What to book first
If you are traveling from Seoul to Busan or another Korean city, start with the official KORAIL ticket site or the Korail+ app. KORAIL lists these as the official platforms for booking KTX and other passenger trains, and VISITKOREA confirms that you can also buy tickets at ticket offices, kiosks, NAVER Train Booking, or KakaoT. For a visitor, the practical decision is simple: use the official online channel if you want seat choice and advance planning; use a station counter or kiosk if you are already at the station and need last-minute help. english.visitkorea.or.kr
The official English entry point for visitors is KORAIL’s global booking page, and VISITKOREA’s transport guide also points travelers to KORAIL’s website and app. The VisitKorea transport guide was last updated on August 7, 2026, so its booking rules are current as of that page’s update date. korail.com
How far ahead you can book
VISITKOREA says train tickets usually open one month before departure at 07:00 and can be purchased until 20 minutes before departure; in apps, booking may be possible right up to departure time. KORAIL’s foreigner page gives the same broad cutoff pattern and adds that station ticket machines can sell tickets until 10 minutes before departure, while station counters can sell until departure. If you want a specific seat on a popular route, do not wait until the last minute. english.visitkorea.or.kr
Seat choice: regular ticket vs. Korail Pass
When you buy a normal ticket online, VISITKOREA says you can choose seats in advance using the “Reserve Seat” function. KORAIL’s foreigner page says seat selection is available for certain trains and that you can select up to 2 seats per person per day, or 1 seat per person per day for a transfer ticket. On 2026-03-13, KORAIL announced that its mobile app would allow self seat selection until just before departure, instead of only until 20 minutes before. That means the practical limit on the app changed recently, so the safest advice is to check the live seat map when you book rather than relying on an older rule.
Korail Pass is different from an ordinary ticket. VISITKOREA says it is for international travelers and is sold in 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-day flexible passes that can be used within ten days. The pass gives unlimited use of standard cabins during the valid period, but seat reservation is limited: you can reserve seats up to twice a day and may book standing tickets unlimited times. VISITKOREA also says first class is possible with Korail Pass if you pay 50% of the original first-class fare. SRT, subways, and temporary tourist trains are excluded.
