5 Tips on Buying High Speed Train Tickets in S. Korea
Photo by Minku Kang on Unsplash
1. Book train tickets ahead of time.
After watching a good amount of Korean variety shows, I had the impression that I could always book it on-site, on the day of departure. WRONG! some routes get fully booked pretty fast.
Tickets are available for purchase up to 1 year in advance for online purchase and 30 days in advance at the station. Tickets can be purchased online 20 minutes before departure at the latest.
2. Purchase tickets online.
There are multiple ways to check routes and book tickets online.
The Korailtalk App is the main app for checking and purchasing tickets for KTX. You can also use it for the ITX and regular trains. Download the Korailtalk App for iOS or Android.
Book via the official Korail website here
The Naver Train Booking website is recommended by Visit Korea. I have not tried this one myself but I would give it a try in my next visit. Visit Korea is the official tourism app for S Korea so it is targetted at foreigners. So I am assuming the items they recommended will be easy for foreigners to use. Checkout the link here.
KakaoT Train, which is available within the Kakao T App is an alternative to the Korailtalk App. This is especially useful if you are already using the KakaoT app. Download the KakaoT App for iOS or Android.
You are required to show your tickets, printed or digital tickets, to the train attendant after the train departs the station.
Photo by yujeong Huh on Unsplash
3. Save money with the Korail Pass
If you know that part of your trip to S. Korea will require long-distance train rides, you should consider getting a Korail Pass. The Korail Pass is valid for KTX, ITX, and regular trains in S. Korea. It is not available for SRT, subways, and temporary tourist trains.
What is a Korail Pass? Korail Pass is a train pass exclusively for foreigners. There are different types of passes to choose from:
3-day consecutive pass, valid from the selected starting date, e.g. if you had selected Feb 1 as your starting date, then this pass is valid from Feb 1 to Feb 3.
5-day consecutive pass, valid from the selected starting date.
Flexible passes: Select 2 days within 10 days of the starting date, e.g. if you had selected Feb 1 as your starting date, you can choose any 2 dates from Feb 1 to Feb 10.
Flexible passes: Select 4 days within 10 days of the starting date
All of the above are also available for group purchases for up to 5 pax for even more savings.
What these passes include:
Unlimited use of standard cabins during the period,
If all seats are fully reserved, the pass holder can use the pass as a standing ticket.
Reserve seats up to twice a day
50% discount on First class seats purchases
Learn more about Korail Passes here.
Purchase your Korail Pass here. A valid passport and credit card are required to purchase a Korail Pass.
Stone Garden at Museum SAN in Wonju. Wonju is 1 hour from Seoul by train.
4. If all seats are sold out, pay for standing tickets at the station or on the train.
I learned this by accident on the day when all tickets were sold out, I got the standing ticket out of desperation. I had to look up what this meant after boarding the train. Standing tickets means exactly that: standing throughout the journey.
Standing tickets are only available if there are no more seats available and depending on the routes, some are only available to purchase at the station.
If you do not have time to purchase the standing ticket at the counter, simply board the train, and make payment to the train attendant. This is a bit more expensive than buying it at the counter but it will save you from missing your train altogether.
Where to stand on the trains? Standing ticket holders can sit at any empty seat until the ticketholder boards and claims the seat. Some trains have cafe cars where seats are unreserved, while others have folding seats near the train doors.
I have observed passengers sitting on the floor in the car between the main cars, this is usually where the vending machine and toilets are. These floor spots are also first come first serve, so board early!
5. If all seats are sold out, look for a ticket to a different station along the same route, then extend your trip on a standing ticket.
If all seats are sold out, try searching for a different station on the way to your destination. For instance, if you’re going to Busan from Seoul and all seats are sold out, search for a ticket from Seoul to 1 stop before Busan. This will increase your chances of getting a ticket.
Show this ticket to a train attendant and inform them you’d like to extend your journey on a standing ticket to your final destination. It is important to inform the train attendant otherwise they might think that you are trying to get away from paying for tickets which will result in a hefty fine.