Riding a Seoul Bus: 1,500 Won by Card, Tap On and Off, Check Your Balance First

Fares change with the bus colour

Adult card fares are 1,500 won for blue (trunk) and green (branch) buses, 1,400 won for yellow short-distance circulation buses and 1,200 won for town buses. Red rapid buses cost 3,000 won and late-night buses 2,500 won.

Two buses with similar numbers can cost different amounts if the colour differs.

Tap once to board, once to get off

Tap your card at the reader when you board, and again at the front or rear door reader when you get off. Tapping off is what keeps your transfer discount alive.

Change within 30 minutes (one hour between 21:00 and 07:00) and you get up to four free transfers between buses, or between a bus and the subway.

Cash works, but a card is easier

Cash fares match the card fares, but Seoul has been expanding cashless buses, so check which buses take cash. You can buy a transport card at a nearby convenience store.

What the 'insufficient balance' stories show

A Sept. 8 Threads post described a Chinese passenger on an Incheon Airport bus with 10,000 won in cash and an empty card against a 17,000-won fare. The bus was delayed until passengers behind her lent her money.

A Jeju traveller also posted about repeated 'insufficient balance' alerts on Bus 101. All of this is online testimony, and no official statement was reported. Airport buses cost far more than city buses, so check your balance before boarding.