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All About KTX Train Tickets

Luckily, nowadays people are not short of options, and train tickets booking process is not an exception. For example, travelers can choose to book the railway tickets via an official carrier's website or a mobile app. In case of KTX trains, operated by Korail, website is not an option, and to use the official application you need to create an account which involves several security checks. And your account is in danger of being blocked if you haven't log in for some time. The only way to unblock it involves your physical presence at the Korean train station, which is not always an option.

Another option is to get your KTX tickets at the station, but it means that you need to arrive earlier, doesn't illuminate the possibility of having to deal with the language barrier, as well as the risk of getting stuck queuing only to be told that all tickets are already sold out.

Alternatively, you can always book KTX tickets online. The perks are indisputable: you can check train schedules for your route and choose travel dates, preferred train class, and purchase tickets up to 1 month in advance in a matter of few minutes and wherever you are in the world.
Sounds much more appealing, right? There are several online booking platforms available and we recommend using Rail Ninja, as it boasts an intuitive user-friendly interface, available in seven languages, allows booking up to a year in advance, and it takes just several mouse clicks to get your tickets. After you book a KTX train ticket and make the payment, you receive an E-ticket that you can print or just show the digital version of it upon boarding. Although to play it safe, it is highly recommended to print out this E-ticket as it is your boarding coupon that you will need to show together with your passport as you get on the train. This information in the E-ticket is partially written in Korean, but all the translations are provided and the ticket is easy to read and understand even you don't command Korean very well.

A woman sitting on a train and smiling because of something she saw on her phone

Rail Ninja: Review of the Booking Process

FIRST STEP: SELECT DESTINATION

1. Go to Rail Ninja, and select the type of your trip: One, Round, Multi-leg.
2. Choose your route.
3. Select your travel date/s.
4. Select the number of passengers traveling, and indicate children if any.
5. Click button "Continue".

Rail Ninja: Review of the Booking Process 1

SECOND STEP: SELECT A TRAIN

1. Select the type of train depending on your preferred departure or arrival time.
2. Press the "Select Seats" button.

Rail Ninja: Review of the Booking Process 2

THIRD STEP: SELECT SEAT CLASS

1. Select the travel class you prefer for the journey and a tariff (Flexible/Super Flexible).
2. Press the "Continue" button.

Rail Ninja: Review of the Booking Process 3

FORTH STEP: FILL IN PASSENGER DETAILS

1. Add your passenger and payment details.
2. Receive your e-ticket to the inbox.
3. Print it out.

Rail Ninja: Review of the Booking Process 4

How Much Does KTX Cost

A man holding a credit card and filling in data for an online payment on his laptop

Your ticket price will depend on chosen travel date (is it a weekend or a regular day), when are you buying your tickets (in advance or last-minute) and your travel class. Another important factor is your chosen KTX route. KTX tickets are lower for shorter routes, and higher for longer ones. Below you can find prices of few KTX routes. !Note: these are only preliminary prices that can change according to various factors.

Seoul - Busan ticket price: usually, the Economy Class Seat price starts from 78 USD Euro per ticket, and from 109 USD per ticket for a 1st Class Seat.
Seoul - Daejeon ticket price: the price for the Economy Class Seat price starts from 31 USD per ticket, and from 43 USD per ticket for a 1st Class Seat.
Seoul - Gwangmyeong ticket price: the price for the Economy Class Seat price starts from 17 USD per ticket, and from 21 USD Euro per ticket for a 1st Class Seat.

Sample KTX Train Ticket

Ticket number and code: on the very bottom right corner of the E-ticket you can find the ticket number in black. A little above you will find a QR code of your ticket.

Name: your first name initials will be indicated at the very bottom left corner.

Boarding date: in the first column of the table, you can see the departure date (boarding date).

Route & time: the second column, under the boarding date, displays your route. Both, departure and arrival times are indicated.

!Note: the time is indicated in the 24-hour clock, instead of a.m. / p.m.
!Note: the departure and arrival time is always indicated in local time.

Train number, car & seat: the third column displays your train number. The fourth one displays your train car, seat, and class.

!Note: always check your gate number at the station, and make sure that the ticket details match with ones written on the board.

!Note: always arrive at least 15 -20 minutes before your train departure. KTX trains are very punctual and depart on time.

Sample KTX Train Ticket of a Round Trip

To Sum It Up

Booking KTX tickets: the process is fairly intuitive and easy to figure out. You can check train routes and schedules online, and book your tickets in advance. KTX train tickets can be booked 1 month in advance if buying at a train station, and a year in advance when booking online. Booking online is often a preferred way for travelers that are visiting Korea, especially for such popular routes as Seoul - Busan, and as it's easy to see from the reviews of Rail Ninja booking process - it's very simple and convenient. Don't just take our word for it, check out Rail Ninja reviews to read about other people's experiences.

Buy KTX tickets online: you need to choose your travel dates, preferred train, train class, and add the passenger information: number of travelers, number of children traveling with you, contact information and payment details. When you complete your booking, you will receive an e-ticket. The main information such as the departure and destination points, as well as boarding date, train class are in English.

Below you can find an example of how to book KTX tickets online, and how to read them. If it's your first time traveling in Korea, or by train in general, it might be useful to gather some information about booking KTX tickets online in advance. You can learn everything you need to know about what is written on such an E-ticket below, and find a step-by-step of how to book it.

FAQ: Guide How to Buy a KTX Train Ticket

Find the right information about booking KTX tickets: KTX prices, booking in advance, discounts, cancelation, and booking rules.

Booking
Ticket Prices

HOW TO BUY KTX TICKET?

There are 2 ways of how you can purchase your ticket: online or at the train station. Please find a step-by-step instruction of how to book your ticket here.

HOW TO BUY KTX FROM SEOUL TO BUSAN TICKET?

You purchase it either online or at the train station. Please find a step-by-step instruction of how to book your ticket, and read more about Seoul - Busan route.

CAN I BOOK KTX TICKETS IN ADVANCE?

Yes, you can book any KTX ticket in advance. You can book your ticket 1 month before the departure if purchasing it at the train station, and 1 year in advance when booking KTX high-speed train tickets online.

It is advisable to pre-book your tickets for popular routes (Seoul - Busan, Seoul - Daegu), and if traveling in a bigger group. If you book later, you might not find the right amount of tickets for you to be seated together.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO FROM SEOUL TO BUSAN?

The Economy Class Seat price starts from 61 Euro per ticket, and from 85 Euro per ticket for a 1st Class Seat. You can check the current rate on Rail Ninja website by selecting your preferred travel date. Check prices on Rail Ninja.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO FROM SEOUL TO DAEGU?

The Economy Class Seat price starts from 44 Euro per ticket, and from 62 Euro per ticket for a 1st Class Seat. You can check the current Seoul-Daegu rate on Rail Ninja website by selecting your preferred travel date. Check prices on Rail Ninja.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO FROM DAEGU TO BUSAN?

The Economy Class Seat price starts from 22 Euro per ticket, and from 27 Euro per ticket for a 1st Class Seat. You can check the current Daegu-Busan rate on Rail Ninja website by selecting your preferred travel date. Check prices on Rail Ninja.