoul Climate Card price

The Climate Card costs 3,000 KRW for the card itself, and you’ll have to top up additional money to purchase a pass. Prices vary depending on the length of pass you purchase, and we’ve put the prices for the different passes in a handy table below.

We’ve only included the price for the 30-day pass without access to the Seoul public bicycles as that pass requires the user to have a Korean authentication method, which most tourists won’t have.

As you can see for the short-term passes from 1 to 7 days, the per-day price gets cheaper the longer the pass is. If you purchase a 1-day pass, you’ll have to take at least 6 subway rides (total of 8,400 KRW if paying by other transportation cards) to make it worth the 8,000 KRW total.

But if you purchase a 7-day pass, the daily cost broken down from the 23,000 KRW total is just 3,286 KRW, which can be recouped as long as you take at least 3 subway rides. So if you’re planning to take plenty of train and bus rides daily, the Climate Card can be a good way to save some money.

Where to buy a Climate Card in Seoul?

If you’re unsure as to where to buy a Climate Card in Seoul, it can be found at the Tourist Information Center in Seoul Tourism Plaza, the Myeongdong Tourist Information Center, Customer Safety Centers located inside lines 1-8 of the Seoul Metro as well as at convenience stores such as CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and E-Mart 24³.

Different designs do get introduced from time to time, but there isn’t as wide a variety as other transportation cards.

How to use the Climate Card in Seoul?

Once you purchase a Climate Card, you’ll need to activate the card and top it up with funds for the pass that you want to purchase. This can be done at any card reload machine in subway stations, but the machines will only take cash.

To use the card, you’ll have to make sure you tap in when entering a subway station or bus, and you must make sure you tap out when exiting. The Climate Card has a specific requirement to tap out because if you purchase a 30-day pass and forget to tap out more than twice, the pass will be suspended for 24 hours. While it’s unclear if this also applies to the short-term passes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.⁴

Climate Card Seoul coverage

The Climate Card covers Seoul-based subway lines, the Gimpo Goldline, Seoul-licensed transit/town buses and Ttareungi, the Seoul public bikes. However, as mentioned previously, one will need a Korean authentication method to be able to use the bicycles, which tourists won’t have.

As for exclusions, the Climate Card will not work on the Sinbundang Line, subway lines outside Seoul, intercity/airport buses and non-Seoul-licensed buses. This means you can’t use the Climate Card even if you’re starting your journey in Seoul and ending it in another city. However, there is an exception for disembarking at a station on Line 5 (between Misa Station and Hanam Geomdansan Station), and Line 7 (between Seongnam Station and Kkachiul Station) after boarding in the service range.

You will also be able to take a train from Seoul and disembark at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 and 2.

Does the Climate Card work in Busan

Unfortunately, the Climate Card and Climate Card Tourist Pass only work in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, and will not apply if you take transportation outside of the service area in other cities like Busan. However, the pass can be used to go from Seoul to the Incheon international Airport stations. It only works if you’re getting off at the airport stations, so you won’t be able to use the Climate Card to go from Incheon International Airport to Seoul.

What are other benefits of the Seoul Climate Card?

The Climate Card and Climate Card Tourist Pass offers some discounts for pass users, and we’ve listed them in a table below.

🛍️ With the Wise card you can save even more when you spend in KRW. Check out our guide on what to buy in Korea for Malaysians

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Namane card vs Tmoney vs Climate card

There are more contactless smart cards than just the Tmoney card, however, and we’ll be pitting some other transport cards together to see which one might be right for you.

Pay for shopping, food and more in Seoul with the Wise card

Ready to start shopping in Seoul? Make sure you get your Wise account set up before you fly. With the ability to hold and convert between 40+ currencies, you’ll be able to get your MYR exchanged to KRW at mid-market rates with low, transparent fees⁵. With Wise, you can convert money in advance so you can always ensure you’re paying in local currency or to simply spend within a fixed budget.

Don’t forget to apply for a linked Wise card as well, which is perfect for contactless payments in Korea. You can opt for a physical card so that you can withdraw cash from ATMs in Korea, and the digital card can be added to Apple Pay or Google Pay so you can make payments with just your phone. Wise also offers up to 3 free virtual cards which you can add to Apple Pay or Google Pay for even more convenience.

Before hopping on that plane, get a trusty Wise card for your next Korean adventure to enjoy even more savings and a whole lot of convenience.

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