Korea Chuseok And Seollal Travel: What's Open, Where To Go

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명절 여행Line 1 · Start Here

Yes, you can visit Korea during Chuseok or Seollal, and Seoul is often easier than usual. Tens of millions of people travel to family homes, trains and expressways fill up, and the capital goes quiet. Palaces and royal tombs have opened free over recent holidays, most sights keep going, and convenience stores never shut. The catch: the holiday day itself, the countryside and train tickets.

Picture it. You step out of your Seoul hotel on Seollal morning, the road outside is nearly empty, and the palace down the street is free. The bad version is a sold out KTX and a closed restaurant in a small town. This guide gets you the first one, alongside my Chuseok guide and my Seollal guide, which explain what families are celebrating.

Sunbae Says: Stay in the city over the three peak days, then head for the countryside once the return rush is over. You get free palaces and quiet streets first, and open restaurants and cheaper seats after.

The Next Dates To Plan Around

Holiday	Dates Off	The Day Itself	Notes
Seollal 2027	Sat 6 to Tue 9 Feb	Sun 7 Feb	Tue 9 Feb is a substitute holiday because Seollal falls on a Sunday, so it’s a four day break
Chuseok 2027	Tue 14 to Thu 16 Sep	Wed 15 Sep	Midweek; many Koreans add two days of leave for nine days off

Both come from the Korea AeroSpace Administration’s official 2027 calendar (in Korean), released on 29 June 2026. The holidays follow the lunar calendar, so the dates move every year. For reference, Seollal 2026 ran 16 to 18 Feb and Chuseok 2026 ran 24 to 26 Sep.

The Great Migration, In Numbers

Korea’s two big family holidays are also its two biggest travel events. For Chuseok 2026, the transport ministry forecast 30.93 million people on the move over its five day special transport period (23 to 27 Sep), according to Seoul Economic Daily’s report on the forecast, with a worst case drive from Seoul to Busan of 10 hours 30 minutes. For Seollal 2026 the forecast was 27.8 million over six days, per the Korea Herald.

The government also waived expressway tolls: 15 to 18 Feb for Seollal 2026, according to the government’s Korea.kr policy briefing, and 24 to 27 Sep for Chuseok 2026, Aju Business Daily reported. In a rental car that’s a real saving, and it’s also why the roads are so full. Waivers for 2027 haven’t been announced; treat them as expected, not promised.

Flights tell the same story. Incheon Airport handled a Chuseok record of 1,099,025 passengers from 23 to 27 Sep 2026, a daily average of 219,805, and Seollal 2026 was busier still at 231,010 a day, the Korea Economic Daily reported (in Korean). If you’re flying in on the first day of a break, expect long queues at check in on the way out, not on arrival.

How Train Tickets Sell Out

Holiday trains don’t go on sale like normal ones. Korail runs a special advance sale a few weeks before, and the popular KTX seats go on day one.

For Chuseok 2026, Korail’s own notice (in Korean) set priority booking for older passengers, people with disabilities and pregnant passengers on 3 and 4 Sep, 9am to 3pm, and general booking from 7 to 11 Sep, 7am to 1pm. It ran through the Korail+ app, the Korail website’s holiday page and a phone line, only for Korail integrated members, and unpaid seats were cancelled after the payment deadline. The notice says nothing about overseas visitors.

Heads Up: From 1 Oct 2026 ordinary Korail tickets can be booked two months ahead instead of one, partly so foreign visitors can book trains when they book flights, Newsis reported (in Korean). The announcements I checked didn’t say this changes the separate holiday sale, so don’t assume a Seollal or Chuseok peak day seat opens two months out. Travel before the rush or two days after it.

My travel apps guide covers the Korail app itself.

[AFFILIATE: Klook KTX ticket booking for after the holiday]

Express buses and domestic flights sell out too. Korea Airports Corporation expected about 430,000 passengers through Jeju Airport over the five days of Chuseok 2026, with the final day the busiest, the Seoul Shinmun reported. For Jeju, fly mid holiday, not at either end, and book early.

Seoul Empties Out, And That Helps You

Here’s the part first timers don’t expect. A huge share of Seoul goes somewhere else, and the city you’re left with is calmer: clearer roads, seats on the subway, room to breathe everywhere except the free palaces.

[SUNBAE STORY] What to add: a real moment from a holiday morning in Seoul, such as an empty road, a quiet subway or a closed street you know as busy. | Where it goes: replace this box with 2 to 4 sentences.

