Seoul to Busan: KTX, SRT, Express Bus or Flight

Which way to Busan should you choose?

Take the KTX unless you have a reason not to. A standard adult KTX ticket from Seoul to Busan costs ₩54,400 as of October 2026, per Korail, and the fastest trains take a little over two hours. Pick the express bus if trains are sold out or you want to decide on the day. A flight only makes sense if you already start near Gimpo Airport or connect to another flight.

Option	Where you leave Seoul	Price (adult)	Time	Book ahead?
KTX (includes former SRT)	Seoul Station or Suseo Station	₩54,400 standard fare	From 2 h 17 min (KTX-Cheongryong)	Yes, up to 2 months
Express bus	Seoul express bus terminals	Check KOBUS	Check KOBUS	Optional
Flight	Gimpo Airport	Set by airlines	Check the airline	Yes

The train time comes from Korail’s September 2024 figure for its KTX-Cheongryong express, which stops only at Daejeon and Dongdaegu between Seoul and Busan. Trains with more stops take longer, so check the time on your ticket.

What happened to SRT?

SRT merged into KTX on 1 September 2026. The government’s policy news service says Korail and SR, the former SRT operator, completed their merger and started running one integrated KTX service from that day. Trains that used to be SRT still leave from Suseo Station, but they now carry the KTX name.

Korail lowered KTX fares to the old SRT level as part of the merger, about 10% lower on average. The Seoul to Busan standard fare dropped from ₩59,800 to ₩54,400. Korail also says Suseo routes now earn mileage of 5% of what you pay, the same as other KTX routes.

Older travel articles still compare “KTX vs SRT” prices and tell you to use the separate SRT app. That advice is out of date for trains running from 1 September 2026.

How do you book the KTX to Busan?

Book in the Korail+ app or on Korail’s website. Korea.kr says Korail+ launched on 3 August 2026 as an update of the Korail Talk app, and from 1 September every high-speed train, including those from Suseo, is booked through Korail+ or the Korail website.

1. Open Korail+ or Korail’s website and search Seoul to Busan. Check Suseo as a departure station too if it is closer to where you stay.
2. Choose a train, then a seat class.
3. Pay and keep the login details you used, since you need them to show or cancel the ticket.
4. Show the ticket in the app when asked on board.

Tickets go on sale two months before departure from 1 October 2026, according to Korea.kr. The window used to be one month. Book early for weekends and public holidays; see our public holidays list for the dates.

Korail says you can cancel without a fee within 10 minutes of buying, as long as it is at least 30 minutes before departure (up to twice a day). Later refund fees depend on the day and how close to departure you cancel, and are covered in our KTX booking guide.

How does the express bus work?

The express bus is the walk-up option. KOBUS is the national express bus booking site. Check the fare on KOBUS for your bus.

• Online booking: the KOBUS website sells same-day tickets until one hour before departure. KOBUS suggests its mobile app for later bookings.
• Ticket types: you can collect a paper ticket at the terminal, print a home ticket, or board with a mobile ticket in the app.
• No reservation: if the bus has empty seats, you can board and pay with a transit card or credit card.

A T-money card is handy for the subway ride to the terminal.

What does it cost to cancel a bus ticket?

Cancelling two or more days ahead is free. Fees then rise as departure gets closer, and are higher on weekends and holidays.

When you cancel	Mon to Thu	Fri to Sun, public holidays	Traditional holidays
2 days or more before	0%	0%	0%
1 day to 3 hours before	5%	7.5%	10%
Under 3 hours before departure	10%	15%	20%
After departure, before scheduled arrival	60% in 2026	60% in 2026	60% in 2026
After scheduled arrival	100%	100%	100%

KOBUS says the after-departure fee rises to 70% in 2027. If you bought the ticket on the day of travel, you can cancel within one hour of buying without a fee.

Is flying from Seoul to Busan worth it?

Domestic flights to Busan leave from Gimpo Airport and land at Gimhae Airport. Add the airport transfers at both ends and check-in time before you compare a flight with the train. Airlines set the fares and schedules, so compare them on the airline sites.

Gimpo Airport says you must show ID along with your boarding pass for a domestic flight. Foreign visitors should use a passport. For the trip from Gimpo, see Gimpo Airport to Seoul, and for getting into Busan after landing, see Gimhae Airport to the city.

Common mistakes

• Downloading the old SRT app for a trip after 1 September 2026. Use Korail+ instead.
• Comparing an old ₩59,800 KTX fare with SRT. Both now follow the same lower fare level.
• Following the old one-month rule for train tickets. Since 1 October 2026, sales open two months ahead.

When this does not apply

This page covers standard adult tickets on the Seoul to Busan corridor. Children, seniors, rail passes and discount fares follow different rules. Fares, schedules and refund rules change, so check Korail or KOBUS before you travel.