Chuseok Travel Guide: Visiting South Korea During the Holiday

Chuseok (추석) is one of South Korea's most important traditional holidays. It is a meaningful time to visit, but it is also one of the most difficult periods for spontaneous intercity travel. Trains and buses can sell out, highways become heavily congested, and family-run businesses may close for several days.

In 2026, Chuseok Day falls on Friday, September 25. The official three-day holiday runs from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26, followed immediately by Sunday, September 27. Travelers should therefore prepare for holiday conditions from at least Wednesday evening through Sunday. Dates and current booking information in this guide were verified on June 11, 2026.

At a glance

Question	Practical answer
When is Chuseok in 2026?	Chuseok Day is Friday, September 25; the official holiday is September 24-26.
Is Korea closed?	No, but government offices, banks, clinics, traditional markets, independent restaurants, and other businesses may close or reduce hours.
Do subways operate?	Usually yes, although holiday timetables or service adjustments may apply.
Is intercity travel difficult?	Yes. KTX, SRT, buses, domestic flights, and major highways can be exceptionally busy.
Should I reserve transport?	Yes. Buy intercity tickets as soon as the relevant holiday booking window opens.
Where is easiest for visitors?	Staying within Seoul, Busan, or another large city avoids the most difficult intercity travel.

What Chuseok means in Korea

Chuseok is a harvest holiday observed on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. It is sometimes described in English as Korean Thanksgiving, but that comparison is incomplete. Chuseok has its own history, foods, family practices, and ancestral traditions.

Families commonly return to their hometowns, share meals, and visit ancestral graves. Some households hold charye (차례), a memorial rite involving food offerings to ancestors. Grave visits are called seongmyo (성묘). Customs differ considerably by family, region, religion, and generation, and not every Korean household observes the traditional rituals.

The food most closely associated with the holiday is songpyeon (송편), a small rice cake usually filled with ingredients such as sweetened sesame, beans, or chestnuts. Other holiday foods may include jeon, meaning pan-fried battered dishes, seasonal fruit, meat, and japchae noodles.

Visitors can learn more about traditional life through the National Folk Museum of Korea. Its Chuseok programs and holiday schedule for 2026 had not been published when this guide was verified, so check the museum's notices closer to September.

A family-style table in a Korean home with songpyeon, jeon, fruit, and traditional tableware during Chuseok

The main challenge: traveling between cities

Chuseok produces one of Korea's largest annual movements of domestic travelers. The busiest directions are not constant throughout the holiday: traffic generally moves away from major cities before Chuseok and returns afterward. Exact peak periods depend on the year's calendar, weather, and government traffic measures.

KTX and other Korail trains

Korail operates KTX high-speed services and most conventional intercity trains. Holiday tickets are normally released through a special reservation process rather than the ordinary advance-purchase schedule.

As of June 11, 2026, Korail had not published an official 2026 Chuseok reservation timetable that could be reliably confirmed. Monitor the Korail English reservation service and Korail notices closer to the holiday.

When reservations open:

Create any necessary account and check that your payment card works before the sale.
Confirm the exact station names. Seoul, Yongsan, Cheongnyangni, and Gwangmyeong serve different routes.
Search several departure times rather than relying on one preferred train.
Reserve the outbound and return journeys promptly.
Keep the booking confirmation and payment card available.

Do not buy tickets from unofficial resellers or strangers online. If trains are sold out, continue checking the official system because canceled seats may reappear, but do not build an essential itinerary around that possibility.

SRT trains

SRT high-speed trains primarily depart from Suseo Station in southeastern Seoul. They use a separate reservation system from Korail. The official SRT English booking site provides reservations, ticket information, and station details.

The 2026 Chuseok special reservation schedule was not confirmed as of June 11, 2026. Check SRT announcements separately even if you are also monitoring Korail.

Express and intercity buses

Buses may provide more routes and departure times than trains, but popular services can also sell out. Korea distinguishes between express buses, commonly called gosok bus (고속버스), and intercity buses, or si외 bus (시외버스). Different terminals and booking systems may serve the same city.

