Holiday train tickets in Korea: booking KTX for Seollal and Chuseok
Train tickets for the Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok holidays aren't sold whenever you like. Korail opens them all at once during a special holiday booking period. Millions of people log on at the same time, so preparation matters as much as for concert ticketing.
Check first. Korail announces the schedule and detailed rules again for every holiday. This guide summarizes the approach used in recent holidays, so always confirm the notice on Korail's website and app before you book.
How recent holiday bookings have worked
Mostly online
Recent holiday bookings have taken place on a dedicated holiday booking page on the Korail app and website. You need to be a registered rail member, and people who find the internet difficult have been directed to book by phone through the rail customer center.
Priority booking for vulnerable travelers, then general booking
First comes priority booking for travelers with mobility needs, such as seniors aged 65 and over, registered people with disabilities and certain national merit recipients. A few days later comes general booking open to everyone. Pregnant women have also been included in priority booking recently. The priority booking requires the eligible person to actually travel, and misuse can bar them from priority booking for the next holiday.
Booking days split by rail line
To spread out traffic, booking days are split by rail line, such as the Gyeongbu, Honam and Gyeongjeon lines. For the 2026 Seollal holiday, for example, general booking ran over three days with different lines on each day. Check which day your line opens.
Payment within a set period after booking
Holiday tickets are not charged the moment you book. A separate payment period follows the booking period. If you don't pay within it, the reservation is cancelled automatically and the seat passes in order to people on the waiting list. Many people succeed at booking and then lose the ticket by forgetting to pay, so put the deadline in your calendar.
What to do before booking day
- Membership and login: confirm your member number and password. Membership systems sometimes change (for example, switching to an integrated membership), so check the notice.
- Eligibility verification: if you qualify for priority booking, you may need to complete disability, pregnancy or merit verification before booking day.
- Pre-register your trip: recent holiday pages have let you save your departure and arrival stations and dates in advance and load them on booking day. Use it if it's offered; it saves a lot of typing time.
- Pick first, second and third choice trains: choose several trains on the dates and times you want. Popular slots (morning of the first holiday day, afternoon of the last) go first.
Booking-day tips
- Log on right at the start time. General booking often starts early in the morning. Enter on the hour by the server clock to get an early queue number. You can check Korail's server time on Chochim.
- Don't refresh when you get a queue number. You may lose your place. Even a number in the tens of thousands moves faster than you'd think.
- Split the work within your family. Dividing lines or dates avoids overlap. Check the notice for any per-person ticket limit.
- If your train is gone, join the waiting list. Tickets cancelled after the payment deadline are assigned to the waiting list in order.
If you didn't get a ticket
Go right after the payment deadline
The moment the payment deadline passes and unpaid reservations are cancelled in bulk is your best chance. Seats go first to the waiting list, and any left over may be released for general sale.
Returns close to departure
Cancellation fees for holiday tickets rise as departure approaches, so cancellations bunch up just before each fee change. Returned tickets also keep appearing the day before and the day of departure.
Standing tickets and other transport
Some trains sell standing or unreserved tickets when seats run out. Check other options too, such as express buses or the SRT (departing from Suseo and Dongtan).
Summary
| Stage | What to do |
|---|---|
| Read the notice | Booking dates, schedule by line, payment deadline, per-person limit |
| Prepare | Check membership and verification, pre-register your trip, choose 1st–3rd choice trains |
| Booking day | Log on at the server's top of the hour, no refreshing in the queue, join the waiting list if you miss out |
| Payment period | Pay before the deadline, no exceptions |
| After that | Watch for returns right after the payment deadline, before fee changes and the day before departure |
Sources
- Korea Economic Daily: Korail opens Seollal holiday train booking on the 15th (January 2026, in Korean)
- Kyongbuk Maeil: 2026 Chuseok train ticket booking (September 2026, in Korean)
- Holiday ticket notices on Korail's website and app