Public transport runs over the holiday. For Chuseok 2026, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (in Korean) extended last trains on Lines 1 to 9, the Ui Sinseol Line and the Sillim Line on 26 and 27 Sep so they reached their terminals at 1am, ran late buses past the big rail stations, and kept night buses running as normal. Seoul announces these extensions holiday by holiday, so check for Seollal 2027 closer to the date. For which card to tap, see my transit card guide.

Where To Be On The Peak Days

Option	Best For	Cost	Time	My Take
Central Seoul, palace quarter	First timers, families	Free palaces in recent years	The whole break	My pick: quiet streets and the best free culture of the year
Busan or another big city	Repeat visitors	Holiday rail fares, if you get a seat	2.5 hours by KTX	Works only if you already hold tickets
Jeju	Beach and nature lovers	Peak fares	1 hour flight	Fly mid holiday or skip it
Countryside towns	Nobody, on the peak days	Tolls waived, patience not	Hours in traffic	Go after the return rush

What’s Open And What’s Closed

The pattern is simple: the day before and the day after are mostly normal in Seoul. The holiday day itself is where closures bite.

Palaces And Royal Tombs

The Korea Heritage Service has opened the four main palaces, Jongmyo Shrine and the Joseon royal tombs free over recent holidays: 14 to 18 Feb for Seollal 2026 and 24 to 27 Sep for Chuseok 2026, as the Korea Times reported. Changdeokgung’s Secret Garden stayed paid, and Jongmyo, normally seen by reservation, was open to wander. After Seollal 2026 all the sites closed on 19 Feb for maintenance, so check before planning a palace for the day after the break.

Free entry for Seollal 2027 hasn’t been announced; it’s expected on past practice. My temple and palace dress code guide covers what to wear, and holiday palaces are full of families in hanbok.

Museums

The National Museum of Korea closes on 1 Jan, Seollal day and Chuseok day, so Sunday 7 Feb 2027 is out. The National Folk Museum of Korea also closed on Chuseok day in 2026 and opened either side.

Heads Up: The National Museum of Korea has been free since 2008, but in March 2026 the government decided in principle to start charging admission in 2027, YTN reported (in Korean), with the price still under review. As of 5 Oct 2026 no fee or start date was confirmed, so check the museum’s website before Seollal.

Markets, Shops And Food

Traditional markets such as Gwangjang and Namdaemun stay open over the holiday period, but many stalls close for a day or more around the holiday itself. Visit Seoul’s own answer to a visitor was that closings vary by business, so treat a market visit on the day itself as a bonus, not a plan.

According to VisitKorea’s Chuseok 2026 guide, many department stores and restaurants close on the day itself, while convenience stores near tourist attractions stay open. In central Seoul you’ll find plenty of chain cafés trading; family run places are the ones most likely to shut. Carry a card and a little cash; my money guide has the details.

Special Holiday Programmes

The best free culture of the year happens over these holidays. These are last year’s programmes, as examples of what to expect.

National Folk Museum of Korea. For Seollal 2026 it held a one day celebration on 16 Feb with yutnori fortune telling, New Year bows and lucky pouch making. For Chuseok 2026, the Korea Herald’s culture guide listed ssireum, jegichagi and ganggangsullae, free.

Namsangol Hanok Village. Seoul listed a free Seollal 2026 festival here from 16 to 18 Feb, 10am to 5pm, with traditional performances and craft stalls, and for Chuseok 2026 it hosted Namsan Moonlight Madang from 25 to 27 Sep.

Korean Folk Village, Yongin. It stayed open over Chuseok 2026 with nongak performances and songpyeon making. Entry here is paid, unlike the other two.

[AFFILIATE: Klook Korean Folk Village admission ticket]

Getting There

Gyeongbokgung: 2 minutes from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 5 (Line 3, orange), per the royal palaces’ directions page (in Korean). The National Folk Museum sits in the palace grounds, about 15 minutes’ walk from the same exit or from Anguk Station Exit 1.

Namsangol Hanok Village: about 3 minutes from Chungmuro Station Exit 4 (Line 3, orange, or Line 4, sky blue). Closed Mondays.

National Museum of Korea: Ichon Station Exit 2 (Line 4, sky blue, or the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, teal) leads straight into a covered walkway to the museum.