Use the official KOBUS express-bus booking service or the T-money intercity-bus reservation system. Check the terminal name carefully: Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Central City Terminal, Dong Seoul Terminal, and Seoul Nambu Terminal are not interchangeable.

The T-money system states that booking availability depends on when each operator enters its schedule. It also applies special cancellation rules around Seollal and Chuseok. Those conditions were verified on June 11, 2026, but review the displayed fee before paying because policies may change.

Domestic flights

Flights to Jeju, Busan, and other domestic destinations may become expensive or unavailable around the holiday. Book directly through the airline when possible and check the baggage allowance, airport terminal, and change conditions before payment.

Allow additional time at the airport. A flight may be short, but reaching the airport through holiday traffic can take longer than expected. Do not assume that an airport bus will arrive as quickly as it would on an ordinary weekday.

Driving

Driving is usually the least predictable option during Chuseok. A route that normally takes a few hours can take substantially longer, particularly on major expressways and roads approaching metropolitan areas.

If you must drive:

Leave with a full fuel or charging plan.
Carry water and basic food.
Build generous breaks into the schedule.
Avoid a tight airport, ferry, or accommodation check-in connection.
Check live navigation and official traffic information immediately before departure.
Confirm whether your rental office is open for pickup or return during the holiday.

A lower-stress strategy: stay in one city

Visitors who do not need to attend a family gathering should seriously consider remaining in one city from September 24 to 27. Seoul can feel noticeably quieter in residential and office districts as residents travel elsewhere, although major tourist neighborhoods may still be active.

A practical Seoul plan could include palaces, riverside walks, mountain trails, large museums, and neighborhoods such as Jongno, Seochon, Ikseon-dong, Hongdae, or Myeong-dong. However, opening hours must be checked individually. Previous years' free-entry offers or special palace programs do not guarantee the same arrangements in 2026.

Busan is another workable base, with beaches, coastal walks, markets, and urban rail connections. Gyeongju is culturally appropriate for an autumn trip but requires more careful planning because its intercity services and major attractions can be busy.

Avoid changing hotels every day. A single accommodation base reduces your dependence on sold-out transport and lets you adjust when a restaurant or attraction is unexpectedly closed.

What remains open during Chuseok?

There is no single nationwide rule for private businesses. Holiday operations vary by city, district, company, and date.

Usually operating, with possible adjustments

Urban subways and city buses
Airports and scheduled flights
Convenience stores, particularly chain locations
Some large supermarkets and department stores
Restaurants in major tourist areas, transport hubs, and hotels
Large cinemas and entertainment complexes
Some palaces, museums, theme parks, and visitor attractions

More likely to close or reduce hours

Banks and government offices
University and school offices
Independent clinics and dental practices
Family-run restaurants and cafes
Traditional-market stalls
Local pharmacies
Small shops outside busy commercial districts
Postal and administrative services

Even chain businesses can close selected branches. Map-app hours may not reflect a temporary Chuseok schedule, so check the business's official website, social media notice, or Korean-language holiday announcement. Calling on the same day is sensible when a meal, appointment, or long journey depends on the business being open.

Eating during the holiday

Do not assume that every restaurant will close, but do not wait until late evening to begin searching. Tourist areas, shopping centers, station buildings, hotels, and busy nightlife districts usually provide more options than residential neighborhoods.

Useful preparations include:

Save several restaurant choices for each day.
Buy breakfast or snacks before the holiday begins.
Check the last-order time, not only the closing time.
Reserve special meals when the restaurant accepts bookings.
Carry a payment card and some KRW cash, particularly for markets or small businesses.

Songpyeon appears in rice-cake shops, markets, supermarkets, and department-store food halls before Chuseok. Popular shops may sell out or accept advance orders only. Rice cakes also harden quickly, so buy an amount you can eat soon rather than treating them as a long-lasting souvenir.

