Han River Trip Toolkit
35 Korea-only travel calculators
 Home
TRANSPORT PAYMENT

T-money vs Cashbee vs WOWPASS

Most guides say "get a T-money." That answer ignores the 3% your bank charges at the ATM, the ₩500 balance left over when you refund, and the WOWPASS card's 0.5% FX margin. This calculator picks the right card for your trip length and spending pattern.

Tell me about your trip

Include arrival and departure days.

Subway + bus + small convenience-store purchases via the card.

T-money (티머니)

  • ✓ Sold everywhere: convenience stores, subway stations
  • ✓ ₩2,500-₩4,500 for the card itself (refundable minus ₩500)
  • ✓ Kids under 6: free; ages 6-12: 50% off with kids' card
  • ✓ Works across subway, bus, taxi (most), convenience stores
  • ✗ Refund at subway station: fee on balances under ₩20,000
  • ✗ Must top up at machines or convenience stores (cash only at most)

Cashbee (캐시비)

  • ✓ Same coverage as T-money (same nationwide transit network)
  • ✓ Sold at convenience stores and CU ATMs
  • ✓ Slightly smaller refund fee (₩500)
  • ✓ Better integration with Shinhan Bank top-up
  • ✗ Less common outside Seoul/Busan
  • ✗ Card stock varies — CU has it; GS25 sometimes doesn't

WOWPASS (와우패스)

  • ✓ Pre-loaded multi-currency card: 0.5% FX margin (vs 3% at ATMs)
  • ✓ Pay at merchants that take regular cards (with ₩100,000 balance limit)
  • ✓ Cash withdrawal at ATMs for additional fees
  • ✓ Sold at Incheon / Gimpo airports (T1, T2) — order online or buy on arrival
  • ✗ ₩5,000 card fee, ₩3,000 top-up minimum
  • ✗ Doesn't auto-reload like a regular transit card

Common mistakes

  • ✗ Bringing your foreign debit card to a 365mc ATM without checking your bank's FX + withdrawal fee (commonly 3-4%)
  • ✗ Loading ₩50,000 onto T-money on day 1, then refunding with ₩3,200 left over (you lose ₩3,200 of the leftover because refund fee applies)
  • ✗ Buying WOWPASS "for FX savings" but using only ₩25,000 — you'll never recover the ₩8,000 setup cost
  • ✗ Trying to top up T-money at an ATM that doesn't take foreign cards — only Korean-issued cards work at most
  • ✗ Assuming a foreign tap credit card will work at a 7-Eleven cashier when the system is offline (always carry ₩5,000 in cash)

What this solves

A 5-day tourist spends an average ₩75,000-₩120,000 on transit and small convenience-store purchases. If they use the wrong card, they can lose 5-8% of that on FX margin and refund fees. The wrong card isn't a mistake that ruins a trip — but it's one that quietly subtracts ₩5,000-₩12,000 from your last-day coffee budget. This tool tells you which of the three options is the lowest-cost path for your actual pattern, not a generic recommendation.

How to read the result

  • "Winner" — the card that costs you the least including card purchase fee, top-up, refund/spenddown, and FX.
  • "Total cost" — your all-in cost for transit + convenience-store spending across the trip.
  • "Refunded value" — what you'd get back from leftover balance. WOWPASS keeps any leftover as USD balance; T-money/Cashbee charge a refund fee below ₩20,000.
  • If two cards are within ₩2,000 of each other, pick by convenience (e.g. airport pickup, refund location) — not the calculator.

Limitations

  • This tool assumes you will use a transit card. If you're taking only taxis, none of the three helps.
  • WOWPASS FX margin (0.5%) is the published figure — confirm at the airport kiosk on the day, since partners occasionally adjust.
  • ATM withdrawal fees vary by your bank and card type. We use 3% as a midpoint; some banks charge 0% (Charles Schwab, Wise) and others charge 4%.
  • T-money & Cashbee coverage in non-Seoul regions varies. For Jeju, both work on buses; for rural Gangwon-do, only T-money is universally accepted.
  • Kids' discounts (50% for ages 6-12) require the kids' version of the card with verified age — adult cards don't auto-discount.

FAQ

Can I get a T-money at Incheon Airport on arrival?

Yes — there are T-money vending machines and convenience stores on B1 of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The card costs ₩2,500-₩4,500 depending on design. Same for Cashbee at CU and WOWPASS at their dedicated counter (between gates 22 and 24 in T1).

Can I refund T-money in Busan?

Yes — at any Busan subway station customer service center (not the machine). They refund the balance above ₩20,000 in full; below ₩20,000 you keep the balance on the card (no fee on the card itself, just no cash refund).

Is WOWPASS worth it for a 3-day trip?

Usually no. The ₩8,000 fixed cost (₩5,000 card + ₩3,000 minimum top-up) only pays back if you'd otherwise lose more on ATM FX. A 3-day trip with ₩45,000 transit spend usually loses less with a T-money + one ATM withdrawal.

Does T-money work for the AREX airport express?

For the all-stop AREX (₩4,150 from Incheon T1 to Seoul Station), yes — tap and ride. For the AREX Express (₩9,500), no — it requires a separate ticket from the AREX machines.

Sources