Payment guide

Will your card work? Usually — but not everywhere.

Korea is more card-friendly than most first-timers expect, until you reach a market stall, a small restaurant, or a ticket machine. Here is what works, what needs cash, and what other travellers reported.

Cards at most places

Hotels, chains, cafés, and department stores take Visa and Mastercard. Amex is patchier.

Carry some cash

₩50,000–100,000 for a short trip. Markets, small spots, and some taxis are cash-first.

Korean apps are different

Naver Pay and Kakao Pay can need a Korean phone number. Verify before you rely on them.

The five things to know

Short version first. Details per place below.

Report a place

💳

Cards: what actually works

Visa and Mastercard work at most hotels, chains, cafés, and department stores. Amex is patchier.
Tell your bank you're travelling, and enable overseas use in the app before you fly.
Contactless works, but not everywhere — inside the subway and many kiosks you'll still insert and use a PIN.
If a card fails, it's often the merchant's terminal, not your bank. Try another card or pay cash.

💵

Cash: carry some, always

Markets, small restaurants, taxis, and some ticket machines are cash-first.
₩50,000–100,000 for a short trip covers the gaps. Withdraw at a bank ATM, not a random street machine.
T-money top-up machines at subway stations accept cash. Convenience store top-ups usually take cards.
Keep small notes: ₩1,000 and ₩5,000 are useful at markets.

🚇

T-money & transit

Buy a T-money card at a convenience store (₩2,500–4,000) and top it up. One card per person.
Tap in and tap out on subways and buses. Forgetting the tap-out charges a higher fare.
Airport buses and most taxis accept T-money. KTX trains are booked separately (Korail).
You can't use a T-money card for two people on the same tap. Kids need their own.

📱

Naver Pay, Kakao Pay, and Korean apps

Many Korean websites ask for 본인인증 (identity verification) with a Korean phone number. Foreign cards alone often aren't enough.
Naver Pay and Kakao Pay have been adding foreign-card support, but coverage varies by merchant and country. Verify in-app before relying on it.
Ordering delivery (Baemin, Coupang Eats) usually needs a Korean phone number. Hotel front desks can sometimes order for you.
Coupang (shopping) generally requires a Korean account and phone number.

🧾

Tax refund at the airport

Look for 'Tax Free' at shops; ask for the refund receipt with your passport.
Some refunds can be processed instantly at the store; others must be claimed at the airport.
At Incheon, use the tax-refund kiosks before checking in if the goods need inspection.
Keep receipts and the goods accessible until after security in case of a check.

From other travellers

Real places, real card attempts.

1 recent report across 1 place.

Crowd-sourced — verify before relying on it

광화문

Seoul · jongkak

other

UnverifiedCash firstContactless: unverified

fffefe

Comments

Iinbangpark15 Nov 2026

Want to add a report?

You'll need an account so the next traveller can see who shared it. Sign in or create one.