South Korea and payment options

[moa999]

Spending 2d and 2n in Seoul for first time in March and going down the rabbit hole on transport and payment options and discount cards which seemed varied and overlapping.

Maybe some recent travelers have advice.

Flying in JQ and out early day 3 so have booked arrival and departure nights at the Walker Hill Darakhyu landside, with only one night in Seoul itself at Voco Myendong.

Solo traveller and happy to use public transport.

What I've gathered. (Using A$1 to 1000 KRW)

T-Money - classic transport card - Pay $3 for card - Pay per ride typically $1.40. Can also use card in some other places like c-stores. Can only refill with cash.

Climate Card - separate card for $4 - that allows unlimited transport in Seoul from $5-2 a day, longer cheaper.. can seemingly also store T-Money. Can only refill with cash. Not as easy to get as T-Money.
Can seemingly use Arex local services to the airport, but not from, but otherwise Seoul City only.

EZL (was Cashbee) - combination Korean debit card and transport card with some Lotte discounts. You want the IC version. $4-5 card fee.

WowPass - combination Korean debit card and T-Money card. Card is $4-5. Can load with foreign currency at ok (1-1.5% rates) at some machines, or foreign CC (4%). Can transfer from the debit card portion to T-Money using mobiles with NFC.

Trip.Pass. App that also acts as passport replacement for ID, hotels and tax cash back, as well as a Korean debit card. Card is $5 but Android phones can use NFC or barcode, Apple maybe just barcode or linked card.

Discover Seoul Card. Free or Discounted tourist card from $60-100. In 48/72/120hr versions. Includes one-way limo bus (just 67xx) and one-way Arex Express. Good value of you use expensive places like Seoul Tower, eland cruise, etc. also now some more limited attraction cards.
Card version includes T-Money chip, mobile version includes free e-Sim

At this point I'm thinking a 2-day Climate Card, Discover Seoul Card, and a few $s on Trip.Pass in case I get someone who can't take credit cards

Way more complicated than even China.

 

[AuSammy]

Spending 2d and 2n in Seoul for first time in March and going down the rabbit hole on transport and payment options and discount cards which seemed varied and overlapping.

Maybe some recent travelers have advice.

Flying in JQ and out early day 3 so have booked arrival and departure nights at the Walker Hill Darakhyu landside, with only one night in Seoul itself at Voco Myendong.

Solo traveller and happy to use public transport.

What I've gathered. (Using A$1 to 1000 KRW)

T-Money - classic transport card - Pay $3 for card - Pay per ride typically $1.40. Can also use card in some other places like c-stores. Can only refill with cash.

Climate Card - separate card for $4 - that allows unlimited transport in Seoul from $5-2 a day, longer cheaper.. can seemingly also store T-Money. Can only refill with cash. Not as easy to get as T-Money.
Can seemingly use Arex local services to the airport, but not from, but otherwise Seoul City only.

EZL (was Cashbee) - combination Korean debit card and transport card with some Lotte discounts. You want the IC version. $4-5 card fee.

WowPass - combination Korean debit card and T-Money card. Card is $4-5. Can load with foreign currency at ok (1-1.5% rates) at some machines, or foreign CC (4%). Can transfer from the debit card portion to T-Money using mobiles with NFC.

Trip.Pass. App that also acts as passport replacement for ID, hotels and tax cash back, as well as a Korean debit card. Card is $5 but Android phones can use NFC or barcode, Apple maybe just barcode or linked card.

Discover Seoul Card. Free or Discounted tourist card from $60-100. In 48/72/120hr versions. Includes one-way limo bus (just 67xx) and one-way Arex Express. Good value of you use expensive places like Seoul Tower, eland cruise, etc. also now some more limited attraction cards.
Card version includes T-Money chip, mobile version includes free e-Sim

At this point I'm thinking a 2-day Climate Card, Discover Seoul Card, and a few $s on Trip.Pass in case I get someone who can't take credit cards

Way more complicated than even China.

I didn't use public transport in Sth Korea so can't help there but we didn't take any local currency nor exchanged any while we were there 10 years ago. Card everywhere even at the corner shop for a cheap drink. Way more advanced than AU at the time. I would fully expect tap and go would be almost everywhere by now.

 

[Aeryn]

Was there in April. Card accepted everywhere except the train.We got a small amount of cash (approx AUD $300 equivalent), and just bought paper tickets from machines which are in english, for each train ride (including from ICN to myendong and then to GMP), there is a small 100 coin refund if you return the ticket to the machine after each trip. We had left over cash we just spent at airport, as used card for everything else.

 

[moa999]

Thanks.. so it seems it's just the public transport that's difficult without KRW. Sounds like the climate card might be the go then so I only need to use the machine once and just withdraw enough to cover that