Mountain ridges in Seoraksan National Park seen from the Bongjeongam viewpoint, with trail information boards in the foreground
Bongjeongam, Seoraksan · Nov 2024

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Odaesan · Woljeongsa
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Pyeongchang · Sky Ranch
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Seoul · A palace at dusk
Wooden stairs and a green trail sign pointing to Daedongmun Gate and the shelter on a Bukhansan trail
Seoul · Bukhansan trail

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01Plan your tripGetting around, paying with a foreign card, booking without Korean.Open guides →
 Willow trees and tall grass on the bank of the Han River in Seoul on a sunny day
02SeoulNamsan, Seongsu, the Han River, palaces and food, by neighborhood.Open guides →
 A red maple tree on a trail in Seoraksan in November
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 Rows of colorful lotus lanterns hanging inside Geumgang Cave in Seoraksan
04Festivals & eventsDates, tickets, crowds and how to get there.Open guides →

Guide sets

SetNamsan & nearby
  1. N Seoul Tower: History, Hours, Tickets, How to Get There
  2. Namsan Cable Car: Fares, Hours, How to Get There
  3. Namsan Night Festival 2026: Dates, Booking for Foreigners
All Namsan guides →
A sign in a Seoul subway station showing the walk from the exit to Seoul Forest SetPaying for Seoul transport
  1. T-money vs Climate Card vs WOWPASS: Which to Get
  2. Can You Tap a Contactless Card on Seoul Transit?
  3. T-money in Apple Wallet with a Foreign Card
  4. Seoul Transport Cost for 3, 5 or 7 Days
All transit-card guides →

Who writes this

A temple complex in a rocky valley below Bongjeongam in Seoraksan, seen from the trail
On the trail to Bongjeongam · Nov 2024

About the guide

Hi, I’m SeoulAslan

I’m from Korea. I lived in Vietnam for six years and in Thailand for a year, so I know what it feels like to arrive somewhere and find that the useful information is in a language you can’t read.

I hike about twice a month. When a guide comes from my own walk, I say so. When it doesn’t, it’s based on official Korean sources.

  • From Korea
  • 6 years in Vietnam, 1 in Thailand
  • Hikes about twice a month
About this siteAsk me about Korea

Can You Buy T-money at Incheon Airport When You Land? (2026)

Checked Sept 30, 2026

Schematic map of Incheon Airport Terminal 1: on the 1F arrivals floor, exits 1 to 14 along the kerb, 24-hour CU stores by exit 2 and exit 13, two more CU stores near arrival halls B and E, 24-hour ATMs near exits 4, 6, 9 and 11, a 24-hour exchange near exit 6, bus ticket booths near exits 4 and 9 and Seoul buses outside exits 3 to 7; below, the B1 Transportation Center with the AREX station, its ticket machines, the Travel Center open 07:00 to 21:30 and a 24-hour ATM, and a note that no convenience store is listed on B1
Terminal 1: buy your card on the arrivals floor, then go down to the train. Schematic, not to scale. Chart: Before You Go Korea

Yes. You can buy a T-money card within minutes of walking out of arrivals, at any hour. Terminal 1 has four 24-hour CU convenience stores on the arrivals floor (1F). Terminal 2 has three 24-hour stores on 1F and two more on B1 in the Transportation Center, where the train leaves.

A basic card costs about 3,000 won. You then top it up at the same counter, and for that you need Korean won in cash. A foreign card won't load it.

Before any trip abroad I go through the same short list: will cash work, how do the ticket machines work, will my card work, can I just tap, and where do I get a pass. It's a habit I picked up living abroad, about six years of it in Vietnam. This post answers a question a traveller asked on Reddit: can you buy a T-money card right when you land at Incheon?

Where (T1)CU on arrivals 1F: by exit 2, by exit 13, near halls B and E
Where (T2)CU by exit 10 and mid-hall on 1F · CU and GS25 on B1
Open24 hours, all of them
CostAbout 3,000 won for a plain card
Cash?Yes: top-ups are won cash only
Card?Not for top-ups · yes for AREX single tickets

Jump to: Terminal 1 · Terminal 2 · At the AREX station · Paying · Getting won cash · Climate Card · Other cards · Landing late · What to do first · FAQ

Where can I buy T-money in Terminal 1?

On the arrivals floor (1F), before you go down to the train. The airport's own shop directory lists four CU stores (씨유) in the public arrivals area, all open 24 hours:

  • CU by exit 2 (2번 출입구)
  • CU near Arrival Hall B (B 입국장)
  • CU near Arrival Hall E (E 입국장)
  • CU by exit 13 (13번 출입구)

The airport's public data lists transit cards (교통카드) among what these CU stores sell.

One thing to know: the directory lists no convenience store on B1 in Terminal 1, where the Transportation Center and the AREX station are. B1 has cafés and restaurants, but for the card, shop upstairs first.

Where can I buy T-money in Terminal 2?