Korean Folk Village: take direct bus 4101 from Seoul Station or 1560 from Gangnam Station, or ride the Suin-Bundang Line (yellow) to Sangal Station and take bus 37 or 10-5 from Exit 3, according to the village’s own transport page. Allow well over an hour on holiday roads.

City Vs Countryside

In the city, you see the public side of the holiday: families in hanbok at the palaces, free folk games, and gift sets stacked high in supermarkets beforehand. You won’t see much of the private side. Charye, the morning ancestral rite, and visits to family graves happen at home and in the hills, and Christian families may pray instead of bowing.

In the countryside, the private side is everywhere and services are thin. Small towns fill with returning relatives, the restaurant or guesthouse owner is often busy with their own family, and a village on the holiday day can mean closed shutters on the main street. For most first timers, my rule stands: the city over the peak, the countryside after.

What Locals Know

The holiday has a rhythm. The outbound jam hits the day before the holiday, the day itself is eerily calm by mid morning, and the return wave builds from the afternoon of the last day. Seoul’s late subway trains are scheduled for exactly that return.

Free Wednesdays now cover most palaces. Separate from holiday free entry, the royal palaces’ admission page (in Korean) lists every Wednesday as free at the palaces, Jongmyo and the royal tombs, except Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung’s rear garden. Edaily reported in May that the expansion would reach Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Jongmyo in October 2026.

Navigation apps show holiday hours. Shop owners often post 명절 휴무 (holiday closure) dates on Naver Map and KakaoMap listings. Check the listing, then look for a paper sign on the door; the sign is usually right.

Pick Your Version

If It’s Your First Time. Base yourself in central Seoul for the whole break and do one palace a day while it’s free. For Seollal, pack for real cold with my winter clothing guide, and my Start Here hub covers the rest.

If You’re Bringing Kids. The folk museum and Namsangol programmes were made for you: games, crafts and space to run. Go early on the day before or after the holiday, and book a hotel near a subway line so you’re not relying on taxis.

If You’re Travelling Solo. This is your window for places that are usually packed. Take the empty subway to Jongmyo, wander without a tour, and leave for the countryside two days after the return rush.

[AFFILIATE: Agoda or Booking.com hotels in central Seoul for holiday dates]

Sunbae’s Picks

My pick for a holiday morning: Gyeongbokgung, then the National Folk Museum inside its grounds, on a day both are open.

If I only had one holiday evening, I’d walk the palace quarter after dark. It’s the quietest central Seoul gets all year.

I’d skip any countryside trip that leaves on the eve of the holiday. You’ll spend it in traffic.

My planning habit: check the What’s On calendar a week out. Arriving in late December first? My Korea in December guide bridges the gap to Seollal.

Offers Worth Knowing

Free palace, Jongmyo and royal tomb entry over recent holidays is the big one, plus free Wednesdays at most palaces and free entry in hanbok all year. If you’re driving, the toll waiver saves money on the peak days.

What’s Changing

Shorter breaks, busier days. Chuseok 2026 travel was forecast slightly down on the year before, yet daily expressway traffic was expected to rise 11.8%, because the break was much shorter. Seollal 2027’s four day break will feel similarly tight.

One rail system, longer booking window. KTX and SRT merged on 1 Sep 2026, so holiday sales now run through one Korail membership, and ordinary tickets open two months out.

Worth It / Skip It

Worth It: Seoul over the holiday, with free palaces, extended subway hours and quiet streets.

Skip It: A countryside road trip on the eve of the holiday, or a market visit on the day itself.

Word Of The Stop

명절 (myeongjeol): a traditional holiday, used for Seollal and Chuseok. “명절 연휴” (myeongjeol yeonhyu) is the holiday break, the phrase you’ll see on shop signs explaining when they’re closed.

Map And Directions

1
Gyeongbokgung 경복궁
3Gyeongbokgung StationEXIT5
2 min walk. Free over Seollal 2026 and Chuseok 2026; 2027 not yet announced. Closed Tuesdays.
Naver Map KakaoMap Google Maps
2
National Folk Museum of Korea 국립민속박물관
3Gyeongbokgung StationEXIT5 (or Anguk Station EXIT1)
About 15 min walk. Free holiday games; closed on Chuseok day in 2026.
Naver Map KakaoMap Google Maps
3
Namsangol Hanok Village 남산골한옥마을
3Chungmuro StationEXIT4
About 3 min walk. Free Seollal and Chuseok festivals in 2026. Closed Mondays.
Naver Map KakaoMap Google Maps
4
National Museum of Korea 국립중앙박물관
GJIchon StationEXIT2
Covered walkway from the exit. Closed on Seollal day and Chuseok day; admission fee planned for 2027, not yet set.
Naver Map KakaoMap Google Maps
5
Korean Folk Village 한국민속촌
Sangal StationEXIT3, then bus 37 or 10-5
Paid entry; holiday programmes. Direct bus 4101 from Seoul Station or 1560 from Gangnam.
Naver Map KakaoMap Google Maps

