Seoul Subway ticket kiosks to accept credit card, mobile payments

This image shows a new ticket vending machine upgraded to accept credit card payments. (Seoul Metropolitan Government)

Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Tuesday that ticket vending machines in subway stations will soon accept credit card and smartphone payments, marking the machines’ first major upgrade in 16 years.

The city government said a pilot operation of the new kiosks will be launched at a total of 25 major subway stations — including City Hall Station on Subway Line No. 1, Sports Complex Station on Subway Line No. 2, the Gyeongbokgung and Express Bus Terminal stations on Subway Line No. 3, Seoul Station on Subway Line No. 4 and Itaewon Station on Subway Line No. 6 — starting Saturday.

According to the city government, commuters will now be able to use credit cards to recharge single-use tickets, Tmoney cards and the Climate Card, a monthly transit pass that offers unlimited access to public transportation within Seoul and select neighboring cities on the city’s outskirts.

It added that 440 upgraded kiosks are scheduled to be installed in phases across Seoul Subway Line Nos. 1 through 8, covering 273 stations, until the end of this year, hoping to improve passenger convenience and increase the kiosks' efficiency.

The last upgrade to the ticketing machines was made in 2009, allowing passengers to buy and recharge single-use transport cards with cash.

Easy payment services such as Kakao Pay, Naver Pay and Toss Pay will also be introduced by the end of this year.