Last updated: August 16, 2026
Korea’s national public-transport refund program can cut the cost of commuting, but the names have become confusing. K-Pass was expanded in 2026 under the Korean name Modeu-ui Card (모두의카드), translated by Seoul as “Everyone’s Card.” The program now compares a percentage refund with a flat monthly ceiling and automatically applies the more valuable result.
Foreign residents are not automatically excluded. If you are at least 19, live in Korea with a registered local address, and can complete identity and address verification, you may be able to join with your foreigner registration number. The important distinction is residency: this is not a visitor pass, and simply buying a compatible card does not activate refunds.
This guide explains K-Pass for foreigners, the 2026 Everyone’s Card rules, the temporary benefits running through September, and Seoul’s transition from the 30-day Climate Card to the new Climate Pass. Rules, card issuers, and local benefits can change, so use the official links before applying.
Accuracy note: This article summarizes public-transport policy as of August 16, 2026. Eligibility and refunds are determined by the K-Pass system, your local government, and your card issuer. Confirm your status on the official K-Pass website before relying on an expected refund.
What changed from K-Pass to Everyone’s Card in 2026?
The national government strengthened K-Pass and now presents the expanded program as Everyone’s Card. You still use the K-Pass website or app to register. Existing K-Pass terminology also remains common on card-company pages and in everyday conversation.
The system calculates two benefits:
- Percentage refund: a percentage of eligible public-transport spending is returned.
- Flat-rate refund: eligible spending above a regional monthly threshold is returned.
You do not choose one in advance. The system compares the two calculations and applies the larger benefit. This matters because a lighter commuter may do better with the percentage refund, while a frequent commuter may reach the flat-rate threshold.
The standard percentage rates published by the Metropolitan Transport Commission are 20% for general users, 30% for verified youth, seniors, or parents with two children, 50% for parents with three or more children, and 53.3% for verified low-income users. Enhanced categories require verification; do not select one merely because it appears applicable.
Can foreign residents use K-Pass?
Yes, many registered foreign residents can apply. The current K-Pass registration guidance specifically describes the use of a foreigner registration number and the upload of a certificate of domestic residence when automated address verification fails.
You generally need all of the following:
- Age 19 or older.
- A registered address in a participating Korean local government.
- A compatible K-Pass or Everyone’s Card product issued in your name.
- Identity verification with a mobile phone in your name or another supported certificate method.
- Your foreigner registration number and successful address verification.
- Registration of the issued card in the K-Pass app or website.
If the system cannot confirm your place of residence, the official instructions say a foreign resident can upload a recently issued certificate showing domestic residence through the “My Local Government” area. Follow the deadline shown during registration; the guidance currently refers to a document issued within one month.
A passport-only visitor will normally not meet these residency and identity-verification conditions. Tourists should use an ordinary T-money card or, for intensive travel inside Seoul, a short-term Climate Card instead.
Why your Korean phone number matters
The identity check usually expects the spelling, foreigner registration number, date of birth, and phone subscription holder to match. A tourist SIM or a line registered under another person or company may not work for this step. If you are still setting up mobile service, see our Korean SIM card guide for foreign residents before starting the application.
Which trips count for K-Pass refunds?
Eligible transport includes local and city buses, village buses, metropolitan express buses, urban rail, metropolitan rail, the Shinbundang Line, GTX, and the Airport Railroad. You can use the registered card outside your home area; eligibility is based on your registered residence, not on keeping every trip inside that municipality.
Separately ticketed services that do not participate in the normal transfer-discount system are excluded. The official examples include intercity and express buses, KTX, SRT, and airport buses. Buying a KTX ticket with the same credit or debit card does not turn that purchase into eligible K-Pass transit spending.
For refunds after the first month, the current Everyone’s Card guidance requires at least 15 eligible rides in a calendar month. The first registration month is treated more leniently, so benefits may be paid even below 15 rides. A transfer recorded as one connected journey is not necessarily counted as several separate rides.
How the 2026 refund calculation works
Under the normal flat-rate system, the threshold depends on your home region, benefit category, and whether your travel falls under the standard or Plus calculation. The Plus calculation is designed for higher-fare metropolitan trips such as GTX and express-bus travel. The official system makes the calculation; you do not need to predict the correct plan before every ride.
| Home region | General adult: standard / Plus | Youth, two-child parent, or senior | Three-plus-child parent or low-income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital area | KRW 62,000 / 100,000 | KRW 55,000 / 90,000 | KRW 45,000 / 80,000 |
| General non-capital region | KRW 55,000 / 95,000 | KRW 50,000 / 85,000 | KRW 40,000 / 75,000 |
| Preferential-support region | KRW 50,000 / 90,000 | KRW 45,000 / 80,000 | KRW 35,000 / 70,000 |
| Special-support region | KRW 45,000 / 85,000 | KRW 40,000 / 75,000 | KRW 30,000 / 65,000 |
These are refund thresholds, not prepaid pass prices. You pay fares normally with the registered card, and the system later returns the eligible amount according to the method used by your issuer.
Temporary half-price thresholds through September 2026
A temporary national measure applies to April through September 2026 usage. It lowers the flat-rate thresholds and increases percentage refunds for rides boarded during designated “staggered commuting” windows. In the capital area, the temporary standard/Plus thresholds are KRW 30,000/50,000 for general users, KRW 25,000/45,000 for the youth, two-child-parent, or senior group, and KRW 22,000/40,000 for the three-plus-child-parent or low-income group.
