With tourism to South Korea at an all time high, the Seoul Tourism Organization,The Seoul Metropolitan Government, and KEB Hana Bank saw the need to provide a budget-friendly way for independent tourists to see as much of Seoul as possible in the short time they had. The solution they came up with was The Discover Seoul Pass.
The Discover Seoul Pass includes 16 of Seoul’s biggest landmarks as well as a selection of historical, cultural, and hallyu (Korean Wave) attractions. Upon purchasing the pass, you gain access to admission tickets worth more than 150,000 won at over a 70% discount.
Perhaps more importantly, the pass also serve as a T-money transit pass that can be topped-up at any subway station or convenience store in Seoul. The Discover Seoul Pass lasts for 24 hours, allowing you automatic access (without the need to wait in lines) to any of the 16 attractions available – the timer starts running when you enter your first location.
○ Form : Plastic transit card (with T-money capacity)
○ Price : 39,900 won
○ Duration: 24 hours after activation
○ Offered Services
- Tourism : Free admission to 16 tourist attractions
- Transit : Usage of public transportation through Tmoney (Unlimited duration)
The 5 Advantages of The Discover Seoul Pass
Advantage 1. Free access to 16 tourist attractions with just one card!
– The more active you are, the more you benefit
-The more you travel around Seoul, the more you benefit
Advantage 2. The pass is good for 2 days/1 night (24 hours)
The pass is activated as soon as you visit your first tourist attraction.
Advantage 3. You can take the opportunity to visit attractions most frequented by Seoulites without any additional burden!
– Discover premium galleries and speciality museums with the Pass!
Advantage 4. The pass offers incredible value!
– Two of the most expensive attractions cost almost 40,000 won alone, but the pass offers access to 16 attractions all together!
Advantage 5. You can even use it as a transit card!
– The pass is equipped with T-Money, which allows travellers to use the public transportation (subway, bus, and taxi)
– With T-Money, you can also make purchases at convenience stores, Starbucks, and other stores. The card can be topped up as needed, and you can get a refund for any remaining balance before your departure.
How To Use The Discover Seoul Pass
Step 1. Plan your itinerary
Select the tourist attractions you want to visit. → Optimize your itinerary, considering the distance, time on-site, and the hours/days of operation. |
Step 2. Top up your T-money
– T-money can be topped up at any convenience store or at the recharge machines found in any subway station – If the charged amount is sufficient, you could technically use public transportation around the entire country! |
Step 3. Use the Discover Seoul Pass as an admission ticket
– At the attraction, present your Discover Seoul Pass card at the ticket office. An admission ticket will be issued to you once the card’s QR code has been scanned. – Once the QR code has been scanned at the first attraction you visit, the pass allows free entry to the remaining 15 Seoul attractions for the next 24 hours. |
Step 4. Check how much time remains on your pass
– You can check the remaining time through keeping track of the time that you first used the pass, but the best way to know how much time remains is to download the Discover Seoul Pass App. Through the app, you can view the card’s remaining time as well as the remaining tourist attractions you can visit in one go! |
Step 5. Download the app and synchronize it with your pass
Select the tourist attractions you want to visit. → Optimize the itinerary, considering the distance, time on-site, and the hours/days of operation. |
[Discover Seoul Pass Tourist Map]
Here is a list of the 16 Attractions you can visit with The Discover Seoul Pass:
These attractions were carefully chosen based on the reviews and ratings of tourists who previously came to Seoul! So you know you’re getting only la crème de la crème with this pass.
1. Gyeongbokgung Palace
2. Namsan Seoul Tower (Observatory)
3. Trickeye & Ice Museum
4. Changdeokgung Palace
5. Alive Museum
6. Jongmyo (Royal Shrine)
7. Figure Museum W
8. K-live K-pop hologram concert
9. Grévin Museum
10. MBC World
11. Deoksugung Palace
12. Museum Kimchikan
13. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul
14. Seodaemun Prison History Hall
15. Leeum Samsung Museum of Art
16. Changgyeonggung Palace
Where to buy The Discover Seoul Pass
Incheon Airport
KEB Hana Bank Currency Exchange Office, Arrivals Hall at Incheon Airport
KEB Hana Bank Incheon Airport B1
CU convenience stores located at the Arrivals Hall at Incheon Airport
Official Sellers within Seoul
1. Myeongdong Tourist Information Center(Overseas sales and processes refunds for the pass)
Address: 66, Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (KEB Hana Bank Main Office First Floor Annex)
Phone No.+82-2-778-0333
Hours of Operation 09:00-20:00
Closed on Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day), Chuseok Day
2. KEB Hana Bank Hongik University Station Branch
Address 151, Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea
Phone No. +82-2-337-0551
Hours of Operation 09:00~16:00
Closed on Weekend and National holidays
3. Seoul City Tour Bus (Gwanghwamun)
Location Koreana Hotel, Gwanghwamun (in front of Dongwha Duty Free) ticket booth
Phone No. +82-2-777-6090
Closed on Mondays
4. Seoul City Tour Bus (Dongdaemun Digital Plaza)
Location Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) ticket booth
Phone No. +82-1544-4239
[All photos courtesy of The Discover Seoul Pass]