Booking and riding the KTX and trains
The KTX gets you from Seoul to Busan in under half a day.
Types
- KTX / KTX-Eum — high-speed, the fastest.
- SRT — high-speed departing from Suseo.
- ITX, Saemaeul, Mugunghwa — regular trains, cheaper with more stops.
How to book
- App or website — Korail Talk (KTX), the SRT app. English supported.
- Station counter — state destination, date and number of people.
- Station ticket machines
Book ahead for weekends and holidays. Around Seollal and Chuseok tickets sell out fast.
How to ride
- Check the train number, departure time, car and seat on your ticket.
- Be on the platform 10 minutes before departure.
- Check the platform number on the display board.
- Car positions are marked on the platform floor.
- Take your seat. Mobile tickets are checked by staff.
Where to go
- 1544-7788 Korail customer centre
- Korail www.letskorail.com and the Korail Talk app
- 1800-1472 SRT · etk.srail.kr
- 1330 tourist interpretation line (24 hours, multilingual)
Questions people ask
I missed my train. Ask at the station counter. Refund and change rules depend on the timing.
Are standing tickets available? When seats sell out, standing tickets are sometimes sold. Ask at the counter.
I have a lot of luggage. There is luggage space at the end of each carriage. Keep valuables with you.
Is there a foreigner discount? Products like the Korail Pass exist for tourists. Check the conditions on the Korail site.
Take care
Over the holiday periods tickets vanish weeks in advance. Book on the day sales open, or look at alternatives such as express buses.
Related
intercity-bus · subway-use · public-transport-card
Source
Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) www.letskorail.com / As of 2026-08