TRAVEL · KTX
KTX: the Korean train that actually gets you there
KTX is the high-speed rail spine of South Korea — Seoul to Busan in two and a half hours, over 300 km of new track built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Here is which train to book, what the classes actually mean, and the exact Korean to say at the counter.
Official name
코레일 KTX · 한국고속철도
Fastest route
서울 → 부산 약 2시간 30분
Booking site
코레일 (korail.com) · SRT (srttravel.com)
Booking window
승차권은 약 1개월 전부터 발매
Main terminals
서울역 · 동대문역 · 광명역 · 천안아산역 · 부산역
On the train
좌석 지정석 · 짐보관 있음
Which train should you book?
There is no single train called "the KTX". From Seoul you will see several names on the departures board, and they differ in speed, price, and how much of the journey they stop for.
Book 누리로고속 (nuri goseok, "nuri" is the new blue-and-white liveried high-speed set) if you want the fastest run and the newest interior. Book ITX-마에스트로 (ITX Maestro) for the same speed class with a more business-y carriage. Book ITX-새마을 (ITX Saemaeul) if the price matters more than the minutes — it is an express that still stops at the smaller stations. Everything labelled KTX is the classic high-speed service and is perfectly good for most trips.
- 누리로고속 · KTX — fastest, most frequent, highest price
- ITX-마에스트로 — fast, slightly fewer departures
- ITX-새마을 — express service, cheaper, more stops
- 일반 (regular) — the conventional rail line, cheap and slow
- SRT — the separate high-speed operator on the Seoul–Busan corridor; same idea, different company, often slightly cheaper
실수 vs 특실 vs 이음소형 — the seat classes
초특가 (super economy) is the cheapest and only appears on SRT. 일반실 (regular class) is the standard 2+2 seating on the KTX and is what most people want. 특실 (first class) is 2+1 with wider seats and a real table, and it costs roughly half again as much. 이음소형 (semi-special) sits between the two.
Two things surprise first-timers. First, 일반실 seats are numbered 1호차 to 8호차 (car 1 through car 8) and the numbers are *not* in a circular order, so read the board carefully. Second, you are not allowed to board through the front of the train on most services — wait on the platform for the number to be called.
How to actually buy a ticket
The 코레일 app and website are the cleanest route for KTX; SRT trains are sold on the separate SRT site and app. You can also buy at a station counter, and a counter ticket bought on the day (당일승차권) is discounted by about 20% against the advance price, at the cost of selling out.
If you are buying several journeys at once — a round trip, or a Seoul–Busan–Seoul loop — book them in one transaction, because 코레일 will only hold adjacent seats within a single booking.
What to do when you are already on the platform
At the station, the departure board lists each service with its train number and the destination in Korean. Once the announcement plays, the number for your train appears and the platform staff point at the platform number to use.
The three things that trip people up: knowing your car number in advance so you know which door to wait at; boarding from the marked boarding position rather than anywhere along the train; and putting your luggage in the overhead rack rather than the vestibule, where it blocks the doors.
Phrases you will actually say
KTX 승차권 한 장 주세요
KTX seungchagwon han jang juseyo
One KTX ticket, please.
승차권 = boarding pass
이 열차는 몇 호차예요?
i yeolchaneun myeot hochayeoyo?
Which car is this train?
서울에서 부산까지 가요
seoure(seoul)e(seo)e(seoul)se(seoul) bunane(seoul) gayo
I'm going from Seoul to Busan.
몇 시에 출발해요?
myeot sie chulbalhaeyo?
What time does it depart?
좌석 지정석 있어요?
jwaseok jijungseok isseoyo?
Is this a reserved seat?
짐 좀 올려도 돼요?
jim jom ollyeodo dwaeyo?
Is it okay to put my bag up?
Questions people actually ask
Is KTX worth it versus the bus from Seoul to Busan?
The bus to Busan takes around 4.5–5 hours and costs considerably less. The KTX takes about 2.5 hours. If you have a fixed schedule — a flight, a meeting, a night-train onward — the KTX wins. If you are sightseeing on the way and want to save money, the bus is a legitimate choice.
Can I take the KTX to Jeju Island?
No. Jeju is reached by ferry from the southwest coast, or by flight. There is no rail link to the island. If you are combining a KTX ride and Jeju, the usual order is Seoul → Mokpo or Suncheon by train, then a ferry or a bus from there.
Do I need to reserve a seat on the KTX?
On reserved trains, yes — 일반실 and 특실 are 지정석 and you are assigned a seat and a car. On free-seating services (공석 열차) you sit anywhere, and standing tickets are sold separately for very busy departures.
How early should I get to the station?
Ten to fifteen minutes for a normal departure. Twenty if you want to pick up a locker, buy something to eat, or are travelling at a busy weekend time. Large stations like 서울역 have security screening on the platform approach.