How to experience Chuseok respectfully

Public cultural events are usually easier for visitors to access than private family traditions. Museums, folk villages, palaces, and local governments may organize traditional games, performances, craft sessions, or songpyeon-making programs. Wait for confirmed 2026 announcements before organizing a trip around a particular event.

If a Korean friend invites you to a family gathering, ask what time to arrive and whether you should bring anything. Fruit, dessert, or another modest shareable item may be appropriate, but follow your host's advice. Charye and grave visits are family observances rather than tourist performances. Do not photograph people or ritual tables without explicit permission.

A simple holiday greeting is Chuseok jal bonaeseyo (추석 잘 보내세요), meaning roughly, “Have a good Chuseok.” It is suitable for acquaintances, hosts, and service staff before the holiday.

Travelers playing yutnori, a traditional Korean board game, at an outdoor Chuseok cultural program in Seoul

Practical itinerary for the 2026 holiday

Wednesday, September 23

Complete shopping, collect prescriptions, withdraw any needed cash, and travel to your holiday base before the main rush if possible. Confirm every reservation and download tickets for offline access.

Thursday, September 24

Expect official holiday conditions and transport crowds. Choose activities near your accommodation and avoid depending on a long highway journey. Confirm restaurant hours before leaving.

Friday, September 25: Chuseok Day

This is the central holiday date and potentially the day with the most closures. Plan a flexible cultural attraction, park, palace area, or walking route, with an indoor backup for poor weather. Buy food earlier in the day.

Saturday and Sunday, September 26-27

Return traffic toward Seoul and other major cities may be heavy. Keep extra time before flights and trains. Some businesses will reopen, while others may remain closed through Sunday.

Monday, September 28

The official Chuseok holiday has ended, and many offices and businesses should return to normal weekday operations. Individual businesses may take additional leave, so appointments still require confirmation.

Accessibility and traveling with luggage

Reserved intercity services are preferable for travelers with limited mobility, children, or large luggage. Holiday crowds make station transfers, elevators, and boarding areas more difficult to navigate.

Contact the relevant transport operator in advance if you require wheelchair spaces or boarding assistance. Arrive early and avoid relying on the final service of the day. Korean trains do not generally provide airline-style checked baggage; passengers remain responsible for handling and storing their luggage.

Use station lockers only as a secondary plan. Large lockers can already be occupied during busy periods, and the station containing your bag may become inconvenient to revisit.

What to check before you go

For multilingual visitor assistance, contact the Korea Tourism Organization's 1330 Travel Helpline and Complaint Center. In an emergency, call 112 for police or 119 for fire and ambulance services.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chuseok a bad time to visit Korea?

Not necessarily. It can be a rewarding period for cultural programs and quieter city walks. It is a poor time for an unreserved, multi-city itinerary. Visitors who secure transport early or remain in one city can avoid most of the disruption.

Can foreigners buy Chuseok train tickets?

Foreign visitors can use the official English Korail and SRT reservation services, subject to the operators' holiday sales procedures and payment requirements. Check the 2026 announcement when released because special booking dates and rules can differ from ordinary reservations.

Will Seoul's subway close?

The subway normally continues operating during public holidays, but individual operators may use holiday timetables or announce temporary changes. Check the relevant city transport information shortly before travel, particularly for early-morning or late-night journeys.

Are palaces free during Chuseok?

Free admission has been offered during some previous holiday periods, but the 2026 policy had not been officially confirmed as of June 11, 2026. Do not rely on earlier years' arrangements; check the Korea Heritage Service or the individual palace notice before visiting.

Do I need to give Chuseok gifts?

Ordinary visitors do not need to give gifts to hotel staff, teachers, coworkers, or casual acquaintances. If you are invited to a private gathering, ask the host whether a small shareable gift would be appropriate.

Sources

The most useful next step is to reserve accommodation now and set reminders to check Korail, SRT, and bus announcements as soon as 2026 Chuseok booking schedules are released.