KTL Information
Korea travel information
Practical information and local guides for traveling in Korea.
travel-tipReservation and Opening Hours Guide for Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art
Reliable travel info on reservation methods and opening hours to check before visiting Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art.
travel-tipIncheon Airport Transit Tour — Visa-Free Seoul Sightseeing for Under-24-Hour Transits
An official Incheon Airport program that lets travelers with transits under 24 hours explore central Seoul visa-free.
seasonal-noticeKorea Forest Service Predicts 2026 Fall Foliage Peak — Seoraksan Oct 20, Naejangsan Nov 4
On September 22 the Korea Forest Service released a forecast map showing nationwide peak autumn colors in late October 2026. Seoraksan is expected to peak on Oct 20 and Naejangsan on Nov 4, about 0.8 days later than the long‑term average.
event-announcementSeoul Hospitality Week 2026 — Sep 19 to Oct 11: Special Perks for Foreign Visitors
Timed for Japan’s Silver Week and China’s National Day holidays, Seoul will run a 23-day hospitality program for foreign visitors offering the Discover Seoul Pass Heritage Edition, free palace entry, K-POP shows and Myeongdong cultural events.
event-announcement2026 Creative x Seongsu Takes Over Seongsu-dong Oct 5-11
Seongdong-gu will stage '2026 Creative x Seongsu' across Seongsu-dong from October 5-11, using venues like S Factory, PUBG Seongsu and Yeonmujang-gil for a global cultural creative industries festival across 13 categories.
travel-tipVAT refunds for foreign visitors' hotel stays to end early on June 30, 2027
The government has moved up the end date for VAT refunds on accommodation used by foreign visitors from Dec 31, 2028 to June 30, 2027. Refunds continue only for stays of 30 nights or less until then.
transit-updateKTX ticket booking window extended to two months from October — more languages and easy-pay options added
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korail will expand KTX ticket reservations to start two months before departure from Oct 1, 2026. Multilingual support and WeChat Pay/Alipay will also be introduced.
travel-tipMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Releases Multilingual Transport Guides for Foreign Visitors
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has produced image-based transport guides in English, Japanese and Chinese (simplified and traditional). They explain airport-to-city routes, how to use rail, bus, subway and taxi, whether overseas cards work, and how to install and use Korean transport apps — distributed via the VisitKorea website, Korea Tourism Organization overseas SNS accounts, and QR codes at tourist information centers.
event-announcement2026 Autumn Royal Court Culture Festival
The 2026 Autumn Royal Court Culture Festival takes place Oct 7–11 across Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo. Some programs require Ticketlink pre-booking.
transit-updateKorail Pass Plus — One Card for KTX, Subways, Buses and Convenience Stores
Korail offers Korail Pass Plus, an enhanced foreign‑visitor Korail Pass with transit‑card functions. One card covers KTX and all trains, nationwide subways and buses, and convenience store payments.
transit-updateHan River Bus 1st Anniversary: Service Update and Planned Fare Change
Seoul’s Han River Bus marks its first year with over 600,000 riders. Current fare is ₩3,000. The city plans to shorten intervals to 15–20 minutes and consider raising weekend/holiday fares to ₩5,000–₩10,000 around April 2027.
event-announcement2026 Seoul Autumn Festa: Sept 18–Nov 29 Across the City
Hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, the citywide autumn festival runs Sept 18–Nov 29 with 38 festivals, 478 performances, and a total of 558 programs.
travel-tipIncheon Airport SmartPass: Face-Recognition Departure Guide for International Travelers
Incheon Airport SmartPass lets you pre-register passport and facial data so you can pass through the departure hall and boarding gates using face recognition only. International visitors can register via the SmartPass app or airport e-gates; Terminal 1 dedicated gates have been expanded.
seasonal-noticeHwadam Forest fall foliage reservations open Sep 16 at 1 PM — visits Oct 23–Nov 15
Gyeonggi Province’s Gonjiam Hwadam Forest opens 2026 fall foliage reservations on Sep 16 at 1:00 PM via NOL. Visits are for Oct 23–Nov 15; on-site tickets aren’t available and the monorail requires separate booking.
travel-tipVisa-fee Waiver for Group Tourists from 6 Countries Extended to Dec 31, 2026
The Ministry of Justice has extended the waiver of the $15 per-person visa issuance fee for group tourists from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, India and Cambodia through December 31, 2026. Chinese visitors arriving in groups of three or more can stay visa-free for up to 15 days.
event-announcementGyeongbokgung Night Opening — Fall 2026 (Sept 2–Oct 2) — NOL Tickets Required
Gyeongbokgung night visits run Sept 2–Oct 2, 2026 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM (last entry 8:30 PM). Online tickets are sold via NOL; foreigners may buy limited on-site tickets.
transit-update2026 Chuseok KTX Booking Guide: Sept 8–11 & How to Book
KTX general booking for Chuseok 2026 runs Sept 8–11 for trains operating Sept 23–27. General train reservations opened Sept 7. If you’ll travel Sept 24–26, check Korail+ or the dedicated Chuseok ticket page for route-specific dates, payment windows, and leftover-seat sales.
event-announcement2026 Korea Sale Festa: Oct 29–Nov 15 Nationwide
The government-led annual shopping festival Korea Sale Festa returns for 18 days from October 29 to November 15, 2026, with nationwide retailers offering large-scale discounts.
transit-updateSeoul Climate Companion Card Update — Short Passes Unchanged
From September 1, 2026 the previous 30-day pass was discontinued and replaced by a resident-focused Climate Companion Card Plus, while 1/2/3/5/7-day tourist short-term passes continue to be sold unchanged.
seasonal-noticeChuseok 2026 (Sep 24–26): What’s Open and Closed for Travelers
The official Chuseok holiday in 2026 runs Sep 24 (Thu)–26 (Sat). Small local restaurants and shops may close, but convenience stores, franchise cafés, royal palaces and major tourist sites generally stay open.