The designated boarding windows are 5:30–6:30 a.m., 9:00–10:00 a.m., 4:00–5:00 p.m., and 7:00–8:00 p.m. During those windows, the percentage-refund rate receives a 30-percentage-point increase. The temporary measure is scheduled only through September usage, so do not build a long-term budget around it.
How to apply for K-Pass as a foreign resident
Step 1: Check your identity setup
Confirm that your Residence Card details, Korean mobile subscription, and registered address are current. Small differences in spacing or Romanized names can cause verification failures. If you recently moved, complete the official address report first; our guide explains how to report an address change in Korea.
Step 2: Choose a participating card
Apply through a participating bank, card company, prepaid-card provider, or supported mobile service listed on the official program page. Credit, debit, prepaid, and mobile options have different issuance requirements and refund methods. A bank-issued product may require a Korean account; the bank-account process is covered in our guide to opening a bank account in Korea.
Do not assume any card carrying a transit symbol is a K-Pass card. An ordinary T-money-enabled bank card can pay fares but will not receive K-Pass refunds unless it is an eligible product and is registered correctly.
Step 3: Register on K-Pass
- Open the official K-Pass website or official app.
- Enter the 15- or 16-digit number from the issued card and run the validity check.
- Agree to the required terms.
- Complete identity verification.
- Enter your foreigner registration number and verify your address.
- Upload the requested residence document if automatic verification fails.
- Confirm that the card appears as active before using it for expected refunds.
Registering only with the card issuer is not enough. The card must also be connected to your K-Pass account. Keep a screenshot of the active-card page and the issuer’s refund schedule for your records, but never share those images if they expose your full card number or identification details.
Step 4: Use the same registered card consistently
Tap the registered card for eligible buses and rail services. If you alternate between several cards, spending and ride counts may be split, making it harder to reach the monthly requirement. Refund data can take time to appear because transport operators must send transactions to the program.
Seoul residents: Climate Pass starts September 1, 2026
Seoul is changing its monthly program. The city’s current Climate Card page says the old 30-day prepaid Climate Card can be recharged through August 31, 2026, and the new Climate Pass is scheduled for September 1. A foreigner registration number can be used to create an account, but the Climate Pass benefit is residence-based and limited to Seoul residents.
The new service connects Seoul’s benefit with the national K-Pass/Everyone’s Card system. According to the city, you apply through a participating issuer, receive the card, and register it on K-Pass. Climate Pass benefits begin the following month, so a last-minute September registration may not produce a September benefit.
Short-term Climate Card passes for 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 days continue separately. They are aimed at visitors and are not integrated into the monthly resident refund system. This distinction is useful if relatives or friends visit you: your resident K-Pass setup is not the right product for their trip.
K-Pass, Climate Pass, or T-money: which should you use?
- Registered resident commuting regularly: K-Pass/Everyone’s Card is usually the first option to check because it covers eligible transport nationwide and automatically compares benefits.
- Seoul resident after September 1: register an eligible card through K-Pass and confirm whether Climate Pass is active for your profile.
- Short-term visitor in Seoul: compare an ordinary T-money card with a 1–7 day Climate Card based on your actual itinerary and the service boundary.
- Occasional rider or person who cannot verify identity: an ordinary prepaid T-money card remains simpler, but it does not provide K-Pass refunds.
Common problems and practical fixes
Identity verification fails
Check whether the mobile line is in your own name and whether the carrier’s name spelling matches immigration records. If the site offers another supported certificate method, use it. Your carrier or card issuer may need to correct a mismatch.
Your address cannot be confirmed
Make sure your immigration address report is complete. Then follow the K-Pass upload path for a recent certificate of domestic residence. Do not upload documents to a search result, unofficial app, or support account.
No refund appears
Verify that the card was registered before the trips, that you reached 15 eligible rides after the first month, and that the transport mode qualifies. Check the issuer’s payment schedule before assuming the refund is missing. For card-use and refund questions, the official Everyone’s Card customer center is 031-427-4415; policy inquiries are handled by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority at 054-459-7441, 7442, or 7446.
FAQ
Can a foreigner get K-Pass in Korea?
Yes. A registered foreign resident who meets the age, residence, card-issuance, and identity-verification requirements can apply with a foreigner registration number. Passport-only visitors generally cannot.
Do I need a Korean bank account?
It depends on the card product. Bank-issued credit or debit cards may require an account, while supported prepaid or mobile products can have different rules. Check the issuer before applying.
Does K-Pass cover KTX or airport buses?
No. The official exclusions include KTX, SRT, intercity and express buses, and airport buses. The Airport Railroad is eligible, but a separately ticketed AREX express service may be treated differently from ordinary transit use; verify the fare product before travel.
Is the 2026 half-price benefit permanent?
No. The reduced thresholds and staggered-time enhancement are temporary and scheduled through September 2026 usage.
Can tourists still buy the Seoul Climate Card?
Yes. Seoul says the 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, and 7-day short-term passes continue. They are separate from the resident-only monthly Climate Pass.
Final checklist
- Use an official participating card, not just any transit card.
- Register it on the official K-Pass website or app.
- Complete identity and residence verification.
- Use the registered card for at least 15 eligible rides after your first month.
- Review your issuer’s refund schedule.
- Recheck the official rules after September 2026 when temporary benefits end.
For the fastest current check, use the official K-Pass website, the national Everyone’s Card guide, and, if you live in Seoul, the Seoul Climate Card and Climate Pass notice.