Schematic map of Incheon Airport Terminal 2: on the 1F arrivals floor, exits 1 to 10, a 24-hour CU in the centre of the hall and one by exit 10, a GS25 near Arrival Hall A, 24-hour ATMs near exits 3 and 7 and a 24-hour exchange near exit 7; below, the B1 Transportation Center with the airport bus terminal and ticket counters, a staffed bus ticket office on the west side, a 24-hour CU in the centre, a 24-hour GS25 and bank ATM on the east side, and the AREX station
Terminal 2: stores on both floors, and the buses leave from B1. Schematic, not to scale. Chart: Before You Go Korea

Terminal 2 gives you two chances. On the arrivals floor (1F):

  • CU in the centre of the arrivals hall (1층 일반지역 중앙)
  • CU by exit 10 (10번 출입구)
  • GS25 near Arrival Hall A (A 입국장)

And on B1, in the Transportation Center (교통센터), where the train and the airport buses are:

  • CU in the centre of B1
  • GS25 on the east side (동편)

All five are listed as open 24 hours. The CU listings name transit cards among their goods. GS25 is one of T-money's partner chains, but its two airport listings don't mention cards, so if you want the surest bet, walk to a CU.

Some guides mention a 7-Eleven in the arrivals area. I couldn't find one on the arrivals floor or B1 of either terminal in the airport's listings, so I left it off the maps.

Can I buy a card at the AREX train station?

Both terminals have their AREX station (공항철도) on B1, in the Transportation Center. Here is what you can do there:

  • Single-journey ticket (1회용 교통카드): the station ticket machines sell one-ride cards for the all-stop train. Since December 2024 they take credit cards as well as cash, and VisitKorea says cards issued abroad work at every AREX station. There's a 500 won deposit you get back at the end.
  • Topping up T-money: the card payment AREX added covers single-journey tickets. I found nothing saying it loads T-money, so bring cash for that.
  • A T-money card from a machine: travel guides updated this month say machines near the AREX entrance sell T-money cards, for cash. I couldn't confirm that from AREX or the airport, so treat the convenience store as plan A.
  • Travel Center in Terminal 1 (B1, centre): open 07:00 to 21:30 for AREX and KTX tickets.

T-money works on the all-stop train (일반열차): 4,750 won from T1 to Seoul Station, 5,350 won from T2. It doesn't work on the AREX Express (직통열차), which needs its own ticket.

Can I pay with my foreign card?

What you're paying forForeign card?What to know
The plastic T-money card at a convenience storeOftenGuides say many stores take a card for the card itself. Keep cash in case
Topping up T-money at the counterNoWon cash, in 1,000 won steps
AREX single-journey ticketYesAt the station machines on B1
AREX Express ticketReported yesCounter or machine on B1, or online
WOWPASS machine at the airportNoReported won cash only at Incheon

T-money's own guide for visitors, updated in September 2026, puts it plainly: don't assume a foreign card can top up a plastic T-money card; cash is the reliable way. Seoul's transit FAQ says the same for subway machines: card payment covers single tickets and passes, not prepaid top-ups.

Where do I get won cash at the airport?

You'll want some before you reach the store counter. From the airport's facility listings:

  • T1, 1F: 24-hour public ATMs (공용 ATM) near exits 4, 6, 9 and 11, and a 24-hour Woori Bank exchange (우리은행 환전소) near exit 6.
  • T1, B1: a 24-hour public ATM near the all-stop train ticket machines.
  • T2, 1F: 24-hour public ATMs near exits 3 and 7, and a 24-hour Woori Bank exchange near exit 7.
  • T2, B1: a 24-hour Woori Bank ATM inside the branch on the east side.

How much? A 20,000 won top-up covers the all-stop train into Seoul (5,350 won at most) and about nine subway rides at 1,550 won each. The airport listings don't say which ATMs take foreign cards, so if one refuses yours, try another bank's machine.

Can I use the Climate Card from the airport?

New Seoul Metro ticket kiosk with its English start screen showing Single Journey Ticket, Free Ticket, Reloading the transit card, Purchase transportation card, and Refund, Ticket type change, Reuse, with a card reader, bill slot and coin slot below
A new ticket kiosk at a Seoul subway station, not the airport. Kiosks like this sell the Climate Card. Photo: Before You Go Korea

Not on arrival day. The Climate Card tourist pass (기후동행카드 단기권) is Seoul's unlimited pass: 5,000 won for 1 day up to 20,000 won for 7, plus 3,000 won for the card. Two rules stop it working at the airport:

  1. It isn't sold at the airport. T-money says the tourist pass is only sold within Seoul. The city lists the new ticket kiosks on Seoul Metro Lines 1 to 8 and nearby convenience stores.
  2. You can't board with it at Incheon. The card lets you get off at the Incheon Airport T1 and T2 stations, but not tap in there.

