Discover Seoul Pass 2026: four passes and when the clock starts

Discover Seoul Pass is the attraction pass sold by the Seoul Tourism Organization. One pass gets you into more than 70 attractions free, one admission each, and adds discount coupons and a 5-day eSIM. There are four versions: the 72-Hour Pass at 90,000 KRW, the 120-Hour Pass at 130,000 KRW, Pick 3 Basic at 49,000 KRW and Pick 3 Theme Park at 70,000 KRW (official site, checked 2026-11-02). Whether it pays off comes down to how many paid attractions you will really fit in.

Which of the four passes?

The 72-Hour and 120-Hour passes work on time. Inside that window you can use as many of the free attractions as you can reach, once each.

The two Pick 3 passes work on count. You choose any three attractions, or three including one theme park for the Theme Park version, and you have five days to use them. Pick 3 works only with the QR code in the app.

The official site shows an example 72-hour itinerary: the airport limousine bus to Incheon, Lotte World, SEA LIFE COEX, Gyeongbokgung admission with hanbok rental, the N Seoul Tower observatory, a Han River cruise and a major exhibition, plus the eSIM, which it values at 294,400 KRW against the 90,000 KRW pass. That is a busy three days. If you will only manage two or three paid places, add up their gate prices and compare them with Pick 3 Basic first.

When does the clock start?

Your first visit to a free attraction activates the pass. Tapping the Card Pass on the subway or a bus does not, so you can ride in from the airport and start the 72 hours the next morning.

Card Pass or Mobile Pass?

The pass itself is the same in both formats.

• The Card Pass is a physical card that also works as a transit and prepaid card. You buy it online for pickup or at designated stores in Seoul.
• The Mobile Pass lives in the Discover Seoul Pass app. Nothing to pick up, and you can use it as soon as you land. It has no transit card function.

At the ticket booth you show the QR code in the app, or the one on the back of the card. Staff hand you an admission ticket, and you go in with that.

Does it cover transport?

Only partly. The Card Pass is a top-up transit card that comes with no balance: you top it up at a convenience store or subway station and pay for subway, bus and taxi rides from what you load. Rides are not unlimited.

Separately, a few transport services are on the free list: AREX (Airport Railroad Express), the K Limousine airport bus, Ttareungi (Seoul’s public bikes), and the Yellow Balloon and Tiger Bus city tour buses. Conditions can differ from one service to the next, so read the attraction page for the one you want before you rely on it. For the airport train, you issue an AREX ticket with the QR code on the back of your pass.

If unlimited subway and bus rides are what you need, that is a different product. Our guide to Seoul’s Climate Card short-term pass covers it.

Refunds and help

Unused passes are fully refundable within 30 days of purchase. If you bought through another seller, their refund rules apply. Support runs every day of the year from 09:00 to 18:00 Korea time on +82 2 1644 1060, and live chat runs on weekdays from 09:00 to 18:00 with a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00 (official site, checked 2026-11-02). Attractions and their prices can change, so check the attraction list when you plan your days.

Before you fly

The pass comes with a 5-day eSIM. If your trip is longer than that, or you skip the pass, sort out data before you leave home. Superalink is a Korean eSIM company; set it up at home and it works the moment you land. Superalink has a 20% discount for Every Ticket readers.

Five apps run a Korea trip: NAVER Map, Konest, Kakao T, WOWPASS and Papago. Every Ticket, the app I am building, is the sixth. Five to run the trip, one to keep it. Once you have data, the day’s route is recorded on its own, and the tickets you add become one card when the trip ends. Recording runs in the background without draining your battery, and the card is built on your phone, not on a server.

Check the official site before you go

Prices, attractions and pass rules can change. Check the Discover Seoul Pass official site (discoverseoulpass.com) before you buy.

FAQ

How much is the Discover Seoul Pass?

The 72-Hour Pass is 90,000 KRW, the 120-Hour Pass 130,000 KRW, Pick 3 Basic 49,000 KRW and Pick 3 Theme Park 70,000 KRW (official site, checked 2026-11-02).

When does the 72 or 120 hours start?

When you use your first free attraction. Using the Card Pass as a transit card does not start the clock.

Does it include the subway?

Not as free rides. The Card Pass works as a top-up transit card for the subway, buses and taxis, but it is not pre-loaded, so you pay for each ride from the balance you add. The Mobile Pass has no transit card function.

Can I get a refund?

Unused passes bought from the official channel can be fully refunded within 30 days of purchase. Passes bought from other sellers follow that seller's refund policy.