Last updated: August 2026
Quick answer: Chuseok 2026 KTX tickets go on sale in two windows for trains running during the holiday’s extended operating period, September 23–27. Booking is split into two windows: September 3–4 for transportation-vulnerable travelers (seniors 65+, travelers with disabilities, national merit recipients, and pregnant travelers), then September 7–11 for everyone else. That’s a longer booking window than previous years — five days of general sales instead of three — and reservations are handled through the newly unified Korail+ app or a dedicated holiday booking webpage, so you don’t need to queue at a station. If your Chuseok trip touches Seoul–Busan, Seoul–Gyeongju, or another popular corridor, mark September 7 on your calendar.
When Does Chuseok 2026 Train Booking Actually Open?
Two dates matter, and they’re for different groups of travelers. September 3–4, 2026 is a priority booking window reserved for transportation-vulnerable passengers — people 65 and older, travelers with disabilities, national merit recipients, and pregnant travelers. September 7–11, 2026 is when general booking opens for everyone else. Both windows cover tickets for trains operating during KORAIL’s extended Chuseok holiday schedule, September 23–27, which runs a few days wider than the official public holiday itself (Thursday, September 24 through Saturday, September 26 — see our Chuseok 2026 dates and closures guide for the full holiday calendar) to absorb travelers heading out early and coming back over the following weekend.
Why Is the Booking Window Longer This Year?
KORAIL has expanded general holiday booking from three days to five days (September 7–11), with reservations broken out by route, train type, and station rather than opening everything at once. The practical effect for travelers is less of a mad scramble at a single opening moment and a somewhat better shot at your preferred departure time if you’re not logged in the instant sales start — though the most popular slots (Friday evening out of Seoul, Sunday afternoon back) will still move fast. Reservations for both windows go through the unified Korail+ app — the merged KTX/SRT booking system that launched this summer — or a Chuseok-specific booking page, both fully non-face-to-face, so there’s no need to book in person at a station counter.
Which Routes Should Visitors Book First?
Chuseok is, along with Seollal, Korea’s single busiest domestic travel period — tens of millions of trips happen in a few days as the country heads to hometowns and back. If your itinerary includes a KTX leg to Busan or Gyeongju anywhere near September 23–27, treat September 7 as your booking day rather than a date to plan around casually — high-demand corridors on popular departure times have historically sold out within the first hour of general booking opening. Inbound visitors won’t have a Korail or SR membership to convert (that only affects existing account holders), so you can book straight through the app or website once general sales open. In the meantime, it’s worth checking KTX seat availability🚄 for your dates so you know what you’re working with before the holiday booking window opens.
Quick Summary: Chuseok 2026 Train Booking
- Priority booking (transportation-vulnerable): September 3–4, 2026
- General booking: September 7–11, 2026 (expanded from 3 days to 5)
- Trains covered: Holiday-schedule services running September 23–27, 2026
- Where to book: The unified Korail+ app or a dedicated Chuseok booking webpage — no station visit needed
- Official Chuseok holiday dates: Thursday, September 24 – Saturday, September 26, 2026
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