For: groups using Seoul public transport. Information checked: 9 November 2026.
For a group planning to use both the subway and buses, the straightforward choice is a separate compatible transit card for each traveler. If you pay for several people with one card on a Seoul bus, tell the driver how many are traveling before tapping. Seoul’s published rules say the group payment cannot receive a transfer discount onto the subway.
Choose the right approach
| Plan | Practical approach |
|---|---|
| Mix subway and bus | Each traveler uses their own compatible card and taps as directed. Check eligibility and conditions for any discount. |
| Bus group | Before paying, tell the driver the group size at every boarding. Keep the same passengers together on the same journey. |
| Splitting up | Use separate cards so each person can pay and travel independently. |
| Child fare | Ask the card issuer or transport operator about the card’s registration and fare conditions before travel. |
On the bus
Board at the indicated door. If using one card for a group, tell the driver the number in your party before presenting the card. Tell the next driver the group size again before tapping. Seoul’s group-transfer guidance requires the same travelers to continue the same journey, with the same boarding and alighting locations, for an eligible bus transfer. It also excludes a transfer discount to the subway for a multi-passenger payment. Same-route bus transfers are excluded under the city’s guidance.
Tap the card when getting off and follow the reader’s prompts. Normally you must board the next service within 30 minutes; Seoul’s Korean guidance specifies 60 minutes when the next boarding is from 9 p.m. until before 7 a.m. Conditions and exceptions apply. Ask the driver or station staff if you are unsure whether a transfer is eligible. Do not assume a group fare arrangement or discount is the same outside Seoul.
Avoid a stressful gate or boarding queue
Before setting out, check that each traveler’s card is accepted for the intended service and has enough balance. Keep the cards with their respective users. For any pass, check the current exclusions, validity period and operator’s instructions; a prepaid transport card and a city pass do not necessarily work alike.
Official information
Seoul’s integrated transfer rules explain card taps, eligible transfers and group travel. The page is in Korean; Seoul also provides an English bus guide. The English guide contains a conflicting night-window line, so the time stated above follows the Korean policy. Rules checked November 9, 2026.
Compare your planned trips with our transit pass tool; check the product conditions for each traveler.