2026 Lunar New Year Train Ticket Booking Method Schedule Korail KTX SRT Holiday
When Lunar New Year approaches, 'Lunar New Year train tickets' become a source of worry. Even if you log in at 7 AM, the tickets sell out within just a few clicks—I'm sure you've all experienced that frustration at least once.
I myself failed to book KTX tickets last year and had to take an early morning train instead, my heart sinking the entire time.
However, I discovered that by properly understanding the holiday flow and timing for booking, payment, and cancellation tickets, the success rate improves significantly.
In this article, I will organize the 2026 Lunar New Year Korail KTX and SRT booking schedule and practical preparation tips.
1. Lunar New Year Train Tickets
2026 Lunar New Year falls on Tuesday, February 17th, and extends through the weekend (14th-15th), making it feel like a 5-day holiday. I used to think "I only need to avoid Lunar New Year's Day itself," but I painfully learned that tickets actually disappear right before the holiday. Last year, even though I logged in at 7 AM, the Seoul-to-Busan peak time slots sold out instantly, so I ended up taking an early morning train and just drank three cups of coffee. So this time, I laid out the calendar first and approached Lunar New Year train tickets not as 'one day' but as a 'flow.'
Based on Korail standards, the booking target covers trains operating from February 13th to 18th. I divided the dates into February 13th-15th as homecoming candidates and 16th-18th as return trip candidates and made notes accordingly.
And I decided not to fixate on only 'peak hours.' When I only targeted Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, I had no backup plan if I failed. This time, I predetermined three time slots—morning, afternoon, and late night—and set myself up so that if I fail once, my hands immediately move to the next time slot.
2. Korail KTX Booking Schedule
Holiday booking ultimately comes down to a battle over the number of people accessing the system. In 2026, the general public booking period will be extended from the existing 2 days to 3 days, and the server will also be expanded for distribution.
The Korail schedule I've checked is straightforward. The priority booking for transportation users (seniors aged 65 and over, registered disabled individuals, national merit members, etc.) runs from January 15th-16th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and general booking runs from January 19th-21st from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM, split by route.
I've had experience booking tickets for my parents, and the priority booking time slot is daytime, so the difficulty level drops significantly. On the other hand, general booking hinges on "when the Gyeongbu Line opens." According to the announcement, the Gyeongbu Line is scheduled for January 21st, so it's no exaggeration to say that the condition on that day is everything for Seoul-Daegu and Seoul-Busan routes. Additionally, Korail sometimes opens its holiday booking dedicated webpage in a pre-experience format, so I typically do a 'hand-warming' session a few days before booking, running through the flow from entering departure and arrival stations to selecting seats.
Note that there are limits on the number of bookings—a maximum of 12 tickets per person (up to 6 per transaction)—so if you're planning to grab all your family's tickets at once, it's good to predetermine the priority: "whose ticket should I confirm first."
3. Booking Day Checklist
Night before: Verify login (password errors are the most frustrating), check payment method and credit limit
30 minutes before booking: Confirm whether Korail Talk/web auto-login is disabled, save family member information
10 minutes before: Have PC ready + smartphone ready simultaneously (one on WiFi, one on LTE)
7:00 AM sharp: Don't spam refresh (it can clog the queue), pre-select 3 time slots and click them in order
If direct booking fails: Immediately search again using connecting stations (Daejeon, Dongdaegu, etc.), prioritize 'securing a seat' first
After securing a seat: Confirm the payment completion screen and take a screenshot (don't leave relying only on 'seat secured')
4. Payment Deadline, Cancellation Tickets, and Waitlists
Many people slip up on Lunar New Year train tickets at the 'payment' stage rather than the 'booking' stage. Korail allows payment starting January 22nd at midnight, and general booking payments must be completed by January 25th, while priority booking payments for transportation users must be completed by January 28th.
I prefer two timing windows. One is when remaining seats transition to continuous sales after general booking ends (from January 21st at 3:00 PM according to the announcement), and the other is right after the payment deadline. Unpaid and cancelled tickets are released all at once, and people who have placed themselves on the waitlist are assigned tickets sequentially.
And if your schedule changes frequently, it's better to split round-trip bookings into two one-way bookings rather than trying to secure everything at once. Cancellation and change fees increase the closer you get to the date, so from my experience, the approach of "securing the confirmed one-way first" was much more flexible. On the holiday itself, station WiFi can be slow and QR codes may appear late, so I also developed the habit of saving my mobile ticket in advance once it's confirmed.
5. SRT as a 'Plan B' Puts Your Mind at Ease
For the Seoul southeastern region (Suseo, Dongtan, Suwon), SRT has much better access, so I always prepare for it alongside KTX rather than only focusing on KTX. SRT has operated priority booking through a separate dedicated booking homepage and phone reservations, and you're probably familiar with the structure that splits into priority booking for transportation users and general public booking.
If this year's SRT schedule hasn't been confirmed yet, thinking of it as "another week of Lunar New Year train ticket battles ahead" after Korail booking ends and clearing your calendar is psychologically much more stable. In fact, online communities frequently share schedules like "January 26th-29th (priority 26th-27th, general 28th-29th)," so I've marked that entire week as my 'preliminary battle period.'
Even when I can't secure my preferred time slot on KTX, I often manage to get the same day at a different time on SRT. So I open two booking windows and adjust my family's schedule flexibly according to whichever one I secure first.
6. Closing
That concludes my guide on the 2026 Lunar New Year train ticket booking method, schedule, Korail KTX SRT, and holiday period.
For 2026 Lunar New Year train tickets, your chances of success improve significantly just by keeping track of booking dates and route divisions, payment deadlines, and remaining seat/waitlist timing. Be sure to note PC + smartphone simultaneous waiting and alternative time slot options.
I failed last year, but by preparing a cancellation ticket strategy as well, I eventually secured seats and made my family's homecoming trip much more comfortable.
Right now, mark the booking dates on your calendar and complete login and payment method verification. The more you prepare, the more relaxed your trip home will be.