Your Tickets

Red bus광역

Seoul Station→Korean Folk Village

Timeover 1 hour, longer on holiday roads

Farecheck the fare on the bus

Direct bus 4101; avoid the eve of the holiday.

SEOUL SUNBAE148-1승차권

Seoul area bus colours: Blue bus · 간선 Green bus · 지선 Red bus · 광역 Yellow bus · 순환

Last Mile

Seoul Station → Ichon Station about 10 min
Ichon Station → Chungmuro Station about 15 min

Get the map appsNNaver Map App Store Google PlayKKakaoMap App Store Google PlayBoth work in English. With the app installed, the Naver Map and KakaoMap buttons open directions straight to the pin.

Tap a button to open directions on your phone. In Korea, Naver Map and KakaoMap give full walking directions; Google Maps covers subway and bus but, as of September 2026, still has no turn by turn walking or driving here. Pins marked “Area pin” show a neighbourhood, not a door.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It A Good Time To Visit Korea During Chuseok Or Seollal?

Yes for Seoul, with planning. The city is quieter and palaces have opened free, but long distance transport is packed and many small businesses close on the day itself.

What’s Closed In Seoul During Chuseok And Seollal?

Mostly on the day itself: many department stores, some restaurants, many market stalls and the national museums. Convenience stores, subways and buses keep running.

Can Foreign Tourists Book KTX Tickets For The Holiday?

The holiday sale runs online through Korail+ weeks ahead, for Korail members. I found no official allocation for overseas visitors, so travel outside the peak days.

Are Palaces Free During Seollal 2027?

Not announced yet. They were free for Seollal 2026 and Chuseok 2026, so it’s expected.

When Are Seollal And Chuseok In 2027?

Seollal is Sunday 7 Feb, with the break from 6 to 9 Feb. Chuseok is Wednesday 15 Sep, with the break from 14 to 16 Sep.

Next Stop

Chuseok Explained: Charye, Songpyeon And What Families Really Do: what the autumn holiday means at home.
Seollal 2027: Korean Lunar New Year Traditions And What Visitors Should Know: the bow, the soup and the greetings.
The Unwritten Rules Of Korea: A Sunbae’s Guide: the everyday etiquette that still applies over the holiday.

Resources

Korail and the Korail+ app: holiday sale notices and train booking.
Royal palaces (Korea Heritage Service): holiday free entry notices, closing days and Wednesday free entry.
VisitKorea: publishes a holiday travel guide before each Chuseok and Seollal.
Seoul Media Hub (in Korean): Seoul’s holiday transport and event announcements.
1330 Korea Travel Hotline: call 1330 (+82-2-1330 from abroad) to check what’s open on the day.
Naver Map or KakaoMap: holiday closures posted by shop owners.

How I Checked This

On 5 Oct 2026 I checked the 2027 dates against the Korea AeroSpace Administration calendar, travel forecasts and tolls against Seoul Economic Daily, Korea.kr and Aju Business Daily, airport figures against the Korea Economic Daily, Korail’s sale against its own notice, the two month booking window against Newsis and Financial News, free palace entry against the Korea Times and the royal palaces site, the museum fee plan against YTN and HuffPost Korea, and directions against the royal palaces, Seoul Media Hub, the Korean Folk Village and the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Still unannounced for Seollal 2027: free palace entry, toll waivers, Korail’s sale dates, Seoul’s late transport and the museum fee.

Sources

Written by your sunbae. 24 years living in Seoul, former Korean TV and radio presenter, university professor, and two decades behind the decks in the city’s clubs. Every fact here is checked against official sources and, wherever possible, on the ground.

Beep Check: verified 5 Oct 2026. Rules, prices and dates change; confirm with the official source before you travel.

Visiting Korea During Chuseok Or Seollal: What’s Open, City Vs Countryside