Frustrated that you couldn’t use a transit card on your iPhone? Now all you need is your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Once you add Tmoney to Apple Pay, you can ride the subway and buses just by tapping your phone — no physical card, no wallet required.
Today we’ll walk through how to add Tmoney to Apple Pay (a Korea-first from Tmoney), how to top it up, and even how to get K-Pass refunds — all in one place.
Quick summary — Tmoney on Apple Pay · Add Tmoney to your iPhone or Apple Watch and ride the subway and buses without a wallet. · Turn on Express Mode and you can pass through with just a tap — no screen, no Face ID. · To also get perks like Tmileage, tax deductions, and K-Pass refunds, install the Mobile Tmoney app too. |
1. Yes, your iPhone really can be a transit card
Apple Pay Tmoney is a prepaid transit card added to your Apple Wallet and used with your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Tmoney became the first in Korea to support it on July 22, 2025 — bringing the Apple Pay transit card, previously available only in countries like the US and Japan, to Korea. You can ride any public transit that accepts Tmoney simply by tapping your phone.
Note: Apple Pay Tmoney is for public transit use only. It doesn’t support in-store payments (such as convenience stores) or online payments. For store or online payments, use a physical Tmoney card or the Mobile Tmoney app instead.
2. Setting up is easier than you’d think
When you create the card in the Wallet app, an initial top-up is required. So if you don’t have a card registered yet, the ‘Mobile Tmoney’ app is the way to go.
1) Register via the ‘Mobile Tmoney’ app (recommended)
- Install the ‘Mobile Tmoney’ app from the App Store.
- Issue a Tmoney card in the app. You don’t need to top up at first.
- It’s automatically added to your Apple Wallet.
- Top up using a bank account, KakaoPay, Naver Pay, or mileage — whichever is easiest. (Naver Pay was added as an iOS top-up method on September 1, 2026.)
2) Register via the Apple Wallet app
- Open your iPhone’s built-in Wallet app.
- Tap the + (Add) button in the top right.
- Select Transit Card, then choose South Korea (Tmoney) from the country list.
- Set your initial top-up amount (minimum ₩3,000 KRW) and complete the payment. (When topping up inside the Wallet app, you’ll need a Hyundai Card registered to Apple Pay.)
3. Riding is even easier
Just turn on Express Mode — no screen, no Face ID needed.
Simply tap your phone on the reader, and you pass right through on both subway and bus. When you first add Tmoney, Express Mode usually turns on automatically.
To set it: go to Settings → Wallet & Apple Pay → Express Transit Card.
Even if your battery dies and your phone powers off, Power Reserve keeps it working for up to 5 hours.
4. Get these perks in the Mobile Tmoney app
This is an important point. The Wallet app alone lets you use the transit card, but the perks below require installing the Mobile Tmoney app — even if you issued the card through the Wallet app on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
- Tmileage rewards — Up to 1% of your transit spending, plus events and free rewards
- Tax deduction registration — 40% tax deduction on Mobile Tmoney payments (actual rate follows tax-deduction policy)
- Child/youth fare registration — Register discounted fares easily in the app
- Balance gifting — Send your balance to someone you care about
- Loss/theft protection — Your balance stays safe even if you lose your phone
- Refunds — Refund your remaining balance right in the app
In short: the transit card lives in the Wallet app, but the perks live in the Mobile Tmoney app — using both together is the smartest way.
5. How to get a refund
Apple Pay Tmoney balance refunds can only be requested through the Mobile Tmoney app, to a bank account in your own name. Note that the iPhone Wallet app itself has no refund function.
- Open the ‘Mobile Tmoney’ app.
- In the full menu, tap Transit Card Refund.
- Enter the bank account details (in your own name) to receive the refund.
- Once your request is submitted, the amount is deposited to the account you entered.
6. Don’t miss out on K-Pass refunds
Register as a Mobile Tmoney K-Pass, and even transit fares paid with your iPhone are refundable. It’s the only mobile K-Pass that works on both iPhone and Galaxy.
Mobile Tmoney K-Pass gives you two benefits together. On top of the government K-Pass base refund (20% general, 30% youth, up to 53.3% for low-income users), using Mobile Tmoney adds an extra refund based on your monthly spending.
| Monthly spending | ₩150,000+ | ₩200,000+ | ₩250,000+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra refund | ₩1,500 | ₩2,000 | ₩2,500 |
It’s issued right in the app with no physical card, no annual fee, and no minimum spending conditions.
After applying for K-Pass in the app, be sure to register the issued card number on the K-Pass website or app. Usage before registration is not applied retroactively.
7. This is for you if…
- You’re an iPhone user who couldn’t fully use Apple Pay without a Hyundai Card
- You ride buses and subways often and found physical cards a hassle
- You want to make the most of transit refunds and cashback
8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Can’t I use an iPhone transit card without a Hyundai Card?
You can. If you issue the card through the Mobile Tmoney app, you can issue and top up without a Hyundai Card — using bank transfer, KakaoPay, Naver Pay, Tmileage, or another card issuer. A card registered to Apple Pay is only needed when topping up inside the Apple Wallet app.
Q2. Can I use Apple Pay Tmoney at convenience stores or online?
No. Apple Pay Tmoney is for public transit use only — subway and bus. It doesn’t support in-store payments (such as convenience stores) or online payments. For those, use a physical Tmoney card or the ‘Mobile Tmoney’ app.
Q3. Can a postpaid transit card be added to Apple Pay?
No. Only prepaid Tmoney can be added to Apple Wallet. Postpaid transit functions tied to a credit card, the Climate Card, and physical K-Pass cards cannot be added to Apple Pay.
Q4. Can I use it on an Apple Watch?
Yes. But moving it from the Wallet app to your watch is a transfer, not a copy — so it disappears from your iPhone. For security, each device is assigned its own separate card number.
Q5. Do I get K-Pass refunds the same way on iPhone?
Yes. Once registered as a Mobile Tmoney K-Pass, iPhone and Apple Watch users get the same base refund plus the Mobile Tmoney extra refund (up to ₩2,500/month). You’ll also need to register your card number on the K-Pass website or app, and usage before registration is not applied retroactively.
