Skip to content
How we verify

Same-Day KTX Ticket: How Late Can You Buy Before Departure?

Last verified 1 min read

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

Highlights

The short answer

You can still buy a same-day KTX ticket close to departure, but the exact cutoff depends on the purchase channel: the website stops selling twenty minutes before departure, a station vending machine stops ten minutes before departure, and the station ticket counter stays open right up until the train actually leaves, so a traveller running late should head straight for the counter rather than the website or app. This was checked directly against the operator's own current ticketing page rather than a secondhand summary.

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

Same-day KTX tickets stay on sale close to departure, but the exact cutoff depends on which channel you use.

What is the cutoff for each purchase channel?

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

What if I'm already running late at the station?

If the website cutoff has passed, a vending machine or the ticket counter still has a later cutoff, so it's worth trying those before giving up on catching the train. Tickets can be bought via the KORAIL website, the KORAIL Talk mobile app, ticket vending machines, or at train stations (not available at subway stations)

What do I need to pay?

Credit card is accepted for same-day purchases through these channels.

Questions people ask

Can I buy a KTX ticket the same day I'm travelling?

Yes — same-day tickets are sold through the website, the KORAIL Talk app, station vending machines, and station counters, each with its own cutoff before departure.

Which channel has the latest cutoff before my train leaves?

The station ticket counter has the latest cutoff of the three, staying open for purchases up to the train's actual departure time.

Sources

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

Related pages

View all