Seoul · Transport

How do I keep my Seoul bus-to-subway transfer discount?

Partly · Official source

Tap your transport card when leaving the bus and aim to board within 30 minutes. Seoul excludes grouped bus payments from subway transfer discounts.

Confirmed
  • Tap-off and basic transfer window — Works
  • Several bus passengers on one card — Doesn’t work
What to do

For a bus-to-subway journey, use an individual transport card rather than relying on a grouped bus payment to carry a discount onto the subway.

Not confirmed
  • Overnight extension and your fare

Last verified

On this page

What should I check next?

  1. For a bus-to-subway journey, use an individual transport card rather than relying on a grouped bus payment to carry a discount onto the subway.

    • [S238] Official source (EN) · Observed: Not confirmed · Checked:

  2. Tap your transport card on the reader when leaving the bus, then aim to board the connecting service within 30 minutes.

    • [S238] Official source (EN) · Observed: Not confirmed · Checked:

  3. Check the city's exclusions before relying on a discount: reboarding the same bus or the same bus route does not qualify.

    • [S238] Official source (EN) · Observed: Not confirmed · Checked:

What are the limits and unknowns?

  • A transfer discount does not mean every onward ride is free: the city also describes distance charges and use of the higher base fare.
  • This guide uses the basic 30-minute window. The source's conflicting overnight wording needs clarification before relying on a longer window.
  • No card, reader, transfer journey or fare deduction was tested. This does not establish transfer rules for airport buses or express rail services.
  • Transfer windows may be longer at night; check the Seoul Metropolitan Government's original guidance before relying on an extension.

What does the evidence cover?

Seoul lists tap-off and transfer-time conditions. Grouped bus payment does not qualify for a subway transfer discount; the actual fare on your trip was not tested.

  • [S238] Official source (EN) · Observed: Not confirmed · Checked:
Action or conditionVerdictEvidence
Tap-off and basic transfer window

The city's transfer rules require tapping the card when getting off and give a basic 30-minute transfer window.

 Works · Official source
  • [S238] Official source (EN) · Observed: Not confirmed · Checked:
Several bus passengers on one card

The city excludes multi-passenger bus payment from subway transfer discounts.

 Doesn’t work · Official source
  • [S238] Official source (EN) · Observed: Not confirmed · Checked:
Overnight extension and your fare

The page gives inconsistent overnight time wording. That extension and the amount charged on your particular journey are not confirmed here.

 Not confirmed
  • [S238] Official source (EN) · Observed: Not confirmed · Checked:

Also listed in Transport.

Sources

Show 1 source with their dates

Official source: Confirmed in an official document or on an official site. Observed is the date the source itself gives for the notice, event or test (Reported, for a report by travellers). Checked is the date we read it. “Not confirmed” after Observed means the source gives no date, and we don’t guess one.

  • [S238] Official source (EN) english.seoul.go.kr Observed: Not confirmed · Checked:

    Read source [S238]

    Details

    Seoul's bus guide requires tapping off and gives a basic 30-minute transfer window. It excludes grouped bus payment from subway transfer discounts and excludes same-bus or same-route transfers. Overnight extension wording differs between sections.

    Checked against the official page on 2026-10-21. No visit or booking was made.

    Only the consistent basic rules are used. The page's conflicting overnight time wording is not evidence for a confirmed extended window. No fare or card-reader test was made.

Dates and changes

Last verified

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