SRT trains and express buses: booking and cancellation fees
Jean Song · How we verify · sources checked SEP 6, 2026
Highlights
The short answer
You can book an SRT train on the SRT website, in the SRT app, at a ticket machine or at a station counter, paying by credit card; an express bus can be booked online or in its app, or boarded without a booking when a seat is free. Cancelling costs little or nothing if you do it early, and the fee rises as departure approaches, with the heaviest charges once the train or bus has left. The SRT uses one scale for Monday-to-Thursday travel and another for Friday to Sunday and public holidays. This applies to visitors booking their own tickets, and was checked against both operators' official booking pages in September 2026.
Trains, Buses & Tickets · KTX · SRT · Express bus
This guide is for visitors who want to travel between Korean cities on the SRT high-speed rail or on an Express bus, and who would rather sort out the ticket themselves than rely on a travel agent. It covers where each ticket can be bought, how early and how late you can book, how the ticket reaches you, and what each operator charges if your plans change and you cancel. The booking, ticket and cancellation rules here come from the two operators' own booking pages. Read the current cancellation table on the booking site before you pay, not only after something goes wrong.
The two systems work differently. SRT tickets are sold up to a cut-off shortly before departure. An express bus can be booked in advance too, and it can also be boarded without a booking when a seat is free, which changes how much planning you need to do.
Where can I buy an SRT train ticket?
The SRT sells tickets through several channels: Websites (www.srail.co.kr or etk.srail.co.kr), the SRT App, a ticket machine, or a station counter. For a first trip, booking online or in the app before you reach the station means you know you have a seat and can plan around the departure time.
Train fare can be paid using a credit card. Have the card to hand when you book, and keep the booking confirmation where you can find it without mobile data.
If you book online, you do not have to leave with nothing in your hand. A train ticket can be issued at the station, so the station is the fallback if you would rather have a ticket issued.
Know where the train leaves from before you book. SRT departs from Suseo Station in Suseo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul — SRT's first and last station, connected to Subway Line 3 and the Bundang Line via a transfer passageway. That matters if you are staying on the other side of Seoul: build the subway journey to Suseo into your plan, and give yourself a margin for finding the platform with luggage.
How far ahead can I book an SRT train, and how late?
The booking window has a fixed opening and a closing time that depends on the channel you use.
- Opening: Tickets go on sale from 7AM, 1 month before the train's departure time.
- Closing: Tickets can be purchased until 20 minutes before departure on the website, or until 5 minutes before departure using the app.
If your dates are fixed, book as soon as sales open for your date rather than waiting until you arrive in Korea. If you leave it to the day, use the app rather than the website, because the app keeps selling closer to departure.
How much does it cost to cancel an SRT ticket?
The SRT charges a cancellation fee that depends on two things: how close to departure you cancel, and which day of the week you travel. Monday-to-Thursday journeys follow one scale; Friday-to-Sunday and public holiday journeys follow another.
| Travel day | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | Weekday (Mon-Thu) cancellation charge: no penalty from 2 days before departure to 1 day before; 5% from departure day to 3 hours before departure; 15% from 3 hours before to departure; 40% until 20 minutes after departure; 70% until 60 minutes before arrival |
| Friday to Sunday and public holidays | Weekend/holiday (Fri-Sun, public holiday) cancellation charge: the minimum penalty from 2 days before departure to 1 day before; 5% from departure day to 3 hours before; 10% from 3 hours before to departure; 20% until 20 minutes after departure; 30% until 60 minutes before arrival |
The minimum cancellation charge is ₩400, so even an early cancellation on the Friday-to-Sunday and holiday scale costs something. On both scales the charge is higher after the train has left than before it, so if you know you will not make it, cancel before departure rather than after.
Where do I get an SRT refund if I cancel?
Where you apply for the refund depends on the clock. The ticket fare can be refunded on the website until the train's departure time printed on the ticket; after departure time the ticket must be returned to the station; after the arrival time printed on the ticket, the fare cannot be refunded at all.
In practice, if your plans change on the day, go to the website and cancel before the departure time printed on your ticket. That keeps the refund online and avoids a trip to the station. If the train has already gone, go to the station with the ticket as soon as you can, because the charge grows with time and there is no refund once the arrival time has passed.
How do I book an express bus ticket?
Express bus tickets can be booked online or in the express bus app, and paid by credit card. A ticket can be booked by credit card; boarding without a reservation is possible by paying with a transportation card or credit card if a seat is free.
Same-day bookings online have a cut-off. A same-day departure ticket can be reserved on the website up to 1 hour before its departure time; for a more imminent departure, use the Express Bus Mobile App instead.
Once booked, you choose how the ticket reaches you. The three options, as the operator describes them:
| Option | How it works |
|---|---|
| Ticket window | A ticket can be issued at the ticket window of the departure terminal before departure time; the credit card used for the reservation must be brought |
| Home Ticket | Printing the ticket via the 'Home Ticket' service on the homepage means no separate ticket issuance is needed at the window |
| Mobile Ticket | Choosing 'Mobile Ticket' issuance when reserving lets you ride using the express bus mobile app, with no separate ticket issuance procedure |
If you plan to collect at the window, remember the card rule: the person collecting needs the same credit card that paid for the booking. If a friend booked for you on their card, choose the Mobile Ticket or Home Ticket option instead, so the ticket does not depend on a card you are not carrying.
