Seoul’s former 30-day Climate Card service ended on 1 October 2026. The city said prepaid 30-day passes could be recharged through 31 August and used through 29 September; postpaid passes continued through 30 September. Seoul’s resident-focused Climate Pass began on 1 September, while visitor short-term Climate Card passes continue as a separate product.
In a short-term pass page with a displayed update date of 12 October 2026, the Seoul Metropolitan Government lists 1-, 2-, 3-, 5- and 7-day passes at KRW 5,000, 8,000, 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000, respectively. A new physical card is charged separately. Check current sales locations, payment methods and prices with the official source on the day you travel.
| Short-term pass | Price listed by Seoul |
|---|---|
| 1 day | KRW 5,000 |
| 2 days | KRW 8,000 |
| 3 days | KRW 10,000 |
| 5 days | KRW 15,000 |
| 7 days | KRW 20,000 |
Check the service area effective from 1 October 2026
Seoul’s short-term pass guide, checked on 12 October 2026 for coverage effective from 1 October, lists Seoul-area subway services and Seoul-licensed city and village buses (including night and circular buses). It excludes the Sinbundang Line, GTX, subway services outside Seoul, intercity and airport buses, and buses licensed by other local governments. If you board within the service area but exit at an excluded station, the card is generally not valid for that journey: station staff collect the fare from your boarding station to your exit station. Do not assume you only pay for the excluded segment. Some nearby cities included in older descriptions are outside the short-term pass area from 1 October.
Incheon Airport: you may exit there, but not board
One exception allows you to board AREX (the airport railway) within the covered area and exit at Incheon Airport Terminal 1 or 2. You cannot board at either airport terminal with the Climate Card. For an inbound journey from Incheon Airport to Seoul, check a separate AREX ticket or fare. Airport limousine buses are not covered.
Validity is not a rolling 24-hour period
Seoul says the pass period runs from the first service (4 a.m.) on the start date to the last service on the final date—usually around 4 a.m. the following day. The short-term pass starts on the date it is charged; you cannot load it in advance for a future start date. A 1-day pass is not 24 hours from the purchase time. Check the official terms if you expect to travel late at night.
How to compare costs
For a rough comparison with a regular transit card, multiply the base fare by the number of separate eligible journeys, then consider distance surcharges, buses, the physical-card price and uncovered routes separately. SEOUL NOTE’s homepage calculator is only a base-fare estimate; it does not promise a saving or confirm coverage for an individual route.
The visitor short-term Climate Card and the Seoul-resident Climate Pass are different products. Routes, fares, availability and charging rules can change. Verify the current Seoul service-area map and purchase screen for your travel date.
Check whether the pass fits your journey
| Your plan | What to check first |
|---|---|
| Incheon Airport to Seoul | Boarding at T1 or T2 is not covered by the visitor pass. Check a separate airport ticket or fare. |
| Trips within Seoul | Check both the boarding and exit stations, and the licensing authority for a bus—not just its destination. |
| A trip outside Seoul | Budget separately for excluded services. Starting in Seoul does not make every onward journey eligible. |
| A late arrival | The charging date starts the validity period. Consider whether starting the next day would better match your use. |
Buy, charge and use: a practical sequence
- Check the route: use the official service-area lookup for both stations. Review buses and airport journeys separately.
- Check the card format: verify device, identity and payment requirements. Owning an Android phone alone does not guarantee that an overseas visitor can use the mobile version.
- Charge on the intended day: visitor passes start on the charging date. Do not assume you can preload a future start date.
- Tap as instructed: follow the official boarding and exit instructions. Ask station staff if you reach an excluded station.
A worked example—not a savings promise
Suppose you make four separate eligible subway journeys in one day. At a base fare of KRW 1,550 each, that is KRW 6,200 before any extra charges. A KRW 5,000 day pass plus a new KRW 3,000 physical card would total KRW 8,000. The comparison differs if you already have a usable card. This is a hypothetical illustration, not a live quote: it does not model distance charges, transfers, buses, excluded routes or later price changes.