How to Use Buses and the Subway in Busan
Busan's subway and buses are cheap, clean and easy once you have a transport card. Here is where to get one, how to use it, and how to save money every month.
Step 1. Buy a transport card
Buy a card at a convenience store (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven) or a machine in a subway station. T-money, Cashbee and Hanaro cards all work in Busan and across Korea. The card itself costs about KRW 2,500.
Step 2. Top it up
Add money with cash at a convenience store counter or a subway station machine. Foreign credit cards usually cannot be used to top up in Busan, so keep some Korean cash.
Step 3. Tap on, tap off
- Subway: tap your card at the gate when you enter and when you leave.
- Bus: tap when you get on, and tap again when you get off. If you forget, you lose your transfer discount.
Fares (with a card)
| Ride | Card fare |
|---|---|
| Subway, section 1 | KRW 1,600 |
| Subway, section 2 (longer trips) | KRW 1,800 |
| City bus | KRW 1,550 |
| Busan–Gimhae Light Rail, section 1 | KRW 1,600 |
Paying by card is cheaper than cash or single tickets.
Free transfers
If you get on the next bus or train within 30 minutes of getting off, you get a transfer discount, up to 2 transfers. It does not work with cash, or when you get back on the same bus number.
Save money: the Dongbaek Pass
If you spend more than KRW 45,000 on transport in a month, Busan refunds the extra, up to KRW 45,000 a month.
- You must be 18 or older and have an ARC.
- Get a Dongbaekjeon (동백전) transport card through the Dongbaekjeon app or at a Busan Bank branch.
- Register for the Dongbaek Pass in the app or at the branch.
- Use the physical card. Mobile payments do not count for the refund.
Find your route
Use Naver Map or KakaoMap. They show real-time buses and the best routes. Google Maps does not work well for directions in Korea.