Collecting at the window also has a deadline. A ticket cannot be issued after the departure time; arrive at the terminal before departure to get it issued.
Do I need to book an express bus at all?
Not necessarily. If there is an empty seat, a passenger can board and pay the fare using a transportation card or a credit card without an advance booking, similar to an intra-city bus or the subway.
That suits loose plans. The catch is the condition in that rule: you can only board without a booking if there is an empty seat. If you need a particular departure, because of a connection, a hotel check-in or a group travelling together, book ahead so you are not left at the terminal watching a full bus leave.
How do I board an express bus with a booked ticket?
The operator offers a self check-in service on board. The E-PASS service lets a passenger self check-in by scanning the QR code on their bus ticket (paper, home, or mobile) at the E-pass terminal installed on the bus. Have the QR code ready on your screen or on paper before you reach the door, so you are not searching for it while others wait behind you.
If you are heading to the express bus terminal by subway with heavy bags, Express Bus Terminal Station (고속터미널역) has lifts and escalators: 2 elevators, 24 escalators and 1 wheelchair lift recorded for this station. Allow extra time to find the right exit before your departure.
How much does it cost to cancel an express bus ticket?
The express bus cancellation fee is a percentage of the fare that rises the closer you cancel to departure. In the two bands between the day before departure and departure itself, the rate also depends on the day of travel: it is higher for Friday to Sunday and holidays than for Monday to Thursday, and higher again over traditional holidays. The earliest band is the same on every day, and the after-departure rates are listed without a day-of-travel split.
| When you cancel | Fee |
|---|---|
| Well ahead of departure | Cancelling 2 or more days before departure: 0% fee (all days), effective from May 1, 2025 |
| From the day before until shortly before departure | Cancelling 1 day before to 3 hours before departure: 5% (Mon-Thu), 7.5% (Fri-Sun/holidays), 10% (traditional holidays) |
| In the final hours before departure | Cancelling less than 3 hours before departure: 10% (Mon-Thu), 15% (Fri-Sun/holidays), 20% (traditional holidays) |
| After departure, before the estimated arrival | Cancelling after departure but before the estimated arrival time: 50% from May 1, 2025, rising to 60% in 2026 and 70% in 2027 |
| After the estimated arrival | Cancelling after the estimated arrival time: 100% fee |
The post-departure rate is scheduled to change in stages, as the table shows. Check which rate is in force on the operator's booking page on the day you cancel rather than relying on this table.
How do the SRT and the express bus compare for booking and cancelling?
| SRT | Express bus | |
|---|---|---|
| Where to book | Websites (www.srail.co.kr or etk.srail.co.kr), the SRT App, a ticket machine, or a station counter | Online or in the express bus app, or board with a card if a seat is free |
| Latest booking | Tickets can be purchased until 20 minutes before departure on the website, or until 5 minutes before departure using the app | A same-day departure ticket can be reserved on the website up to 1 hour before its departure time; for a more imminent departure, use the Express Bus Mobile App instead |
| Cancelling early (earliest band in each table above) | Free for Monday to Thursday travel; the minimum charge applies for Friday to Sunday and public holiday travel | Cancelling 2 or more days before departure: 0% fee (all days), effective from May 1, 2025 |
| Cancelling after departure | Possible until the arrival time printed on the ticket, at the station | Possible until the estimated arrival time, at the post-departure rate |
What if I miss my train or bus?
For the SRT, a missed train can still be cancelled for a partial refund. Return the ticket at the station before the arrival time printed on it. The Monday-to-Thursday or Friday-to-Sunday and holiday scale above sets the charge for each band it lists; it gives no rate for the last stretch before arrival. After that time, the ticket has no refund value.
For the express bus, the same logic applies. A booked seat you did not use can still be cancelled after departure until the estimated arrival time, at the post-departure rate in the table. Once that time passes, the fee is the whole fare. If you missed a bus you had not yet collected at the window, you cannot collect it afterwards, so cancel it under the post-departure rate and book another departure.
For bus enquiries in the Gyeonggi area, the enquiry line is 031-120.
Questions people ask
Can I pay for an SRT ticket with a credit card?
Yes. The SRT accepts credit cards for the train fare. The first section above lists the places you can buy a ticket.
Do I have to book an express bus in advance?
No, if a seat is free you can board and pay with a transport card or credit card. If you need a particular departure, book ahead; see the section on whether you need to book.
Is it free to cancel an SRT or express bus ticket?
Only if you cancel early enough, and the SRT scale for Friday to Sunday and public holidays has a minimum charge even then. The fee grows as departure approaches; both scales are set out in the cancellation sections above.
What happens if I miss my SRT train?
You can still get part of the fare back at the station before the arrival time printed on the ticket. After that, no refund is possible. See the section on missed trains and buses.
Can someone else collect my express bus ticket at the window?
The operator's page does not say whether someone else can collect it. It does say the credit card used for the booking must be brought to the window, so if that card will not be with you, choose the Mobile Ticket or Home Ticket option when you book.
