Quick answer: Bring an overseas-enabled physical card, a way to pay for local transit, and some Korean won. No single payment method is guaranteed at every shop.
Prepare two independent payment methods
Ask your issuer about foreign transaction fees, overseas ATM access and fraud alerts before departure. Keep a backup card separate from your main wallet if possible. A shop may accept a card network while its kiosk or online checkout does not accept your particular overseas-issued card.
Cash needs depend on your itinerary. Market stalls, small purchases and physical transit-card top-ups are reasons to carry some won; the old nationwide card-acceptance percentages were not verified and have been removed.
Transit changes: what the new machines actually do
Seoul's March 2026 machine upgrade supports foreign-card purchases of single-journey tickets and short-term Climate Cards. It does not establish that every machine can recharge an ordinary Tmoney card with a foreign card. Follow the menu for the exact ticket product and keep cash for conventional top-ups.
iPhone users can check Mobile Tmoney's overseas-card option. See our Tmoney guide for the supported-card source and the distinction between a transit balance and a bank-card tap.
Currency exchange and ATMs
Compare the final won amount you will receive, including fees, rather than a headline exchange rate. Airport convenience, city exchange counters and your bank's ATM pricing involve different trade-offs. We cannot guarantee that one district or method is always cheapest.
Use an ATM displaying your card network and check its fee screen before proceeding. Your issuer may charge separately. Confirm PIN compatibility with your bank; there is no basis for the old blanket advice to change every longer PIN to four digits.
When offered payment in your home currency, compare the displayed conversion with your card's terms. Choosing KRW leaves conversion to your issuer/network; a fixed 3–6% saving cannot be promised. Do not use a credit-card cash advance without understanding its charges.
Phone payments and tourist cards
Apple Pay and other wallets depend on supported cards and merchant terminals. Bring the physical card too. Prepaid tourist cards can be convenient, but compare issuance, loading, exchange and refund fees. Their shopping and transit balances may be separate, and no card is accepted everywhere.
For taxis, k.ride is Kakao Mobility's international-facing service. Check the fare estimate, vehicle, payment method and cancellation terms in the app. Support for an overseas card does not guarantee approval by your bank.
Refunds and the last day
Ask the transit-card provider where your particular balance can be refunded before reaching airport security. Limits, fees and refund methods vary. Avoid loading a large balance that you will struggle to spend.
Shopping refunds have eligibility and export requirements; see the tax refund guide instead of budgeting for a guaranteed percentage back. Exchange or spend remaining currency according to the provider's minimums and fees.