🔴 The bottom line first: The SRT you are looking for merges into KTX on September 1, 2026. From the first train that day the SRT name disappears, and former SRT trains run as KTX-Sancheon. Booking also consolidates into a single app, Korail+, and the SRT app and SR website operate only through August 31. Details of the merger itself — fares before and after, how tickets bought in August are handled — are laid out separately in a before-and-after table in KTX·SRT Integration Complete Guide.
This article was rewritten on 2026-08-26 based on the merger taking effect on September 1, 2026. More detailed guidance may be added before and after that date, so do a final check on the Korail+ app and the Korail website right before you book.
So why is this article still needed? Because the name becomes one, but the stations stay split. What merges is the operator, the brand, and the booking channels — not the stations. Seoul Station, Yongsan Station, and Suseo Station all remain as they are.
That means the choice you used to make between "SRT or KTX" is now "do I board at Seoul/Yongsan, or at Suseo?" And since all three stations turn up in one app, picking the wrong departure station has actually become easier.
The step that genuinely trips up foreigners — payment — is unchanged after the merger. Enter an overseas-issued card without a Korean phone number or Korean card, and it often stops at identity verification.
What Changes Compared to Through August
If you came here from information written through August, this one table covers it. What changes and what does not, side by side.
| Item | Through August 31, 2026 | From September 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Train name | Two brands, KTX and SRT | KTX only (SRT → KTX-Sancheon) |
| Operator | Korail and SR operate separately | Korail operates both as one |
| Booking channel | Korail Talk / SRT app separately | Korail+ only |
| Fare | KTX cost more on the same route | Aligned by an average 10% cut on high-speed KTX |
| Mileage | No accrual on Suseo departures and arrivals | Extended to Suseo departures and arrivals (5% of payment) |
| Departure station | Split between Seoul/Yongsan and Suseo | Still split |
Briefly on the background: the Korea Fair Trade Commission gave final merger approval on August 2, 2026, and Korail took over SR's operations. Route-by-route fares before and after, and how tickets bought in August and commuter passes are refunded, are in KTX·SRT Integration Complete Guide, so head there for those.
The Difference That Remains — Seoul/Yongsan or Suseo
Departure Stations Stay Split After the Merger
What merges is operations, booking, and the name. The stations are not being combined.
- Seoul Station and Yongsan Station: easy to reach from downtown Seoul and the northwest of the city.
- Suseo Station: closer if you are staying in the southeast of Seoul, such as Gangnam, Jamsil, or Songpa. It keeps running as a separate station on the Suseo–Pyeongtaek high-speed line.
Since all three stations show up in one app, you must confirm whether your ticket departs from Seoul, Yongsan, or Suseo. It is the point the merger notices stress most heavily.
How to Decide Which Station to Use
Where you are staying is still the number-one criterion. Near Myeongdong, Hongdae, or Seoul Station, Seoul and Yongsan Stations are closer; near Gangnam or Jamsil, Suseo Station is.
From September 1, rolling stock is operated as one pool regardless of origin and destination, so there will be services where you catch a former KTX-bound train at Suseo Station, or a former SRT-bound train at Seoul Station. Suseo Station gets 955-seat trains, and new services launch: Suseo~Gupo~Busan (one run daily on weekdays, two on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays) and Seodaejeon~Suseo (two round trips).
Whether any further differences remain between the two groups has not been laid out in official guidance. So for items that vary train by train, such as fares and travel times, the most accurate approach is to check the actual trains that come up on the booking screen.
Booking Happens in Korail+ Alone
The Korail+ App and the Korail Website
- Korail Talk changed its name to 'Korail+' on August 3, 2026. You do not need to install a new app, but you do need to update it for integrated trains to show up in search.
- For travel on or after September 1, you book every train, including departures from Suseo Station, in this one app. The Korail website (which runs an English page) and station counters remain available too.
- Per the App Store listing, the app supports Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Thai, and Vietnamese. That said, reviews written just after launch pointed out that some popup buttons appeared in Korean only.
