Aside from T-Money, one of the tourist cards that I enjoy using is Namane Card. This is a personalizable transportation card in South Korea that can be used to take the subway and buses. It can also be used as a method of payment in convenience stores, shops, and cafes. You can book a Namane Card here for $4.8 and redeem it easily at Incheon Airport, Seoul Station, and more locations nationwide.
In a nutshell
- What is Namane Card? This is a 2-in-1 travel card in South Korea that tourists can use for public transportation and retail purchases. Think of it as a debit card that you can use at restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores, as well as a transportation card that you can use to ride the subway and buses.
- How much is a Namane Card? It costs less than $5 if you book here.
- Why get one? Many stores and select buses in Korea have started to not accept cash. Hence, a prepaid card like Namane is essential. If you plan to use your own credit or debit card for food and shopping, then you can just get a Namane Card for transportation. (If you are familiar with T-Money, know that Namane Card functions the same way.)
- How to top up the card? You can add money to your Namane card using a kiosk machine or by visiting a convenience store like CU, Emart24, or StoryWay. If you’re a foreign resident in South Korea, you’ll also be able to add money to your card through your Korean bank account, locally-issued debit or credit card, or mobile payment.
Quick Book
Where to Book
Meet Namane Card: What It Is & Where to Use
Namane is a prepaid card in South Korea that travelers and foreign residents use for payments and transportation. It is a 2-in-1 debit and transportation card (from Kookmin or KB Bank) that can be used in stores that accept card payments. These include Hyundai Department Stores, cafes, restaurants, PC rooms, cosmetics shops, and convenience stores. (As a general rule, you can use your Namane Card in all merchants that have a credit card reader.)
Foreign residents with a valid registration number can also use the card for online payments, which makes it easy to make online food delivery and online shopping.
For transportation, the Namane card can be used to take the following:
- Buses
- National Bus
- Airport Shuttle (Incheon International Airport-Seoul/Gyeonggi/Incheon Areas)
- Seoul and Jeju City Tour Bus
- National Express Bus Terminal
- Subways
- Rail
- KTX
- Saemaeul
- Mugunghwa
- ITX Youth
- Nuriro
- Freeway
- Nationwide Korea Expressway Corporation Toll Booths
- Private Toll Booths (May exclude some roads)
While the functions of the card are similar to T-Money and WOWPASS, Namane has this unique feature: you can customize the card with a photo or design of your choice. Yes, you can pick any picture you like and have it printed on the front of your Namane Card. This makes for a personalized transportation card or souvenir for your trip. (If you are a foreign resident in Korea, one good thing about getting a Namane Card is that it can be used as an alternative to your bank-issued debit card or T-Money card if you lose them.)
How to Get a Namane Card
If you are interested in using Namane in South Korea, you simply need to book online, find a Namane Card Kiosk location, and print your card to get started. Below are the full details:
1. Book a Namane Card voucher online
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You can purchase a Namane Card online for less than $5. While you can also get a card straight from the kiosk machine, booking online on platforms like Klook earns you some points that you can use towards your next trip.
- PRICE: Book here for only $4.8 or ₩7,000!
- WHAT YOU’LL GET: Namane Card Voucher
- BEST REVIEW:
[Highly] recommended to anyone going to South Korea… this is better than [WOWPASS] as this is customizable. [I ]was able to ride [the subway and bus,] and use it as mode of payment when I did some shopping. [Thanks Klook]!
2. Design your card
After booking online, you are now ready to design your Namane Card. Simply download the NAMANE: Pay & Transit Card app from the App Store or Google Play. From the app, you will be able to design the front of the card with any photo you like. (You can also create the design of your card on the Namane website, but our team at Travlists recommends using the app. You will actually use the same app to manage and top up your card.)
Once you are happy with your design, click Save. You will then see a QR code on the app that you can use to print your Namane Card.
3. Find a Namane Kiosk Machine and print your card
Once you are in South Korea, find a kiosk machine on the app or check out our list below. Proceed to the kiosk machine, click “Design a Card” on the screen, and scan the QR code of your design.
To receive your Namane Card, scan your Klook voucher or KKDay voucher. (Click “QR” when asked to select the method of payment.) You will then receive your personalized Namane Card.
Namane Kiosk Locations
With over 200+ kiosks nationwide, you can easily print your prepaid travel card in Korea. You can find a kiosk machine in the following locations:
- Incheon Airport Terminal 1
- Incheon Airport Terminal 2
- Gimpo Airport Station
- Seoul Station
- Myeongdong Station
- NineTree Premier Myeongdong
- Seoul Tourism Foundation Myeongdong
- Eider Chamonix Myeongdong
- Konkuk Univ. Station
- Youngpoong Bookstore Hongik Univ.
- DDP Station
- Jamsil Station
- KORAIL Yongsan Station
- KORAIL Yeongdeungpo Station
To see the full list of Namane Card kiosk locations, click here.
How Top Up Namane Card: Pay & Transit Balance
Once you have your personalized Namane Card, add some money to it. But first, take note that Namane Cards in Korea have two balances (or virtual wallets): one for store payments called Pay Balance and one for transportation called Transit Balance. When you top up your card, all the money will go to your Pay Balance wallet. If you want to use your card for public transportation, you will need to transfer some amount from your Pay Balance wallet to your Transit Balance wallet.
For example, if I top up $7 or ₩10,000 to my card, this amount will all go to my Pay Balance. I will need to transfer some money to my Transit Balance so I can pay for my transportation fares.
Now that we know that there are two balances or wallets, you can now proceed to add money to your Pay Balance. To do so, download and open the Namane app and transfer funds from another debit card (issued in South Korea or overseas) or using Naver, KakaoPay, or mobile payment. You can also load up offline using a Namane Card kiosk in subway stations or by going to a convenience store like CU. (The top-up amount depends on your budget. However, there is an account limit of ₩500,000 for both the Pay Balance and the Transit Balance.)
After adding money to your Pay Balance, click Pay Card Transfer on the Namane app to move some or all your money to your Transit Balance.
Once you have a sufficient amount on your Pay Balance and Transit Balance wallets, you are now ready to use your card.
How to Get a Refund for Your Balance
A refund is possible if you have used more than 60% of your account balance. You can either receive the refunded amount in cash or via transfer to your Korean bank account. Learn more ➜
Namane vs. T-Money
While T-Money is the most popular transportation card in Korea, it lacks some features that Namane Card is known for including customizability, flexibility in top-up, and online payment features. If you want to know more about T-Money, click here.
Namane Card vs. Namane Pass
Curious about the new Namane Pass? Unlike the prepaid Namane Card, Namane Pass offers unlimited use of trains and subways for 3-5 days. This is ideal if you plan to use the public transportation extensively each day of your trip.
Got questions?
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