Climate Card Does Not Automatically Convert After September 30: Registration Steps Required Starting October
If you have only used the existing Climate Card, it will not automatically convert to the Card for Everyone on October 1. Automatic application applies to Seoul residents who have already registered and are using the Card for Everyone (K-Pass). Climate Card users must obtain a Card for Everyone and complete card registration with K-Pass to receive refund benefits.
The reference date is 2026-09-30. The prepaid Climate Card's 30-day pass already reached its final day of use on September 29, while today, September 30, is the last day of use for the postpaid Climate Card. Starting October 1, operation of the 30-day passes for both prepaid and postpaid Climate Cards will end.
However, the Climate Card's 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, and 7-day short-term passes will continue to operate, so it is important to distinguish these from the discontinued 30-day pass.
Will an Existing Climate Card Automatically Become a Card for Everyone?
Simply possessing a Climate Card does not automatically change your status to a Card for Everyone user.
There are separate circumstances in which benefits are applied automatically. Seoul residents who already use the Card for Everyone or K-Pass and have completed Seoul residency verification will receive Seoul-specific benefits without having to obtain a separate Climate Pass card.
Conversely, anyone who has only used the Climate Card until now must complete the issuance and registration procedures appropriate for their chosen card type.
To use a postpaid Card for Everyone, obtain a credit or debit card through a card issuer and then register the card number in the K-Pass app or on its website.
For a physical prepaid card, users must first purchase the card and register its number, refund bank account details, and other required information through the app or website of the issuing organization, such as Tmoney or EZL. They must then register the card number again through the K-Pass app or website.
Similarly, users of mobile prepaid cards must obtain their cards through a mobile app and then register the card numbers with K-Pass to qualify for refund support.
In other words, it is easier to understand the distinction as follows: the Climate Card does not automatically become the Card for Everyone. Instead, Seoul's Climate Pass benefits are automatically applied to Seoul residents who are already using the Card for Everyone.
What You Need to Do Yourself Starting October 1
If you are not yet using the Card for Everyone (K-Pass), the first step is to decide which type of card you want to use.
If you prefer a credit or debit card, obtain a Card for Everyone (K-Pass) partner card and register it with K-Pass. If you prefer a prepaid card, obtain either a physical or mobile card and complete registration with both the issuing organization and K-Pass.
The important point is that obtaining the card alone is not enough. You must complete K-Pass membership registration and card registration to receive refund support.
Seoul residents who have already registered and are using the Card for Everyone (K-Pass) do not need to obtain another new card simply because the Climate Card program is ending.
Transportation Cost Calculations Will Also Change Starting October
The existing Climate Card 30-day pass and the Card for Everyone operate under fundamentally different benefit structures.
The Climate Card 30-day pass allowed users to take public transportation within its coverage area for a fixed price. The Card for Everyone calculates applicable refunds using either a percentage-based or fixed-amount method, based on public transportation expenses incurred over a month.
For ordinary users in the Seoul metropolitan area, the standard threshold amount under the fixed-amount method is KRW 62,000. The threshold is KRW 55,000 for young people, seniors, and households with 2 children, and KRW 45,000 for households with 3 or more children and low-income users.
Under the percentage-based method, the refund rates are 20% for general users, 30% for young people, seniors, and households with 2 children, 50% for households with 3 children, and 53.3% for low-income users. Applicable benefits are calculated using the percentage-based refund method and the fixed-amount method according to monthly transportation spending.
The temporary reduction in fixed-amount thresholds under the high-oil-price relief measures, which applied through September, covers only transportation use through September. Therefore, starting October, it is important not to confuse those temporary thresholds with the existing standard amounts.
Will Postpaid Climate Cards Become Completely Unusable on October 1?
For postpaid Climate Cards, it is important to distinguish between Climate Card discount benefits and ordinary transportation card functionality.
Climate Card discount benefits apply through September 30, and the existing Climate Card 30-day pass benefits end starting October. Existing postpaid cards can still be used as ordinary transportation cards, but simply continuing to tap those cards will not automatically generate Card for Everyone refunds.
To receive Card for Everyone refunds after October, users must verify that they have obtained an eligible card and completed K-Pass registration in accordance with the Card for Everyone requirements.
If You Have an Existing Physical Climate Card, There Is Something to Check by October 2
If you still have a physical Climate Card that you have finished using, it is worth checking the card exchange campaign before throwing it away.
Through 2026-10-02, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is operating a campaign at 12 major subway stations, offering a free 1-for-1 exchange of existing physical Climate Cards for new Climate Pass cards to users who surrender their old cards.
Participating stations are Seoul Station, Seongsu Station, Konkuk University Station, City Hall Station, Yeonsinnae Station, Nowon Station, Hongik University Station, Jamsil Station, Sadang Station, Seolleung Station, Yeouido Station, and Gasan Digital Complex Station. The campaign does not operate on Sundays or public holidays. On weekdays, operating hours are 7–11 in the morning and 4–8 in the afternoon. On Saturdays, operating hours are from 10 in the morning to 6 in the afternoon.
On-site assistance is available not only for card exchanges but also for app installation and K-Pass card registration.
Today Is the Application Deadline for Eligible Climate Card KRW 30,000 Cashback Recipients
The application period for the KRW 30,000 cashback program also ends on September 30. This applies to eligible users who topped up a Climate Card 30-day pass between 2026-04-01 and June 30 and used it through the end of its validity period.
Those who meet the requirements may qualify for refunds of KRW 30,000 per month for up to 3 months, totaling as much as KRW 90,000. If you have not yet applied, you should check the September 30 application deadline separately from the transition to the Card for Everyone.
How to Distinguish Your Options Starting October
If you have only used the Climate Card, do not wait for an automatic conversion. You must obtain and register a Card for Everyone.
If you are a Seoul resident who has already registered and is using the Card for Everyone (K-Pass), there is no need to obtain another new Climate Pass card. Seoul-specific benefits will be applied based on your existing registration information.
Also, although the Climate Card 30-day pass is ending, this does not mean that short-term passes are disappearing. The 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, and 7-day short-term passes will remain available.
Therefore, as October 1 approaches, the first thing to check is whether you are someone who has 'only used the Climate Card' or someone who has 'already signed up for the Card for Everyone (K-Pass) and registered a card.' The required procedures differ depending on which category you belong to.
Related Articles
Does Choosing 13 Automatic Lottery Games Mean a Higher Chance of Winning Automatically?