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Can You Buy a Same-Day KTX Ticket at the Station?

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CONNECT ON Inc. · How we verify · sources read SEP 9, 2026

Highlights

The short answer

Any traveller who decides to take the KTX at the last minute can still buy a ticket at the train station: unlike the website, which stops selling 20 minutes before departure, or vending machines, which stop 10 minutes before, a station ticket counter stays open right up until the train actually leaves. Payment by credit card is confirmed to work for KTX tickets, checked against the current Korail ticketing guide.

Trains, Buses & Tickets · KTX · SRT · Express busPhotograph: K Travel Way

Can I buy a KTX ticket at the station on the day of travel?

Yes. Tickets can be bought from 07:00 one month before the desired departure date; the cutoff to buy is 20 minutes before departure on the website, 10 minutes before departure at vending machines, and up until departure itself at train stations

How is this different from buying online or at a machine?

The station counter has the latest cutoff of the three channels named above; unlike the website and vending-machine options, it stays open until the train actually departs.

How do I pay at the station?

Credit card for KTX tickets.

What if the train is sold out by the time I arrive?

Buying at the station on the day does not guarantee a seat is still available; popular trains can sell out even with the counter still open, so arriving earlier improves your odds.

Questions people ask

Can I buy a same-day ticket at a vending machine instead of the counter?

Yes, but vending machines stop selling 10 minutes before departure, an earlier cutoff than the station counter.

Sources

  1. https://www.korail.com/global/eng/passengerGuide/ticketTypes/tickets

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