So for the ride into Seoul, use T-money or a single-journey ticket. The Climate Card becomes useful on your last day: board the AREX all-stop at Seoul Station, Gongdeok or Hongik University and ride it out to the airport. Its 1-day pass lasts until that day's last train, not 24 hours.

When I photographed the new ticket kiosks at two Seoul subway stations on Sept 28 and 29, 2026, the English menu had a button called Purchase transportation card. That's the kind of machine where you get the Climate Card, once you're in the city.

My full guide is T-money vs Climate Card vs WOWPASS, and the kiosk itself is explained in Seoul subway ticket machines, step by step.

What else can I buy at the airport?

  • TMONEY TRAVEL CARD (4,000 won): T-money's card for visitors. T-money says it's sold at convenience stores and at the Incheon Airport bus ticket office. In T1 the bus ticket booths are inside near exits 4 and 9; in T2 they're on B1. The plus version with WOWPASS payment costs 6,000 won.
  • WOWPASS: a prepaid payment card with a T-money side. WOWPASS says its machines are at the Incheon Airport T1 and T2 stations; one of its pages puts them inside the Express area, where you need an AREX ticket. The first card costs 6,000 won at a WOWPASS machine (up from 5,000 on March 4, 2026). You still top up the T-money side with won cash.
  • KOREA TOUR CARD: T-money has stopped selling it.
  • T-money on an iPhone: the Mobile T-money app (모바일티머니) has a Foreigner mode that takes Mastercard, Amex, UnionPay and JCB, not Visa, and adds the card to Apple Wallet. You can set it up before you fly.

What's open if I land late at night?

More than you might think:

  • All nine convenience stores on the maps are listed as 24 hours.
  • The public ATMs and the two Woori Bank exchange counters above are 24 hours.
  • The T1 Travel Center closes at 21:30.

The trains stop before the shops do. The last AREX all-stop train to Seoul Station leaves T1 at 23:38. After that, the late-night airport buses sell tickets at 24-hour kiosks, and taxis take foreign cards. My Seoul bus guide covers the city buses once you're in town.

What should I do first after landing?

  1. Get won cash. Use an ATM or the exchange in the arrivals hall. 20,000 to 30,000 won is plenty to start.
  2. Buy the card. Walk to a CU (T1: exits 2 or 13, halls B or E; T2: mid-hall, exit 10, or B1). Say "T-money card, please" or show 교통카드.
  3. Top it up at the same counter. Hand over the card and cash and say the amount: "10,000 won, 충전해 주세요."
  4. Go down to B1. Tap in at the AREX all-stop gates, or buy a bus ticket at the counter. Tap out when you arrive; the subway basics guide has the rest.

Korean words for the airport counter

EnglishKoreanWhere you'll see it
Transit card교통카드Store counter, machines
Top up, please충전해 주세요What to say at the counter
Arrival hall입국장Hall letters A to F (T1), A and B (T2)
Exit출입구Numbered doors along 1F
Transportation Center교통센터B1, trains and buses
Airport Railroad공항철도AREX station signs
Currency exchange환전소Bank counters on 1F

FAQ

Is there a convenience store open 24 hours at Incheon Airport arrivals?

Yes. In T1, four CU stores on the arrivals floor. In T2, CU and GS25 on the arrivals floor and on B1. All are listed as 24 hours.

Can I top up T-money with a credit card at Incheon Airport?

No, not a plastic T-money card. Top-ups at store counters are won cash. An iPhone with the Mobile T-money app is the exception, with some foreign cards.

Is the Climate Card sold at the airport?

No. It's sold in Seoul, and you can't board with it at the Incheon Airport stations. Use T-money for the first ride.

How much does a T-money card cost at the airport?

About 3,000 won for a plain card, 4,000 won for the TMONEY TRAVEL CARD. Designs can cost more. The card price isn't refunded, only the balance.

For the AREX Express, see our AREX Express guide.

Things I could not confirm:

  • Whether the AREX stations at the airport have a machine that sells T-money cards. Travel guides say yes, cash only; AREX's own site wouldn't load for me.
  • Whether the airport GS25 stores sell and top up T-money. GS25 is a T-money chain, but its airport listings don't mention transit cards.
  • Whether the airport stores accept a foreign card for the card itself (not the top-up). Guides say many do.
  • Exactly where the WOWPASS machines are at each station, and whether they're outside the Express gates.
  • Which ATMs take foreign cards. The listings give places and hours, not card networks.
  • Which bus ticket counter sells the TMONEY TRAVEL CARD. T-money only says "the bus ticket office in Incheon airport".
  • Terminal 2 locations come from the airport corporation's public data as republished on a third-party site; the airport's own search wouldn't open for T2. The same data matched the airport's own T1 listing exactly.

Where to get a pass is the last of my five questions. At Incheon the answer is a 24-hour CU and a few won notes in your pocket.

More on paying for Seoul transport

Sources

— SeoulAslan

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