- The booking window expands from one month to two months before departure (route-specific dates are tentative). For visitors who book their flights first, that is a sizable change.
If You Are Looking for the SRT App
- The SRT app and the SR website operate only through August 31, 2026. Not just booking — sign-ups, travel packages, and the chatbot all shut down with them.
- If you were an SR-only member, you have to convert to integrated membership yourself. Without converting, your existing SR member number cannot be used to book.
- Third-party platforms such as Naver and Kakao T also sell high-speed trains to and from Suseo (foreign language support on these channels needs separate confirmation).
When You Get Stuck at Payment — Using LACHA
Booking channels get tidied into one, but the point where foreigners actually get caught is the same as before. Sign-up may ask for a Korean phone number, or an overseas card may be rejected at 3D Secure (identity verification) with no explanation given. Post-merger, the foreign sign-up procedure on the Korail+ app and whether it supports 3D Secure have not been officially confirmed yet (tentative).
LACHA is a transportation and payment app designed for foreigners to use right away without Korean-style identity verification. You can book without a Korean bank account or a Korean phone number. You can search and book KTX and express buses in one app, so if a train is sold out you can switch straight to a bus, and you can pay with e-wallets including Alipay and WeChat Pay, plus VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, and UnionPay foreign cards. Taxi calls, the Airport Railroad Express (AREX), and transit cards all continue in the same app.
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Which Station Should You Use — Quick Decision Table
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Staying in Gangnam, Jamsil, or Songpa | Search Suseo Station departures first |
| Staying near Seoul Station, Myeongdong, or Hongdae | Search Seoul/Yongsan Station departures first |
| Your preferred time slot is sold out | Search the other departure station too (they all show in one app) |
| You were using the SRT app | It runs only through August 31 — move to Korail+ |
| You were an SR-only member | Convert to integrated membership first |
| Foreign-card payment keeps getting blocked | Station counter, or LACHA |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Is SRT disappearing entirely? A. The name is. The trains keep running, and former SRT rolling stock is absorbed into KTX-Sancheon. From the first train on September 1, 2026, KTX is the only high-speed rail brand left in Korea. Suseo Station keeps operating as well.
Q2. So what do I choose between now, SRT or KTX? A. What you choose has shifted from the train name to the departure station. Staying in Gangnam or Jamsil, Suseo Station is closer; near Myeongdong, Hongdae, or Seoul Station, Seoul and Yongsan Stations are. All three stations show up in one app, so be sure to check the departure station shown on the booking screen.
Q3. What do I do about the bookings I used to make on the SRT app? A. The SRT app and the SR website operate only through August 31, 2026. From September 1, buy trains to and from Suseo on the Korail+ app, the Korail website, station counters, or third-party platforms such as Naver and Kakao T. If you were an SR-only member, converting to integrated membership comes first.
Q4. What happens to an SRT ticket I bought in August? A. Tickets for travel through August 31 stay valid as they are. From September 1, booking and refund rules shift to the Korea Railroad Corporation passenger transport terms. Details such as how tickets for September travel are handled, and refunds on commuter and multi-ride passes, are laid out in KTX·SRT Integration Complete Guide.
Q5. As a foreigner, can I pay with an overseas card on Korail+? A. Official guidance for the post-merger situation has not been confirmed yet (tentative). Before the merger, what was confirmed went as far as Korail stating on its foreign-language website that it accepts overseas-issued credit cards. If you get blocked, keep the alternative routes open as well — station counters, How to Book KTX with Foreign Cards, or an app like LACHA.
Reference: This article was rewritten on 2026-08-26 based on the KTX·SRT merger taking effect on September 1, 2026. Fares, services, and app features may change, and items not yet announced — such as first-class fares and post-merger payment procedures for foreigners — are not stated definitively. Do a final check on actual fares, timetables, and payment availability on the Korail+ app and the Korail website right before you book.
