Last updated: July 2026
Quick answer: South Korea’s two high-speed rail operators, Korail (KTX) and SR (SRT), are merging their booking systems into a single app. Member-account conversion started July 14, 2026, and the unified app itself — an update to the existing Korail Talk app — launches in early August. Through it, you’ll be able to book both former-KTX and former-SRT trains from one place, though combined booking only covers trains running from September 2026 onward. The merged high-speed brand has been confirmed as KTX.
What’s Actually Merging — the Companies or Just the Apps?
Both. Korea has run two separate high-speed rail operators since 2016: Korail, the state railway that runs KTX out of Seoul Station, and SR Corporation, which runs SRT out of Suseo Station in southeastern Seoul. For travelers, that’s meant two different apps, two membership systems, and two sets of fares and coupons for what is functionally the same high-speed network. South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is now folding SR into Korail, and the visible result for passengers is a single combined booking platform rather than a rebuilt app from scratch — the merger updates the existing Korail Talk app rather than replacing it.
The unified high-speed brand has been decided as KTX, absorbing SRT. The exact name of the new app and details like train livery are still being finalized with rider feedback — candidates floated for the app name include “Korail+” and “Korail Talk+” — but the direction (one brand, one app) is settled.
When Can I Actually Book a Combined Ticket?
Two separate dates matter here. Member conversion — merging your Korail and/or SR account into one login — began on July 14, 2026 through a dedicated conversion website. The unified app itself is expected in early August 2026. But the combined booking window is narrower than the app launch: tickets purchasable through the new unified system cover trains that run from September 2026 onward. If your trip departs before September, you’ll likely still be booking KTX and SRT separately through the existing apps and sites.
Do I Need to Do Anything Before My Trip?
It depends on what kind of account you already have, and most inbound visitors won’t have any of these:
- Korail-only members are converted automatically — no action needed.
- Members of both Korail and SR need to opt in on the conversion website to carry over SRT purchase history and coupons to the new combined account.
- SR-only members need to sign up as a Korail member through the conversion site, then transfer their existing SRT usage history and benefits across.
- First-time visitors with no existing account are unaffected by any of this — you’ll simply book through whichever platform is live when you plan your trip.
If you’re planning a trip between Seoul and Busan or Gyeongju in the meantime, the simplest option is still to book a high-speed rail ticket🚄 through a platform that already searches both networks, rather than waiting on the new app.
Will This Change Which Trains or Routes I Can Take?
No — this is a booking and corporate merger, not a change to track, schedules, or stations. Trains still leave from the same stations (Seoul Station and Yongsan for most KTX services, Suseo for what’s currently SRT), and the routes and rough journey times covered in our guide to getting around Seoul aren’t affected. What changes is convenience: instead of checking two apps to compare KTX and SRT departure times on the same Seoul–Busan corridor, you’ll eventually do it in one place, under one brand. During the transition this summer, though, expect to still see both “KTX” and “SRT” signage and ticketing at stations until the rebrand rolls out in full — much like the phased rollout behind Incheon Airport’s recent e-gate expansion, changes like this tend to land in stages rather than overnight.
Quick Summary: Korail–SR Merger 2026
- What’s merging: Korail (KTX) and SR (SRT) into one company and one booking app
- Unified brand: KTX (SRT name being retired)
- Member conversion opened: July 14, 2026
- Unified app launch: Early August 2026 (update to the existing Korail Talk app)
- Combined booking covers: Trains running from September 2026 onward
- Traveler impact: No route or schedule changes — just one app and one account instead of two
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