Seoul's Unlimited Climate Card has some big limitations in applicable area

You probably already know that the Seoul government is launching an all-inclusive unlimited "Climate Card" (기후동행카드) transportation payment card later this month. For 65,000 won / month, you can use the card essentially unlimited to take busses, subways, even city-owned bike shares (따릉이) across Seoul. 

There's been a lot of news about it:

It's a great idea for those inside Seoul, but I wanted to give a quick word of warning for those of you who commute to/from Seoul for work. 



There are quite a few limitations on this program right now that might hinder your full utilization of the card. You really should think of this as the SEOUL climate card, not the Gyeonggi-do or Incheon card.


Limitations on the Seoul Climate Card usage locations


Most of this info is written out around news articles, but I think this image from the T-money blog is the most clear and impactful. Click it for a fuller view. 

Image: T-Money blog

Those are the subway lines where you can use the Climate Card. That's it. To make it as confusing as possible, you'll notice that the card applicable to portions of various subway lines, but go outside those areas, and the climate card is no longer applicable.

To me personally, this puts a large dent in any enthusiasm for the card for those of us who live outside the city proper. But I guess it makes sense: fares and pricing on these other lines and other portions are related to other administrative areas. Seoul can only offer "unlimited" usage on lines/services it directly oversees. 

Anyway here are the specific sections of subway lines where the card applies:
이용가능한 지하철 세부 노선
  • 2,6,8,9호선,우이신설선,신림선 : 전구간
  • 1호선: 온수/금천구청 ~ 도봉산
  • 3호선: 지축 ~ 오금
  • 4호선: 남태령 ~ 당고개
  • 5호선: 방화 ~ 강일/마천
  • 7호선: ​​온수 ~ 장암
  • 공항철도: 김포공항 ~ 서울역
  • 경춘선: 청량리 ~ 신내
  • 경의중앙선: 수색~양원 / 서울역
  • 수인분당선: 청량리 ~ 복정
  • 서해선 : 김포공항

And in English (forgive me if I misspell some of these station names):
Subway lines usable via Climate Card
  • Lines 2, 6, 8, 9, Ui LRT Line, Sillim Line: All sections
  • Line 1: Onsu/Geumcheon-gu Office ~ Dobongsan
  • Line 3: Jichuk ~ Ogeum
  • Line 4: Namtaeryeong ~ Danggogae
  • Line 5: Banghwa ~ Gangil/Macheon
  • Line 7: Onsu ~ Jangam
  • Airport Railroad: Gimpo Airport ~ Seoul Station
  • Gyeongchun Line: Cheongnyangni ~ Sinnae
  • Gyeongui-Jungang Line: Susaek ~ Yangwon / Seoul Station
  • Suin-Bundang Line: Cheongnyangni ~ Bokjeong
  • West Sea (Seohae) Line: Gimpo Airport

As if this wasn't confusing enough, there's a whole different eligibility for the bus routes. It looks like:
  • Subway journeys that begin/end outside Seoul but begin/end within Seoul are ineligible, but 
  • Bus journeys on Seoul-affiliated busses that begin/end outside Seoul but then begin/end within Seoul are eligible
Got it? I sure hope so.

UPDATE 1: there seems to be some confusion about the direction allowed here. I came across this passage in an English article today:

It can also be used to depart from a station in Seoul to one in Gyeonggi-do Province or Incheon but not vice versa.

Holders can also ride city and shuttle buses but not inter-city ones given the latter's different fare systems. 


This seems to contradict my understanding of the rule as currently expressed:

지하철의 경우 서울지역 내 역에서 승차 후 서울지역 외 역에서 하차할 경우 이용불가
This makes it seem (to me) that both directions via subway are not allowed (via the card discount) if one of your stations is outside the Seoul applicable area. Maybe there's new information? Maybe I'm mistaken? I double checked with the guy next to me and he says I'm right so...

Anyway, if you are coming into Seoul from outside these area, this card is not really applicable to you in my opinion.  

Of course, bear in mind that the card hasn't even launched yet. As far as I've seen, there is no clear indication whether it can be applicable to the new commuter lines like the various upcoming GTX lines (수도권 광역급행철도 aka "Great Train Express" aka Metropolitan Express Trains). Those won't even hope to be running until March this year at the earliest (and only tiny portions even then). So I'm sure there are lots of kinks to work out. 

But for now, don't get too excited about dropping 65k won on this card, which can be used via physical card or added to the T-Money Mobile app (this functions only on Android only right now - rumors of iOS supporting it sometime soon).

Other discount transit cards


If you are someone like me who tells people they live in Seoul but actually live definitely outside the Climate Card validity area, consider these alternative discount card schemes:
  • K-Pass (K-패스) which works nationwide is more like a discount card that saves big (~20%) on multiple journeys. In use now.
  • The Gyeonggi Pass (더(The)경기패스) - similar card type but for Gyeonggi-do. Scheduled to come out in July 2024.
  • UPDATE: Incheon will have the Incheon I-Pass (인천 I-패스) for Incheonites and the Incheon Metropolitan I-Pass (광역 I-패) more for Incheon-Seoul commuters. 
UPDATE 2: 

More articles are coming about about the Climate Card and other similar plans from other localities:

UPDATE 3:

New youth pricing is coming out at 55k won (without the bike service; 58k won with) for anyone ages 19~34. But you need to pay full price first and then apply for refund (during this initial trial period). After July, the system will be finalized and no more refund hassle will be needed. See: 오늘부터 기후동행카드 '청년할인' 5만원대…환급 신청은 7월 | 아주경제

Final thoughts


Hopefully all of these programs will end up interacting someday in the future like basic T-money payments do now. I sure hope so because these programs are great to reduce reliance on private transport but this type of friction will turn off a lot of people. 

Either way, I'm still going to be driving my car to work. How else can I eat my 맥모닝 set in peace? 



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