Chuseok 2026 Survival Guide for Foreigners in Korea
September 7, 2026
Last updated: September 7, 2026 (KST)
The streets empty out overnight, the trains sell out in minutes, and suddenly every corner restaurant has a handwritten closure notice taped to the door. It is a lot to navigate, but once you know the rhythm of Chuseok (추석, Korea's harvest moon holiday), it becomes one of the best weekends of the year to be in Seoul.
The short answer, for skimmers:
- Dates: Thursday September 24 to Saturday September 26 (Chuseok Day is Friday the 25th), a four-day break with Sunday the 27th
- September 28: a normal workday, no substitute holiday this year
- Train tickets: route-by-route sale September 7-11, leftover seats from September 11 at 15:00, a second wave after the payment deadlines on September 15 and 18
- What closes: banks, government and immigration offices, and most family-run restaurants; convenience stores, chains and emergency rooms stay open
- Emergency numbers: 119 (fire and medical), 112 (police), 1330 (24-hour English helpline)
- Best free thing to do: the four royal palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and the royal tombs are free September 24-27
The 2026 Holiday Calendar at a Glance
Chuseok long weekend: Thursday September 24 to Sunday September 27 (public holidays are Sept 24-26; Sept 27 is Sunday). The dates come from the government's official 2026 calendar notice.
No substitute holiday on September 28. The substitute rule only triggers when Chuseok overlaps a Sunday or another public holiday. This year it runs Thursday to Saturday, so Monday the 28th is a regular workday. Don't make plans based on an assumption of a five-day stretch.
Two more long weekends follow in October:
- October 3-5: Saturday October 3 is Gaecheonjeol (개천절, National Foundation Day). Because it falls on a Saturday, Monday October 5 is the substitute holiday. That gives you a Saturday-to-Monday break.
- October 9-11: Friday October 9 is Hangul Day (한글날), a standalone public holiday. With the weekend, that is another three-day break.
If you can manage your leave well, October is genuinely generous this year.
Getting Train Tickets After the Advance Sale
The official holiday sale covers trains running September 23-27, and the route-by-route sale runs September 7 to 11 (Korail's notice has the full table). If that window has already closed when you read this, skip to the second wave of seats below. You are not out of options.
How the Sale Works
Korail and SR merged in 2026, and the old SRT app is gone. Everything, KTX and what used to be SRT, now books through the Korail+ (코레일+) app (an update of the old Korail Talk app) or at korail.com. The app supports seven languages. Holiday tickets can only be booked with a Korail+ integrated membership, so anyone who only had an SR (SRT) account has to convert it first.
The general sale runs line by line from September 7 to 11, 07:00-13:00 each day, with Suseo-bound KTX on September 10 and Gyeongbu KTX to and from Seoul Station last on September 11. From September 11 at 15:00, every remaining seat is on open sale on Korail+, korail.com and station counters.
💡 TIP: Foreigners book with a passport number instead of a resident registration number (the English booking site is letskorail.com). Register your Korail+ membership before you try to buy, because the holiday sale pages are often Korean-only and the English interface does not always surface them cleanly. Test your foreign credit card on one ordinary ticket first; overseas cards sometimes get declined at the Korean payment gateway during peak windows. Keep a backup card ready.
The Second Wave of Seats
Reserved tickets must be paid between September 12 and September 15 (general buyers) or by September 18 (priority buyers: seniors, disabled, veterans, pregnant passengers). Unpaid reservations auto-cancel and flow to the yeyak daegi (예약대기, reservation waitlist) queue, so a real second wave of seats appears right after September 15 and again after September 18. Last-minute cancellations and returns keep trickling in all the way up to the holiday itself.
- Use the reservation waitlist feature in Korail+ for sold-out trains rather than giving up
- The limit is 6 tickets per person per transaction, 12 maximum round trip
On pricing: KTX fares were cut about 10% from September onward as a permanent result of the Korail-SR merger (example: Seoul to Busan dropped from 59,800 won to 54,400 won, roughly 44 USD to 40 USD). Some reverse-direction trains during the holiday (from the provinces into Seoul, against the homecoming flow) are discounted a further 30-50%.
If the Trains Are Sold Out
Express buses are the quiet winner when KTX is gone. Book through Kobus or the TmoneyGO app (intercity buses). Dong Seoul Terminal opened its holiday bus sale on August 25 for September 23-27 travel; other terminals run their own timelines. Domestic flights to Jeju sell out early too, so check those now if that is your plan.
