Since September 1, 2026, there is no SRT. Korail (한국철도공사) absorbed SR, the company that ran SRT, and every high-speed train in Korea is now a KTX, including the ones leaving from Suseo Station (수서역) in southeast Seoul. KTX fares on the routes that used to have both operators dropped to the old SRT level, about 10% lower than before: Seoul to Busan in standard class is now ₩54,400 (about $40). Book everything in one place, the Korail+ app (코레일+) or Korail's website. The SRT app no longer sells tickets, so you no longer need it.
If you are reading an older guide that tells you to pick between KTX and SRT, or between Seoul Station and Suseo based on which company runs the train, that advice is out of date. Pick your departure station by where you are staying in Seoul, nothing else.
What actually changed on September 1
-
SRT trains became KTX trains. The same trainsets still run on the same tracks between Suseo and Busan, Mokpo, and the other former SRT destinations, but they are now branded KTX-Sancheon (KTX-산천). Timetables, station signs, and tickets say KTX. Korail's own advice for the first weeks is to check the train number and destination on your ticket against the departure board before you board, because trains you might remember as SRT numbers now carry KTX numbers.
-
One booking app replaced two. Korail launched the Korail+ app on August 3, 2026, as the replacement for both the old KorailTalk (코레일톡) app and the SRT app. From August 5 it showed Seoul Station and Suseo departures in a single search, and from September 1 it is the only app for the Suseo routes. The SRT app and the SR website (etk.srail.kr) stopped selling tickets on August 31, 2026. SR's notice says the old SRT app keeps a limited non-member booking function for a transition period, but does not say how long, so do not plan around it.
-
Fares on the Suseo routes stayed where they were, and fares from Seoul Station came down to match. Korail set high-speed fares to the former SRT level, which the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport describes as an average cut of about 10% on the routes both companies used to serve. The two examples the ministry published are in the table below. Korail says the size of the cut varies by route, and the announcements only describe routes that both operators used to serve, so do not assume KTX-only lines such as Gangneung changed at all.
-
More seats, especially from Suseo. Korail added roughly 15,000 high-speed seats per weekday and up to about 17,000 per weekend day, and says Suseo departures gained about 30% more seats (30.5% on the first day). Weekday high-speed departures went from 379 to 402 and weekend departures from 431 to 457. In practice, this means Suseo trains that used to sell out days ahead now have more availability, and Seoul Station trains have a few more departures.
-
Korail's rules now apply to Suseo trains. Refund and change fees, season tickets, and the 5% mileage program that Korail members earn on KTX all now apply to trains from Suseo. SR's notice says its own booking and refund rules ended on August 31, and unused SR member coupons were converted into Korail+ membership benefits.
Costs
The table shows the two fare examples the ministry published for standard class (일반실), one way, adult. The dollar figures are approximate at about ₩1,360 to the dollar.
| Route (standard class, one way) | Before September 1, 2026 | From September 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Seoul Station to Busan | ₩59,800 (about $44) | ₩54,400 (about $40) |
| Yongsan to Gwangju Songjeong | ₩46,800 (about $34) | ₩42,000 (about $31) |
Fares from Suseo were already at the SRT level, so they did not move. Korean high-speed fares are set by distance, and Suseo to Busan is a slightly shorter run than Seoul Station to Busan, so expect the Suseo fare to be close to, not identical to, the Seoul Station fare. First-class (특실) fares, child discounts, and the online discounts Korail already offered on the Seoul Station routes were not listed in the ministry's announcement. Search your date on the Korail site to see the real price before you plan around a number.
Seoul Station or Suseo: how to choose now
Until August 31 the choice was partly forced: KTX left from Seoul Station and Yongsan, SRT left from Suseo, and each had its own app, fares, and pass rules. Now both stations sell the same product on the same fare basis, through the same booking channels, so the decision is only about where you are in Seoul.
| Seoul Station (서울역) or Yongsan (용산역) | Suseo (수서역) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best if you are staying in | Myeongdong, Jongno, Hongdae, Itaewon, Yongsan, anywhere north of the Han River | Gangnam, Jamsil, Songpa, Bundang, Pangyo |
| Subway access | Lines 1 and 4 and AREX at Seoul Station; Line 1 and Gyeongui-Jungang at Yongsan | Line 3, Suin-Bundang Line, and GTX-A |
| From Incheon Airport | AREX direct to Seoul Station, no transfer | AREX to Seoul Station, then subway; or airport bus to Gangnam and subway |
| Destinations | Every KTX line, including Gangneung and the east coast | The former SRT routes: Gyeongbu line to Busan and Honam line to Mokpo. Korail's announcement also mentions new stopping patterns via Daejeon and Gupo |
| Seats | More departures than before | About 30% more seats than SRT offered |
If your hotel is in Gangnam, Suseo saves you the trip across the river, and it no longer costs you anything in booking hassle. Everyone else should keep using Seoul Station. Yongsan is the better departure point for the Honam line (Gwangju, Mokpo) if you are north of the river.
How to book as a foreigner now
Korail's English website at korail.com/global/eng is the channel Korail built for visitors, with passport-based sign-up and foreign card payment, and it belongs to the operator that now runs the Suseo trains, so it is the first place to search. If a Suseo departure you want does not appear there, or your card is declined at payment, the fallbacks are the same ones that worked before: the ticket counter at any KTX station, the ticket machines at Seoul Station and Suseo, or a Korean booking partner such as Naver or Kakao T, which SR's notice lists as official sales channels.
The Korail+ app is aimed at Korean residents. Korail's announcements describe it only in Korean, and as of this page's verification date we could not find an official English sign-up guide for it. Do not spend your first evening in Korea fighting it. The English website plus the station counter covers every train.
One thing to double-check: the Korail Pass (KR Pass) for foreigners historically did not cover SRT. Whether it now covers the Suseo routes, given that they are KTX, was not stated in any of the merger announcements. Confirm on the Korail Pass page before buying a pass with the plan of using it from Suseo.
Gotchas for foreigners
- Old guides, old apps. Any blog, video, or app that separates KTX from SRT is describing the system before September 1, 2026. The SRT app no longer sells tickets, and SR's website no longer shows schedules.
- Train numbers changed. If you booked a former SRT train before the merger, the train you board still leaves at the same time, but the departure board shows a KTX number. Match the time and destination, not the number you remember.
- Same fare basis, both stations. Suseo is no longer the discount option. If a third-party seller quotes a noticeably lower Suseo fare than the Seoul Station fare for the same destination and date, they are quoting stale data.
- Suseo is still not on the airport train. AREX ends at Seoul Station. From Incheon Airport to Suseo, take AREX to Seoul Station and Line 4 to Chungmuro (충무로), then Line 3 to Suseo. It is well over an hour with one transfer, so check the live time in Naver Map. An airport limousine bus to a Gangnam stop and a short taxi is the easier option with luggage.
- Mileage requires membership. The 5% mileage now offered on Suseo trains only accrues to Korail members. Non-member bookings through the English site earn nothing, which is a fair trade for not needing a Korean phone number.
- Korean-language notices come first. Korail publishes changes on its Korean press page days before the English site catches up. The Korean words to look for are 통합 (integration), 운임 (fare), and 수서 (Suseo).