T-Money
Encyclopedia
T-money is a rechargeable series of cards and other "smart" devices used for paying transportation fares in and around Seoul
and other areas of South Korea
. T-money can also be used in lieu of cash or credit cards in some convenience stores and other businesses. The T-money System has been implemented and is being operated by Korea Smart Card Co., Ltd which is 34.4% owned by Seoul Metropolitan City Government, 31.85% owned by LG CNS , and 15.73% owned by Credit Card Union.
Some stores and attractions including Lotte World
amusement park, Kyobo Book Centre
, GS 25 and other selected convenience stores accept T-money as payment.
and can be purchased and recharged at stations, banks, convenience stores and kiosks located adjacent to bus stops. Self-service recharge machines are also available. Cards can easily be scanned while within a purse or wallet, but can be damaged if bent or otherwise subjected to unnecessary force.
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and other areas of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. T-money can also be used in lieu of cash or credit cards in some convenience stores and other businesses. The T-money System has been implemented and is being operated by Korea Smart Card Co., Ltd which is 34.4% owned by Seoul Metropolitan City Government, 31.85% owned by LG CNS , and 15.73% owned by Credit Card Union.
Use
Similar to its predecessor, the "Seoul Bus Card", T-money can be used to pay for bus, subway and some taxi fares. T-money is accepted by:- All SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Gyeonggi-doGyeonggi-doGyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946...
, IncheonIncheonThe Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
, BusanBusanBusan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
and DaejeonDaejeonDaejeon is South Korea's fifth largest metropolis and the provincial capital of Chungnam. Located in the center of the country, Daejeon had a population of over 1.5 million in 2010. It is at the crossroads of Gyeongbu railway, Honam railway, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Honam Expressway. Within the...
buses - Seoul, Incheon, Busan and Daejeon Metropolitan Subway networks
- AREXAREXAREX, spelled A'REX as a brand name, is a South Korean railway line that links Seoul with Gimpo Airport and Incheon International Airport. The section between the two airports opened on March 23, 2007, the extension to Seoul Station opened December 29, 2010...
- All Chungcheongnam-doChungcheongnam-doChungcheongnam-do or Chungnam is a province in the west of South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the south-western half of the former Chungcheong Province and remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, thereafter becoming part of South Korea...
buses - All GangneungGangneungGangneung is a city in Gangwon-do, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 229,869 . Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong region of eastern Gangwon Province. Gangneung has many tourist attractions, like Jeongdongjin, one of the most famous towns in Korea...
, WonjuWonjuWonju is the most populous city in Gangwon province, South Korea.Wonju is a city approximately east of Seoul and the capital can be reached within 1hr 30minutes by bus or train. Wonju is home to three major universities which attract many students from Seoul and elsewhere. They provide facilities...
and Hoengseong buses in Gangwon-doGangwon-do (South Korea)Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:... - All AndongAndongAndong is a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 in October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city...
and PohangPohangPohang is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, and a main seaport in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. The built-up area of Pohang is located on the alluvium of the mouth of the Hyeongsan River...
city buses in Gyeongsangbuk-doGyeongsangbuk-doGyeongsangbuk-do or shortly Gyeongbuk is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea.The Gyeongsangbuk-do Office is... - All TongyeongTongyeongTongyeong is a coastal city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. In 2010, it had an area of 238.81 ㎢ and a population of 139,869 people. It is divided into 1 eup , 6 myeon and 11 dong . Chungmu city and Tongyeong county were reunited in 1995, creating Tongyeong City as we know it today...
and GeojeGeojeGeoje is a city located in South Gyeongsang province, just off the coast of the port city of Busan, South Korea. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in Okpo and Samsung Heavy Industries in Gohyeon are both located on Geoje Island. The city also offers a wide range of tourist sights...
city buses in Gyeongsangnam-doGyeongsangnam-doGyeongsangnam-do is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Changwon. It contains the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. Located there is UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana and attracts many... - All Jeju-doJeju-doJeju-do is the only special autonomous province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country's largest island. Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946...
buses
Some stores and attractions including Lotte World
Lotte World
Lotte World is a major recreation complex in Seoul, South Korea. It consists of the world's largest indoor theme park which is open all year around, an outdoor amusement park called "Magic Island", an artificial island inside a lake linked by monorail, shopping malls, a luxury hotel, a Korean folk...
amusement park, Kyobo Book Centre
Kyobo Book Centre
The Kyobo Book Centre or Kyobo Mungo , is the largest and most famous book store in South Korea. It boasts ten stores in seven cities, the most famous one being its Main Store, or Gwanghwamun-jum in Seoul, which is located right under the Kyobo Building, situated at Number 1, Jong-ro 1 Street...
, GS 25 and other selected convenience stores accept T-money as payment.
Standard
T-money cards cost 2,500 - 3,000 wonSouth Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
and can be purchased and recharged at stations, banks, convenience stores and kiosks located adjacent to bus stops. Self-service recharge machines are also available. Cards can easily be scanned while within a purse or wallet, but can be damaged if bent or otherwise subjected to unnecessary force.
Discount cards
There are two types of discount cards available for sale, one for teenagers (age 13-18) and the other for children (age 7-12). One needs a proper ID such as a Youth Card or Student ID in order to purchase these cards. Discount cards must be registered via the Internet within 10 days after first use. Registration requires a user name and a National ID number or Foreigner registration number. Senior citizens are entitled to free transportation and can pick up free tickets at counters in subway stations.T-money accessories
Smaller, more durable T-money cards with a thread for easy attachment to cell phones are also available, for about 5000 won. Watches, dolls, MP3 players, portable memory sticks, rings, and bands containing T-money chips are also on sale.Related cards
- Metro Pass (정기권), a monthly pass for the Seoul and Incheon subway systems available at stations.
- Seoul Citypass, a one-day transportation card incorporating the Seoul City Tour Bus ticket and limited use of the metropolitan transportation system.
- Seoul Citypass Plus is an upgraded type of Seoul Citypass. This card is rechargeable, and sells discount cards.
- Mobile T-money is an IC chip which works with cell phones serviced by SK TelecomSK TelecomSK Telecom Co., Ltd. or Sunkyoung Telecom is a South Korean wireless telecommunications operator, controlled by the SK Group, one of the country's largest chaebol. As a part of SK Group, SK stands for Sun Kyung.SK Telecom is a provider of mobile service in Korea, with 50.5% of the market share as...
and KTFKTFKTF was a South Korean telecommunications firm, now merged into Korea Telecom, specializing in cellular, or mobile, phones. Since 1999, it has also developed extensive overseas operations. The company is credited with developing customised ring back tones...
. This chip can be used as a USIM chip.
Other cards
- eB T-money, now discontinued. See Upass
- Topcash T-money, sold in the Gyeongsangnam and Gyeongsangbuk Provinces except Andong.
History
- April 22, 2004 : city government announced the name of new transit card called T-money. 'T' stands for travel, touch, traffic and technology.
- June 2004 : T-money terminals installed at stations. Several bugs had to be ironed out before full operation.
- July 1, 2004 : System officially inaugurated, with a day of free transit for all.
- October 15, 2005 : Incheon public transit system started to accept T-money.
- December 6, 2005 : T-money Internet refilling service started.
- November 13, 2006 : Gyeonggi-do transit system started to partially accept T-money.
- August 4, 2008 : Busan urban buses started to accept T-money.
External links
- Official site in Korean and in English
- Seoul Citypass
- T-Money: Seoul Official Tourism(English)