You planned a trip from Seoul to Busan, a night in Gyeongju, or maybe a visit to Jeonju — and then realized your travel dates fall during Chuseok.
Can you still take the KTX? Are buses easier? Is driving a better option? And should you change your itinerary completely?
Chuseok is one of Korea’s most important traditional holidays, when families travel across the country to spend time together.
That means long-distance transportation can be very different from a normal week.
The good news is that traveling between cities during Chuseok is not impossible.
But you should not treat it like an ordinary travel day.
Here is what you should know.
1. When is Chuseok in Korea in 2026?
In 2026, the official Chuseok holiday runs from September 24 to September 26, with Chuseok Day falling on September 25.
But the transportation rush does not begin and end exactly with those three official holiday dates.
Korail’s special Chuseok reservation period covers trains operating from September 23 through September 27, so travelers should pay attention to the days immediately before and after Chuseok as well.
You can also check Korea’s official 2026 public holiday calendar before planning your trip.
2. Why is intercity travel so busy during Chuseok?
Chuseok is one of the biggest travel periods of the year in Korea.
Many people leave Seoul and other large cities to visit family in their hometowns, and later travel back again.
This can affect:
- KTX and other intercity trains
- Express and intercity buses
- Highways
- Domestic flights
Public transportation does not simply stop during Chuseok.
The main problem is demand.
Popular trains and buses can become difficult to book, while heavy highway traffic can make road journeys take much longer than usual.
So if you are planning to visit several Korean cities during this period, transportation should be one of the first things you confirm.
This is a local city bus rather than an intercity bus, but remember that you may still need local transportation after arriving at a train station or bus terminal.
3. Can tourists get KTX tickets during Chuseok?
Yes. KTX and other trains still operate during Chuseok.
The difficult part can be getting the ticket you want.
For major holidays, Korail uses a special holiday reservation system instead of simply following the normal one-month advance booking process.
For the 2026 Chuseok period, general reservations are being divided by train type and route from September 7 to September 11, between 7:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
The schedule is:
- September 7: Regular trains on all routes
- September 8: KTX services to/from Seoul or Cheongnyangni on the Gyeongjeon, Gangneung, Donghae, Jungang and Jungbunaeryuk lines
- September 9: KTX services to/from Yongsan on the Honam and Jeolla lines
- September 10: KTX services to/from Suseo on the Gyeongbu, Gyeongjeon, Donghae, Honam and Jeolla lines
- September 11: KTX services to/from Seoul on the Gyeongbu Line
Korail also states that only Korail members can use the special Chuseok reservation website.
That point is especially important for foreign visitors.
The normal English Korail website allows travelers to search and purchase regular tickets, but you should not assume that the normal non-member booking process works exactly the same way during the Chuseok special reservation period.
So if your itinerary depends on a specific long-distance train, check the official Korail information as early as possible.
Always check Korail’s official ticket information for the latest availability and reservation rules.
If this is your first time using Korean trains, my guide to taking trains in Korea explains the basic ticket and station process.
4. Can I just buy a train ticket at the station?
On a normal travel day, buying a ticket at the station may work perfectly well.
During Chuseok, I would not make that your main plan.
If your hotel, flight or next city depends on a particular train, secure your transportation before building the rest of your itinerary around it.
A useful rule is:
Do not build a fixed itinerary around a train ticket you do not actually have.
A cancellation or remaining seat may appear later, but it is better to treat that as a possibility rather than your main travel plan.
5. Is taking an express bus easier than the KTX?
Sometimes an express or intercity bus can be a useful alternative when train tickets are difficult to find.
But there are two things to remember.
First, bus tickets can also be in high demand during Chuseok.
Second, buses use the same highways as everyone else.
That means a bus journey can be affected by heavy holiday traffic.
So do not compare only the normal KTX and bus travel times shown in an app.
A bus may have an available seat but still take considerably longer than usual because of traffic.
If you are considering buses during your trip, you can also read my guide to using buses in Korea.
6. What about renting a car?
A rental car gives you more freedom, but Chuseok is not necessarily the easiest time for a long-distance road trip.
The main problem is highway congestion.
A journey that normally looks simple on a map can take much longer during a major holiday.
This becomes especially important if you have something with a fixed time afterward, such as:
- an international flight
- another train
- a scheduled tour
- a rental-car return time
- an important reservation
If you drive during Chuseok, leave a generous time buffer.
I would be particularly careful about combining a long highway journey with an international flight on the same day.
7. Is Chuseok Day itself easier for traveling?
A common question is:
“Won’t everyone already be at their hometown by Chuseok Day?”
Do not rely on that assumption.
Some people travel before Chuseok, others move on the holiday itself, and return traffic begins at different times depending on the route and family schedule.
Train availability is also a separate issue from highway congestion.
So September 25 is not automatically an easy day to travel simply because it is Chuseok Day.
8. What if I absolutely have to travel between cities?
If you cannot change your travel date, you do not need to panic.
Just plan in the right order.
Secure transportation first
Check the train, bus or other transportation before finalizing the rest of that day.
Be flexible with departure times
Having several possible departure times gives you more options than depending on one specific train.
Keep a backup plan
If your preferred KTX is unavailable, consider another train, an intercity bus, a domestic flight where appropriate, or changing the itinerary by a day.
Avoid tight connections
Do not leave yourself a very small buffer between a long Chuseok journey and an international flight.
Consider one more night
Sometimes spending one more night in the same city is easier than forcing an awkward long-distance journey into the busiest part of the holiday.
9. Should I change my Korea itinerary completely?
Not necessarily.
If you already have confirmed transportation, you do not need to cancel a trip just because it falls during Chuseok.
But there is a big difference between:
Confirmed transportation → Keep your plan.
and
No confirmed transportation → Stay flexible.
For example, an itinerary like:
Seoul → Busan → Gyeongju → Jeonju → Seoul
over only a few days around Chuseok creates much more transportation risk than staying in one or two cities.
Reducing the number of city changes may make the holiday much more enjoyable.
10. My simple advice for traveling during Chuseok
If your trip falls during Chuseok, secure your long-distance transportation first and build the rest of your itinerary around it — not the other way around.
If your train or bus is already confirmed, there is no reason to panic.
But if you are still hoping to get a popular long-distance ticket at the last minute, have another option ready.
Chuseok does not mean you cannot travel around Korea. It simply means you need more planning than usual.
Planning more transportation in Korea? You may also find my guides to taking trains in Korea, using buses in Korea, taking taxis in Korea helpful. Each system works a little differently, so knowing the basics before your trip can make traveling around Korea much easier.
Staying in Korea during the holiday? In my next Chuseok guide, I’ll cover what tourists can expect during Chuseok — including restaurants, shops, attractions and what you can actually do during the holiday.
Comments
Post a Comment