If you are planning a trip to South Korea in late September 2026, you may have suddenly discovered something that was not in your original itinerary:
Chuseok.
Then comes the panic.
Will everything be closed?
Will I be able to get a KTX ticket?
Should I cancel my trip to Busan?
Will Seoul be empty?
Can I still find restaurants?
These questions are appearing repeatedly among travelers planning Korea trips around Chuseok.
The good news is simple:
You do not need to cancel your trip to Korea because of Chuseok.
But you should change the way you travel.
The biggest mistake is not visiting Korea during Chuseok.
The biggest mistake is trying to travel around Korea as if Chuseok were an ordinary weekend.
When Is Chuseok in 2026?
In 2026, the main Chuseok holiday falls around:
September 24–26, 2026
with Chuseok Day on Friday, September 25.
For tourists, however, it is better to think of the holiday as a wider travel period rather than just one day.
Millions of Koreans traditionally travel to their hometowns or visit family during Chuseok.
That creates one enormous problem for visitors:
intercity transportation.
The Biggest Problem Is Not Seoul — It Is Moving Between Cities
This is the most important advice I can give foreign travelers.
If possible, avoid major intercity travel during the peak Chuseok period.
A normal Seoul-to-Busan trip is easy.
During Chuseok, it can become one of the most difficult transportation reservations of your entire Korea trip.
KTX and other long-distance trains are heavily used by Koreans traveling home for the holiday.
For 2026, KORAIL introduced a separate Chuseok reservation process for trains operating during the holiday period rather than simply selling them through the normal booking window.
That is why some travelers checking the KORAIL calendar became confused when trains suddenly appeared unavailable.
The trains had not disappeared.
They were being sold through the special holiday reservation system.
If You Already Have a KTX Ticket
Great.
Keep it.
If You Do Not Have One
Do not build an important itinerary around the assumption that you will simply arrive at Seoul Station and buy a seat.
Especially for popular routes such as:
- Seoul–Busan
- Seoul–Daegu
- Seoul–Gyeongju
- Seoul–Daejeon
- Seoul–Gwangju
- Seoul–Jeonju
availability can become extremely limited.
If your international flight depends on getting back to Seoul, leave yourself a safety margin.
Missing one tourist attraction is disappointing.
Missing your flight home because you could not get transportation back to Seoul is a much bigger problem.
Should I Stay in Seoul During Chuseok?
For many first-time international visitors, my answer is:
Yes.
If your itinerary allows it, Seoul is one of the easiest places to spend the core Chuseok holiday.
This may sound strange because many Koreans leave Seoul to visit their hometowns.
But that can actually work in a tourist’s favor.
The city does not shut down.
Major tourist districts remain alive, public transportation continues operating, and cultural events are often organized specifically for the holiday.
Instead of trying to fight millions of Koreans for long-distance transportation, you can slow down and experience Seoul differently.
Is Everything Closed During Chuseok?
No.
This is probably the biggest misunderstanding among first-time visitors.
Korea does not completely shut down for three days.
But neither should you assume that everything operates normally.
The businesses most likely to close are smaller independent businesses where the owner and family want to spend Chuseok together.
That can include:
- small local restaurants
- traditional markets or individual stalls
- independent cafés
- family-run stores
- neighborhood businesses
This is especially important on Chuseok Day itself, September 25.
If there is one restaurant you absolutely want to visit, check its opening hours shortly before going.
Do not assume Google Maps or an old blog post is correct for a national holiday.
What About Convenience Stores, Shopping and Tourist Areas?
In major Seoul tourist districts, you are unlikely to find a completely deserted city.
Convenience stores are among the easiest places to find open, and many large commercial businesses operate during at least part of the holiday.
Areas such as:
Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam, Itaewon and major shopping districts
are very different from a small neighborhood where many family-run businesses may close.
Still, individual stores can set their own holiday schedules.
So think of Chuseok this way:
The city is open. Every individual business is not guaranteed to be open.
That distinction will save you a lot of frustration.
Chuseok Can Actually Be a Great Time to Experience Korean Culture
There is another side to the holiday that travelers sometimes overlook.
Chuseok is not merely an inconvenience.
It is one of Korea’s most important traditional holidays.
Seoul organizes cultural events around the holiday, including traditional performances, games and hands-on cultural programs.
For example, Seoul’s official September 2026 cultural calendar includes Chuseok programs at locations such as the Seoul Baekje Museum and Seoul Urban Life Museum, with performances, traditional games and family activities.
For a foreign visitor, this can be an opportunity rather than a problem.
Instead of treating Chuseok as a day when your normal itinerary has been ruined, consider making Chuseok itself part of your itinerary.
Be Careful With Museums and Attractions
Here is where planning becomes important.
Do not assume that every museum follows the same holiday schedule.
Some cultural attractions remain open or organize special programs, while others may close on Chuseok Day.
That means you should check the official website of each major attraction shortly before visiting.
This is especially important for museums.
A traveler can easily make the mistake of thinking:
“It’s a national holiday, so tourist attractions must be open.”
Or the opposite:
“It’s a national holiday, so everything must be closed.”
Neither assumption is reliable.
Check individually.
What About Restaurants?
You will find food.
You are not going to starve in Seoul during Chuseok.
But your carefully planned list of five famous restaurants may not work exactly as planned.
Small family-run restaurants are the biggest uncertainty.
This is one reason I recommend having several backup restaurants in the same neighborhood.
If Restaurant A is closed, do not spend an hour crossing Seoul to reach Restaurant B.
Open Naver Map or KakaoMap and look nearby.
Major tourist districts usually provide plenty of alternatives.
And if everything goes wrong?
There is one institution that has rescued countless hungry travelers and Koreans alike:
the Korean convenience store.
A convenience-store meal may not have been part of your dream Korea vacation, but Korean convenience stores are an experience of their own.
Should You Visit Busan or Gyeongju During Chuseok?
You can.
But I would separate two questions.
Is Busan worth visiting?
Absolutely.
Should you casually travel from Seoul to Busan during peak Chuseok without confirmed transportation?
No.
The same principle applies to Gyeongju, Jeonju and other popular destinations.
If your transportation and accommodation are already confirmed, enjoy your trip.
If they are not, I would rather reorganize the itinerary than spend an important vacation day fighting for transportation.
For first-time visitors, there is more than enough to do in Seoul for several days.
A Simple Chuseok Strategy for Foreign Tourists
If I were helping a friend from overseas plan a Korea trip during Chuseok 2026, I would keep it simple.
Before the holiday:
Do your long-distance travel.
Visit Busan, Gyeongju, Jeonju or other cities before the peak movement begins if your schedule allows.
September 24–26:
Stay primarily in one city.
For many first-time visitors, