I personally used these websites for all my travels.

Booking.com

Expedia.ca

Viator.com

30 April 2013

Best Local Transport Ticket to use in Korea

T-Money 

I was in Korea for 3 weeks and I worked out that the best and cheapest form of local transport ticket is the T-Money. T-money is a transportation card used to pay for transportation fares, and, in some cases, transactions at convenience stores.

T-money can be used on public buses and subways in several different metropolitan cities but it is not available in some areas. It offers 100 won off the basic cash fare, and still more when transferring from one bus to another, one subway line to another, or from bus to subway or vice-versa (within a transfer time limit). Also, the remaining balance on the T-money card can be refunded after a 500-won service charge deduction.

Other countries that  I know of that uses similar card system are Hong Kong ( Octopus)  & Australia (Myki).

You can get a regular T-money card for 2,500W, and other speciality cards for souverniors , such as  key chains, phone charms, etc… range from 4,000W to 25,000W. Different cards are sold at different locations.

The initial cost of T-money may seem like a lot when you are first purchasing it. If you buy a regular T-money card, you will end up paying 11,500W when you get it, but subtract 2,500W from that for the actual cost of the card and the rest is the balance you can use to get around the city.

T-money is also refundable, but you have to pay a 500W fee. If your balance is under 20,000W, just take your T-money to a convenience store to receive the refund on the balance only; however, some convenience stores are unable to refund the money. If your balance is more than 20,000W, you have to take it to the T-money headquarters right outside of Seoul Station, Exit #8 to get your money back.

Below is a simple example of using cash verses T Money.

Seoul Transportation Fare Information / Transportation Card vs. Cash

Transportation	Age group	T-money	Cash	Note
Subway	Adults	1,050 won	1,150 won	Base fare (first 10?): 1,050 won 10-40?: 100 won per 5? +40?: 100 won per 10?

How to Recharge

Recharging T-money CardsT-money card is rechargeable in the amounts ranging from 1,000 won to 90,000 won at any of the T-money vendors or Ticket Vending and Card Reload Devices inside most subway stations.

How to receive a refund

For the remaining T-money balance of 20,000 won or less, you may receive a refund with 500-won deduction at a partner convenience store (GS 25, CU, Mini Stop, Buy The Way, 7-Eleven) bearing the T-money logo. If the remaining balance exceeds 20,000 won, you may receive a refund at the T-money Headquarters. T-money Cards are not returnable.
For more information, please visit the official T-money website

Seoul City Pass

If you won’t be in Seoul for an extended amount of time and don’t want to purchase a T-money card, another option is the Seoul City Pass. With this pass, you can ride subways and local buses in Seoul as well as subways in the surrounding Gyeonggi-do area. You can ride them all for up to 20 times per day without a limit on distance. With the Seoul City Pass, you can also ride 3 different routes (palace, downtown, and night view) of the Seoul City Tour Bus without limit. Currently the prices for the Seoul City Pass are:

1-day = 15,000W
2-days= 25,000W
3-days= 50,000W

You can purchase this pass at the following establishments:

• GS25, Family Mart, and MINISTOP convenience stores (located on the arrival floor of Incheon International Airport)
• Dongdaemun Tourist Information Office
• Gwanghwamun Tourist Information Office
• Itaewon Tourist Information Office
• Gimpo Airport Tourist Information Office
• Samilgyo Tourist Information Office
• Myeong-dong Tourist Information Office
• Namdaemun Tourist Information Office
• Jamsil Tourist Information Office.

A Tip …..T-money can be used to pay taxi fares in the main cities. Place a T-money card on the T-money sensor, and the fare will be deducted from the balance.

If you enjoy reading this article, you may like reading about

1) Bukchon-Traditional-Korean-Village, Korea
2) Ssamziegil Shops at Insadong, Korea .
3) National Museum, Korea .
4) Shopping at Dongdaemun, Korea
5) Gwangjang Market, Korea
6) Korea University, Korea
7) Korea’s only Secret Garden

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