Getting a transit card
Transit cards such as T-money are sold at convenience stores and subway stations, and you top them up with cash at a convenience store or a station machine. Once you have a Korean bank account, a debit card with a transit function also works. More and more bus routes no longer accept cash, so it is safer to carry a card.
How to get the transfer discount
Use the same card and always tap it on the reader when you get off — that is what makes the transfer discount work. If you board the next bus or subway within the set time after getting off, the base fare is not charged again or is reduced. The time limit and number of transfers vary slightly by region.
Tips for finding your way
In Korea, Naver Map and KakaoMap are handy because they show bus arrival times and even subway exits in detail. Tapping "Directions" on a K-lifeon place card opens Naver Map. Subway stations have many numbered exits, so check which exit is closest to where you are going.
Last-train times differ by line and are usually around midnight. If you will be out late, check the last train first.