Korea’s Korail Introduces Real-Time Seat Selection for Train Tickets: What You Need to Know

Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) announced on March 12 that, starting March 13, passengers booking through the Korail Talk mobile app will be able to choose their exact seats up until the train departs.

Previously, seat selection closed 20 minutes before departure. Now, travelers can see remaining seats in real time until departure and pick specific spots—window, aisle, or seats next to power outlets—based on their preference.

In December, Korail rolled out the Korail Talk Self Seat Change and the DIY (Do It Yourself) Transfer Service after the government named them citizen-focused services, aiming to make train travel more convenient.

The Self Seat Change feature lets passengers switch seats directly in the Korail Talk app during KTX trips without assistance from crew. Riders may change seats once per trip, such as moving from standard class to first class or from standing/unreserved to a reserved seat.

The DIY Transfer Service lets travelers choose transfer stations that suit their schedules rather than relying on automatic suggestions. Passengers can freely select connecting trains with transfer times between 10 and 50 minutes.

Lee Min-seong, head of Korail’s Customer Marketing Division, said, \”We will continue listening to the public to make booking more convenient, and through ongoing service innovation, create an even more user-friendly rail travel experience.\”