Busan Transit Cards Are Simpler Than They Look — Here's All You Need to Know
T-money, Cashbee, WOWPASS — where to buy and recharge each one, how refunds work, and exactly how transfer discounts play out.
Last checked September 12, 2026 — fees and policies can change by card issuer or city rule.
The T-money Travel Card, designed for foreign visitors — it works exactly like the standard card on every bus, subway, and village bus nationwide.
You can pay cash on buses and the subway, but a transit card is a lot easier — no counting change, and transfer discounts apply automatically. If you're in Busan for a day or more, it's worth getting one.
Which card should you get
Several transit cards work in Busan. Most do roughly the same job, with a few real differences.
Regular T-money doesn't have this — pay with the Travel Card and get a discount at places like these in Busan.
Lotte World Busan — 20% off admission
Busan Tower — 10% off admission
SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium — 30% off admission (up to 3 companions)
BUSAN X the SKY — 10% off on-site observation deck tickets
Skyline Luge Busan — 10% off Luge and Skyfly
Museum 1 — up to 33% off admission (up to 3 companions)
There are more partners in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and nationwide — see the full, current list on T-money's official page. It's Korean-only, but once you're there, look for the button labeled "제휴 가맹점" ("partner merchants") — click it and the full list opens up (it changes over time).
Card
Price
Where to buy
How to recharge
Refund cap
T-money
₩3,000
GS25, CU, and other stores
Convenience store or subway station, cash only
Up to ₩20,000 at GS25 and 7-Eleven, up to ₩30,000 at CU and emart24 (₩500 fee)
Cashbee / EZL
₩4,000
Convenience stores
Convenience store or subway station, cash only
Up to ₩20,000 (₩500 fee)
Neither card can be recharged with a foreign-issued credit card — bring cash. The card cost itself isn't refunded, only whatever balance is left on it.
Any of these four chains can sell or recharge a transit card.
WOWPASS, in more detail
WOWPASS actually started as a currency exchange service for foreign travelers — scan your passport at one of roughly 350 unmanned kiosks nationwide and a card comes out instantly, doubling as both a payment card and a transit card.
₩6,000 issuance fee — issued on the spot at a kiosk or partner counter with your passport.
Payments: WOWPASS runs on the Mastercard network, so anywhere in Korea that takes Mastercard — which is most shops, restaurants, and cafes — you can just swipe or tap it like a regular card.
Recharging: foreign credit cards or cash, at kiosks or in the app.
As a transit card: the app's NFC feature converts part of your balance into T-money, so it taps on buses and the subway like a regular transit card (keep it under ₩30,000).
At Gimhae Airport: according to WOWPASS's own kiosk map, there's no kiosk at Gimhae Airport. In Busan, kiosks cluster around Seomyeon, Suyeong/Haeundae, and Nampo-dong/Busan Station — install the app before you land so you can check the nearest one.
Refunding: clear out your remaining balance at a kiosk or in the app before you leave — check the app for the exact process and any fee.
WOWPASS's own kiosk map — in Busan they cluster around Seomyeon, Suyeong/Haeundae, and Nampo-dong/Busan Station. There's none at Gimhae Airport.
Your payment balance and your transit balance are completely separate
WOWPASS's general payment (Mastercard) function and its transit (T-money) function are two separate balances. Money you load at a kiosk or in the app only funds the payment side — to tap on buses and the subway, you have to separately convert part of it to T-money in the app. Skip that step and the card won't work on a bus no matter how much payment balance you have, because the payment balance cannot be used as a transit card.
Refunds vary by card — and by store
Busan subway stations don't do refunds
Seoul subway stations refund up to ₩50,000, but Busan subway stations don't handle refunds at all. In Busan, you'll need a convenience store.