For general rail travel tips beyond the holiday, see our Train Pass in Korea guide.
What Closes and What Stays Open
Closed
- Banks, government offices, post offices and immigration offices: closed September 24-26
- Immigration contact center 1345: closed on public holidays (weekdays 09:00-22:00; after 18:00 only Korean, English and Chinese)
- Hi Korea online services: weekdays 07:00-22:00 only, not on holidays
- 120 Dasan Call Center foreign-language line: weekdays 09:00-18:00, closed weekends and holidays
- National Museum of Korea, National Folk Museum and MMCA Seoul: closed on Chuseok Day itself, September 25 (MMCA is free on the other holiday days)
- Small family-run restaurants and traditional-market stalls: largely closed September 24-26
Open
- Convenience stores (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Emart24): 24/7 as always. Our Korean Convenience Store Guide has everything you need to eat well from one.
- Chain restaurants, cafes and department-store food halls: generally open
- Emergency rooms: open throughout
- Delivery apps: running, but expect holiday surcharges and a smaller restaurant selection
Big marts follow a complicated schedule. Lotte Mart's mandatory closure days in September fall on Sundays September 13 and 27 in most areas (some Seoul stores like Seocho close on Wednesdays; Busan and Daegu branches close on Mondays instead). Most big marts open on Chuseok Day itself, though some open late around 11:00 with reduced hours. September 27 (Sunday) is a closure day for many. Do your big shopping on September 23 or the morning of September 24: the afternoon of September 24 is the crush.
Expressway tolls are waived nationwide for the entire four days, September 24-27, under the Chuseok relief package the cabinet approved on September 1 (reported by edaily). If you are renting a car or driving anywhere, that is a genuine saving.
Free Palaces and Things to Do in Seoul
Free Palace Admission September 24-27
The royal sites are free of charge for the full four-day stretch, part of the same September 1 government package; the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center posts the official notice closer to the date:
- Gyeongbokgung (경복궁): 09:00-18:00, last entry 17:00
- Changdeokgung (창덕궁): 09:00-18:00, last entry 17:00
- Changgyeonggung (창경궁): 09:00-21:00, last entry 20:00
- Deoksugung (덕수궁): 09:00-21:00, last entry 20:00
- Jongmyo Shrine (종묘): 09:00-18:00, last entry 17:00, general admission instead of timed slots
- Joseon royal tombs (조선왕릉): free throughout the holiday
- National recreation forests and botanical gardens: also free over the holiday
Two caveats: the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion and Hyangwonjeong special tours at Gyeongbokgung do not run September 24-27. Changdeokgung's Secret Garden (Huwon) needs a separate paid reservation and is not included in the free admission.
💡 TIP: Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung stay open until 21:00, making them the best evening options when the daytime crowd thins. If you want to visit in hanbok, our Hanbok Rental guide explains where to hire near the palaces.
Night Viewing and Special Events
Gyeongbokgung Autumn Night Viewing runs September 2 to October 2 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), 19:00-21:30 with last entry at 20:30, and it does operate on the Chuseok dates. Tickets are 3,000 won (about 2.20 USD). The online tickets on NOL Ticket for September 23-27 sold out within days, but foreigners have a separate route: 300 same-day tickets are sold to foreign visitors at the Gwanghwamun ticket office each evening, passport required, 2 per person. Go early, they run out. Anyone wearing hanbok enters free.
Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (Dalbit Gihaeng) runs September 10 to October 17, Thursday to Sunday, at 30,000 won (about 22 USD) per person: a lantern-lit guided walk through the palace and Secret Garden with court refreshments and a short performance. The main Ticketlink lottery closed in August, and leftover seats are sold first-come on Ticketlink from September 3. English, Mandarin and Japanese sessions run on September 20 and 27 and October 4 and 11, booked through Creatrip, so the September 27 English tour lands right on the holiday weekend.
The Seoul Intangible Cultural Festival at Namsangol Hanok Village runs September 12-13 (free) as a warm-up the weekend before. Over the holiday itself, the Korean Folk Village in Yongin is the reliable option: its autumn festival runs September 12 to November 15 alongside the regular folk performances, and it usually adds Chuseok programs.
Seoul's subway and buses run the weekend/holiday timetable on public holidays. The city usually extends late-night service on the busiest return night and announces it about a week ahead. Watch the Seoul Metro official channels.
