Refund and Change Fees for an Express Bus Ticket in Korea
MK Lee · How we verify · sources checked SEP 12, 2026
Highlights
The short answer
Yes — if you cancel a Express bus ticket under the fee schedule kobus.co.kr publishes; this page cannot confirm whether every other operator or route in Korea follows the same schedule. That schedule covers cancellation fees only, with nothing about a separate "change" transaction, so this page cannot confirm whether a distinct change process exists elsewhere. The fee you would pay is tiered by timing: lowest two or more days before departure, rising in stages as departure gets closer, higher again once the scheduled departure time has passed, and higher still once the bus's estimated arrival time has passed. Checked against kobus.co.kr's own published fee table as of September 2026.
Trains, Buses & Tickets · KTX · SRT · Express bus
A Express bus ticket in Korea is not locked in once it's booked, but holding onto it past a certain point gets progressively more expensive to undo. The figures on this page come from kobus.co.kr's own published fee schedule — treat them as that reservation site's terms rather than a confirmed nationwide standard for every operator or route.
Can I get a refund on an express bus ticket in Korea?
A cancellation fee applies based on how close to departure you cancel: 0% up to 2 days before, then 5% (Mon-Thu) or 7.5-10% (weekends/holidays) from 1 day to 3 hours before, rising to 10-20% within 3 hours of departure, and 50% (as of May 2025, scheduled to rise to 60% in 2026 and 70% in 2027) after departure but before the estimated arrival time; 100% once the estimated arrival time has passed.
How much is the fee if I cancel well before departure?
Cancelling 2 or more days before departure: 0% fee (all days), effective from May 1, 2025.
What if I cancel closer to departure, like the day before?
Cancelling 1 day before to 3 hours before departure: 5% (Mon-Thu), 7.5% (Fri-Sun/holidays), 10% (traditional holidays).
What if I cancel within a few hours of departure?
Cancelling less than 3 hours before departure: 10% (Mon-Thu), 15% (Fri-Sun/holidays), 20% (traditional holidays).
What if I miss my bus, or only decide to cancel after it has already left?
Cancelling after departure but before the estimated arrival time: 50% from May 1, 2025, rising to 60% in 2026 and 70% in 2027. Wait past the bus's estimated arrival time and the fee changes again: Cancelling after the estimated arrival time: 100% fee.
What if I don't want to cancel, just change my ticket to a different time?
The fee schedule kobus.co.kr publishes lists cancellation fees only — it says nothing about a separate "change" transaction, so this page cannot confirm whether the reservation system offers one. If you need a different departure, the cancellation fee tiers above are the only figures this page can point to; check with the reservation platform directly to find out whether a dedicated change option exists and what it costs.
Questions people ask
Can I cancel an express bus ticket in Korea and get money back?
Yes. A cancellation fee applies, and how much you lose depends on how close to departure you cancel — it is smallest well before departure and grows the closer you get, then grows again once the bus has already departed or arrived. This is based on the fee schedule kobus.co.kr publishes and may not match every operator.
Is there a separate fee or process for changing an express bus ticket to a different time?
This page cannot confirm one either way. The fee schedule it draws on, published by kobus.co.kr, lists cancellation fees only, with nothing about a distinct change or modification process. If you need a different departure, the cancellation fee tiers on this page are the only figures available — confirm directly with the reservation platform whether a separate change option exists.
Does the cancellation fee for an express bus ticket depend on the day of the week?
Yes, for cancellations made closer to departure. The fee for cancelling from one day before down to a few hours before departure, and for cancelling within a few hours of departure, is lowest Monday through Thursday, higher Friday through Sunday or on a public holiday, and highest on a traditional holiday.
