Seoul-Busan KTX, Cancellation Fee Rises from 400 Won to 3,000 Won for Day-Before Cancellations

Penalty Fee System for Train Tickets Overhauled by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Korail, and SR
Stricter Refund Policy and Higher Fines for Unauthorized Boarding
New Rules Aim to Prevent Last-Minute Cancellations and Ensure Fair Seat Access

The penalty fee for canceling train tickets booked for weekends and public holidays at the last minute will be increased. The fare policy will also change so that if a passenger boards without a ticket, or buys a ticket for a short section but travels a longer distance, they will be required to pay double the original fare.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail), and SR announced on the 27th that they will revise the penalty fee system and the criteria for imposing additional fares for unauthorized boarding to reflect these changes. These measures are intended to prevent refunds just before departure and to rationalize the ticket refund policy. The new rules will apply to trains departing from May 28 onward.

Currently, for weekend (Friday to Sunday) and public holiday train use, passengers pay a penalty fee of 400 won if they cancel one day before departure. On the day of departure, a penalty of 5% is charged for cancellations up to three hours before departure, and 10% for cancellations made within three hours before departure.

Going forward, the penalty fee will remain at 400 won up to two days before departure, but from one day before departure, it will increase to 5%. On the day of departure, the penalty will be 10% for cancellations up to three hours before departure, and 20% for cancellations made within three hours before departure, which is double the current rate.

KTX train stopped at Seoul Station. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

If this plan is implemented, the cancellation fee for a KTX ticket from Seoul to Busan (based on a fare of 59,800 won) will rise from 400 won to 2,990 won for cancellations made one day before departure. For same-day cancellations, the fee will also double from a maximum of 5,980 won to 11,960 won.

Currently, for cancellations after departure, the penalty is 15% within 20 minutes, 40% up to 60 minutes, and 70% from then until arrival. This will also change, with the penalty within 20 minutes after departure increasing to 30%, which is double the current rate. These changes are expected to improve seat turnover and encourage bookings by actual demand.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport explained, "Because the penalty fee has been low, some passengers have booked large numbers of seats during peak demand times and then canceled just before departure. As a result, passengers who actually want to use the train have been unable to secure seats, leading to ongoing waste."

To prevent unauthorized boarding and reduce congestion inside train cars, the criteria for additional fares imposed on passengers boarding without tickets will also change. The additional fare for boarding without a ticket will increase from 0.5 times to 1 time the original fare. For the Seoul-Busan KTX, the additional fare will rise from 89,700 won to 119,600 won.

A Jungang Line KTX Eum train extended to Seoul Station is waiting to depart at Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. With this extension, the train will run from Seoul Station to Cheongnyangni, Wonju, Jecheon, and Andong. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

The policy will also be clarified to impose additional fares when a passenger buys a ticket for a short section but extends to a longer section while on the train. Previously, if a passenger booked a ticket from Seoul to Daejeon and then purchased an additional ticket for Daejeon to Busan while on board, no additional fare was charged.

Going forward, an additional fare will be charged for the extended Daejeon to Busan section, requiring a payment of 96,100 won. The new criteria for additional fares will be implemented from October 1, 2025. Meanwhile, to maintain order on trains, the passenger transport terms and conditions have been revised to clearly prohibit acts that cause discomfort, danger, or harm to other passengers. If a passenger disturbs others' use of the train through noise, unpleasant odors, or similar behavior, they may be denied boarding.

Yoon Jinhwan, Director of the Railway Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We have raised cancellation fees and additional fares to ensure fair access to train services for everyone and to create a pleasant travel environment."