“Travel 50% cheaper in December” ... Korail expands its “half-price train” offer to six more areas

[Financial News] Starting next month, more depopulation areas will be included in a program that lets travelers take trips with a 50% discount on train fares.
 Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) said it signed an agreement on the afternoon of the 5th at its Daejeon headquarters with six local governments: Pyeongchang County in Gangwon State; Gochang County and Sunchang County in Jeonbuk State; Yeongam County and Wando in South Jeolla Province; and Hadong County in South Gyeongsang Province. The agreement aims to promote tourism through “Rail Travel for Local Communities.”
 “Rail Travel for Local Communities” is a linked travel package that combines a 50% discount on train tickets to depopulation areas with free or discounted admission to local tourist attractions. Under the agreement, the number of depopulation areas partnered with Korail will grow from 42 to 48.
 Around 30 people attended the signing ceremony, including Korail President Kim Taeseung and officials from the six local governments. They agreed to establish a sustainable, mutually beneficial cooperation framework connecting local tourism resources with the rail network.
 Starting this coming December, Korail will roll out customized products for the six newly added local governments. Since August 2024, Korail has partnered with local governments in 42 depopulation areas and operated around 620 “Rail Travel for Local Communities” products. The program has drawn a strong response, with cumulative users surpassing 540,000 by last month.
 Korail President Kim Taeseung said, “Rail Travel for Local Communities is a flagship, mutually beneficial travel product that brings the region’s hidden charms to a wider audience and gives the local economy a tangible boost.” He added, “We will closely connect tourism resources across every corner of the country, broaden people’s travel options and build a railway that grows together with local communities.”
 The expansion of destinations for “Rail Travel for Local Communities” is part of policy efforts to use rail infrastructure, including KTX, as a key means of attracting living populations amid the accelerating crisis of regional decline. Recently, as major local governments have encountered limits to simply increasing their permanent populations, they have shifted their focus to attracting “living populations”—people who stay and spend money in an area on weekends or during holiday seasons. Korail’s 50% fare-discount program is seen as providing a practical catalyst for drawing living populations to regional areas by lowering travel barriers for people staying in the Seoul metropolitan area.
[email protected] Kim Won-jun Reporter