Chuseok KTX Reservation Rate 92.7%... Remaining Seats on Sale on the 11th

[Financial News] 1.8 million out of 2.14 million train tickets for this year's Chuseok have been reserved, recording an 84% reservation rate. With demand having increased significantly compared to the holiday reservation rate of around 60% over the past three years, the remaining seats will go on sale starting at 3 p.m. on the 11th.
According to the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) on the 11th, 84% of the total available seats were reserved during the seven-day Chuseok ticket reservation period from the 3rd through the 11th. KORAIL analyzed that travel demand was concentrated on specific dates due to the shortened holiday period.
By train type, 1,479,000 KTX tickets were sold, recording a reservation rate of 92.7%. Regular trains had 321,000 tickets reserved, recording a reservation rate of 58.6%.
The reservation rate by route was highest on the Gyeongjeon Line at 94.2%. This was followed by the Gyeongbu Line at 91.3%, the Jeolla Line at 90.6%, the Honam Line at 87.9%, the Donghae Line at 81.4%, and the Gyeonggang Line at 70.9%. The reservation rate for the Jungang Line was recorded at 112.7%.
By date, the reservation rate was highest at 90.1% on September 25, the day of Chuseok. Downbound trains recorded 100.7% on September 23, while upbound trains recorded 98.1% on September 27.
Remaining seats can be purchased from 3 p.m. on the 11th via the mobile application 'Korail+', the KORAIL website, station ticket counters, and automatic ticket machines.
Reserved tickets can be paid for starting at midnight on the 11th. Payment for general reservation tickets must be completed by the 15th, and for advance reservation tickets for the transportation-disadvantaged by the 18th. Tickets that are not paid for within the deadline will be automatically canceled and allocated to those on the waiting list in order.
Cashback and discount events will also be held during the payment period from the 12th to the 18th. A total of seven companies are participating, including Naver Pay, Kakao Pay, Toss, BC Card, Samsung Card Co., Ltd., LG Card, and Woori Card Co., Ltd. Benefits worth a total of 230 million won will be provided to approximately 95,000 people on a first-come, first-served basis or through a lottery.
Crackdowns on ticket scalping for Chuseok are also being strengthened. A "mystery shopper" method is being utilized, in which employees directly purchase scalped tickets being sold on platforms such as Karrot Market and Bungaejangter Inc. to secure seller information.
The KORAIL website and the Korail+ app operate a 'Ticket Scalping Reporting Room.' Reporters who report confirmed cases of ticket scalping will receive a 50% discount coupon on train fares.
If ticket scalping is detected, the user will be immediately removed from membership, and an investigation will be requested from relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) and the Korean National Police Agency.
Lee Min-sung, Head of KORAIL's Passenger Business Division, stated, "The holiday ticket reservations, conducted for the first time since the integration of high-speed rail, were completed smoothly," adding, "We will do our utmost to prepare for special Chuseok transportation so that the public can travel to their hometowns safely and comfortably."

[email protected] Choi Ga-young Reporter