Once the leaves start turning after Chuseok, the palaces look even better. Our Korea Fall Foliage guide covers the best spots and timing.
Gift-Set Etiquette
Chuseok is gift season. If you have Korean colleagues, a landlord, or a host family, understanding what to give, and how much to spend, saves a lot of anxiety.
What People Actually Give
- Spam, canned ham and cooking-oil sets: completely normal and well-received, not a joke gift
- Fruit sets (apples, Korean pears, Shine Muscat): premium choice for a host
- Red ginseng and health drinks: the biggest-selling price band
- Hangwa (traditional sweets), sesame oil and seaweed sets: appropriate for hosts
- Hanwoo beef sets: expensive but prestigious
- Pre-made specialty coffees for the team: practical for coworkers rather than individual gifts
Price bands for 2026:
- 30,000-50,000 won (22-37 USD): Spam, tea, honey, cold-brew sets
- 40,000-60,000 won (29-44 USD): fruit sets at major marts
- 50,000-100,000 won (37-74 USD): small red ginseng, health-drink sets (biggest-selling band)
- 350,000-550,000 won (260-405 USD): hanwoo beef sets
Government-backed sale events are discounting fruit, hanwoo beef and seafood gift sets by up to roughly 50% in the run-up to the holiday. In Seoul, the Chuseok market at Seoul Plaza (September 15-17, 10:00-19:00) sells regional produce direct from farmers, a good place to pick up a fruit set.
The Kim Young-ran Law (Gift Limits for Public Officials)
If you work with or are giving to a public official, a teacher at a public or private school, or a journalist, the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act applies:
- General gifts: up to 50,000 won (37 USD)
- Domestic agricultural, livestock or fishery products (over 50% farm content): up to 150,000 won (111 USD) normally, doubled to 300,000 won (221 USD) during the holiday window (roughly 24 days before to 5 days after Chuseok, judged by ship date)
Private-sector colleagues are not covered by this law. When in doubt, stay under 50,000 won and you are safe across the board.
Etiquette basics: give with two hands and a slight bow; the recipient sets it aside unopened; avoid oversized gifts: they pressure the other person to reciprocate at the same level.
Emergency Numbers and Hotlines
Keep these in your phone before the holiday:
- 119: Fire and medical emergency, 24 hours, English support available (fluency varies)
- 112: Police, 24 hours, English support available
- 1330 Korea Travel Helpline: Free, 24 hours, Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese. This is the most useful line for foreigners: it provides interpretation and can coordinate with 112 and 119 on your behalf.
- 129: Health and Welfare call center, for finding open clinics and pharmacies
- 120: Seoul Dasan Call Center. For English: dial 120, then 9, then 1. Note this line is weekdays 09:00-18:00 only and is closed on weekends and public holidays.
- 1345 Immigration Contact Center: weekdays 09:00-22:00 (20 languages until 18:00, then Korean, English and Chinese only), closed on public holidays, so visa questions wait until September 28.
For open clinics and pharmacies during the holiday, check the E-Gen Emergency Medical Portal or the E-Gen app, which maps open facilities near you with their hours and departments. You can also search '명절 병원' on Naver. Emergency rooms stay open throughout. See our Pharmacy in Korea guide for how to navigate prescriptions and over-the-counter options.
A Few Practical Notes Before You Go
- Airport: Incheon Airport averaged 217,613 passengers a day during Chuseok 2025 and set a single-day outbound record. Expect the same or more in 2026. Arrive at least 3 hours early. Our Incheon Airport to Seoul guide covers every transport option.
- Parcels and deliveries: A Chuseok special management period runs September 7 to October 2. Couriers restrict pickups one to two days before the holiday and may refuse perishables. Order anything important online at least a week ahead.
- Building notice board: Check yours before the holiday for changes to management-office hours and garbage collection. These changes are often posted nowhere except the lobby.
- Greetings: Wish people '즐거운 한가위 보내세요' (Have a joyful Hangawi) or '풍성한 한가위 되세요' (Have a bountiful Hangawi). Either lands warmly.
Chuseok is the moment Korea turns toward home. The highways fill, the trains hum, and the palaces smell faintly of pine needles from freshly steamed songpyeon. If you are not visiting family here, Seoul still gives you a rare version of the holiday: an unusually quiet city, free palaces and a full moon over the Han River. 즐거운 한가위 보내세요.
Staying in Korea past the holiday? Homes in Korea lists monthly rentals, furnished rooms and long-term housing for foreigners at homesinkor.com.