Card
Store
Refund cap
T-money
GS25 · 7-Eleven
Up to ₩20,000
CU · emart24
Up to ₩30,000
Cashbee / EZL
Same at any chain
Up to ₩20,000
T-money's cap depends on which convenience store you go to — GS25 and 7-Eleven cap it at ₩20,000, while CU and emart24 go up to ₩30,000. Cashbee/EZL is the same everywhere — up to ₩20,000 regardless of chain. (Seoul subway stations refund up to ₩50,000 regardless of card. Busan subway stations don't refund at all.)
Get your refund before you leave Korea — the fee is the same ₩500 everywhere.
Don't mix up these two numbers
The number on a bus terminal or subway gate screen isn't always your "balance." You don't need to read Korean — just memorize the shape of these two words.
"잔액" (jan-aek) = your remaining balance. This number drops every time you tap."누적금액" (nu-jeok geum-aek) is the total you've spent on that card, ever. It's not your balance — don't mistake a big number here for money you still have.
How the transfer discount actually works
Bus
≤ 30 min
Subway
≤ 30 min
Bus
The 30-minute window starts the moment you tap out of the previous leg.
Up to 2 transfers count — 3 vehicles total on one fare.
Re-boarding the same bus number or subway line doesn't count as a transfer.
The airport limousine bus is excluded from transfer discounts entirely.
Paying cash breaks the chain — only card taps qualify.
Route
Discount
Subway → Bus
Free
Bus → Subway
Free
Bus → Another bus
Free
Subway → Bus → Subway
Final subway not free
Bus → Subway → Bus
Final bus not free
Verified via Busan Bus Information System (BIMS), an official Busan city source, Sept 2, 2026
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my balance? Bus terminals show it on screen ("잔액" = balance). Subway gates display it when you tap, and station recharge machines show it too. You can also ask a convenience store clerk by saying "티머니 잔액 확인해 주세요" (Ti-meo-ni jan-aek hwa-gin-hae ju-se-yo — "Please check my T-money balance").
Can I use the card right after buying it? Buying and recharging are separate steps. Load ₩10,000–20,000 as soon as you buy one.
Can I recharge with a foreign credit card? T-money and Cashbee only take cash. WOWPASS accepts foreign cards at kiosks and in its app.
What if my balance runs low? Check it regularly, and keep some cash as backup — some buses these days don't take cash at all.
Do I need to tap when I get off the bus? Yes — it's not a second charge, it registers your exit so the transfer window can be calculated. Always tap out.
Can two people ride on one card? On a bus, hold up two fingers to the driver, say "두 명이요" (du myeong-i-yo — "two people"), and tap the card twice to cover both fares. But tapping out doesn't earn the second rider a transfer discount, even if they tap out too. On the subway, each person needs their own card or ticket.
Can I buy a card at the airport? There are CU stores in Gimhae Airport's international terminal — ask there first when you land. We couldn't confirm whether they actually carry transit cards, though (inquiries didn't get a clear answer). If they're out, any convenience store in the city — Busan Station or Seomyeon — will have them. There's no WOWPASS kiosk at Gimhae Airport — they cluster in Busan around Seomyeon, Suyeong/Haeundae, and Nampo-dong/Busan Station, so install the app ahead of time and check the nearest one.
Where can I use it? Buses, the subway, and the Gimhae Airport light rail all accept it.
Can I use it in a taxi? Taxis that take T-money have a T-money mark on the outside of the car. Taxi fares run a lot higher than bus or subway fares, though — if your balance is lower than the fare, it's obviously not going through. T-money doesn't auto-recharge, so check your balance before you get in. If you don't see the mark, it's safest to ask the driver "티머니 카드 되나요?" (Ti-meo-ni ka-deu doe-na-yo? — "Does T-money work?") before you get in.
Before-you-go checklist
Buy the card
Load it with cash
Tap in when boarding
Tap out when leaving the bus
Check your balance now and then
Remember the transfer rules
Get a refund before you leave Korea
So, which one should you get?
Most places in Korea take credit cards (Visa/Mastercard) just fine. Still, a transit card is far more convenient if you're staying more than a day.
T-money and Cashbee/EZL work almost identically — T-money is just better known.
Want payments and transit handled by one card? Go with WOWPASS.
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