Seoul by subway, one leg at a time.
Three checks get you almost anywhere: the right station, the right direction and the right exit. Plan in KakaoMetro, check the street in a map app, and treat every transfer as part of the journey.
- Match the station name and line, then the next station along your route, then the street exit.
- Plan stations in KakaoMetro; check the address and final walk in KakaoMap or Naver Map.
- Carry your own rechargeable transport card and some won cash for top-ups.
Turn a map into a journey
Build the route before entering the gates, then read it one leg at a time. App layout and wording vary by version.
- 01Choose your stations
Pick the Seoul metropolitan map, set your departure station as the start, then set the destination.
- 02Compare the options
Compare shortest time with fewest transfers. A simpler change can be worth a slightly longer journey.
- 03Read every train leg
Note the line, direction, transfer and final station. Check the selected travel day and time.
- 04Open the station details
Look for carriage and exit information, and match the platform marker before boarding.
- 05Keep a copy, then recheck
Save a screenshot. Run a fresh search when leaving and again for the return journey.
Try the Korean name or tap the map: Hongik Univ. = 홍대입구; Gyeongbokgung = 경복궁. English spellings can vary.
Hongik University to Gyeongbokgung
A worked example with one transfer. Use the app for the departure time and services on your travel day; distances and station layouts are not to scale.
Leg 1 · Line 2
- Board at Hongik Univ.; the next stop for this route is Sinchon.
- Seven stops via Ewha Womans Univ., Ahyeon, Chungjeongno, City Hall and Euljiro 1-ga.
- Change lines at Euljiro 3-ga.
Leg 2 · Line 3
- Follow Line 3; the next stop is Jongno 3-ga.
- Three stops via Anguk to Gyeongbokgung.
- Leave by Exit 5 for the palace, as listed in its official directions. Check opening arrangements separately.
Line 2 / Sinchon / Euljiro 3-ga / Line 3 / Exit 5.
Read the signs, choose the train
Line numbers, train destinations and door markers each answer a different question.
Direction
- Use the next stop as your check: match it to the first station after your boarding point.
- A train's destination display may name a terminus much farther away.
Where to wait
- A marker such as 3-2 means the third carriage's second door. Match it on the platform.
- It is separate from your street exit number.
Check the service
- On Line 9, express trains skip stations; confirm your stop is in that train's stopping pattern.
Check the destination
- On Line 2, match the next stop on the circle.
- On branching or short-running services, check the train's destination. Line colour alone is not enough.
One station, several decisions
Give yourself time inside large stations. The transfer walk is part of the journey. Look for 환승 (transfer) and 출구 (exit).
- 01Follow your next line
Look for its number, name and colour together, through corridors, stairs or lifts.
- 02Check direction again
At the new platform, compare the next stop and destination with your route.
- 03Read signs at internal gates
Some interchanges have transfer gates. Tap when instructed; Line 9's transfer gates record the interchange without a new fare by themselves.
- 04Choose the street exit
Find the numbered exit before leaving the concourse, then use the street map for the final walk.
The quickest transfer position may lead to stairs. Follow lift signs for the whole route, including street level, and confirm current lift availability with station staff. Connecting to a bus? Tap the same card on and off: the usual transfer window is 30 minutes, 60 minutes from 21:00 to 07:00.
Make the gates the easy part
The standard adult base fare is ₩1,550 with a transport card, or ₩1,650 for a single-journey ticket; longer trips and some lines cost extra (fare table effective 28 June 2025, checked 12 October 2026).
Using a Tmoney card
- Buy a physical card at a participating convenience store and add credit; card price and balance are separate.
- Each traveller carries their own card.
- Keep won cash for ordinary recharge machines and check the payment methods shown.
At the gates
- Tap once, wait for acceptance and walk through; keep other contactless cards away from the reader.
- Tap the same card to leave. If the gate will not open, use the help button or ask staff.
Single-journey tickets
- Select English and your destination at the machine.
- A ₩500 refundable deposit is added; return the card at the destination's refund machine.
2026 payment update
- Designated new machines on Lines 1–8 accept international cards for single-journey tickets and short-term Climate Cards. Fees apply.
- For ordinary Tmoney top-ups, keep won cash ready.
A wrong turn is usually fixable
Stop somewhere out of the flow of passengers, identify your current station, then rebuild the next step.
Wrong direction or missed stop
- Get off at the next station and search again. If changing sides means leaving the gates, ask staff first.
Train finishes early
- Leave when instructed and check the next service; some trains terminate early or serve another branch.
Balance too low
- Use the fare-adjustment or recharge machine, or ask staff. Keep the card you entered with.
Late at night
- Search the whole journey home, including the last connection (막차, last train). Keep a taxi or night-bus alternative.
A limited 15-minute re-entry scheme exists on participating sections. It is not universal: ask station staff whether it applies to your card and station.
Adapted from the Subway field guide, reviewed 12 October 2026. Recheck fares, prices and service notices before you travel. Individual PDF pages retain their own source-review dates. Not independently verified — confirm official requirements before acting.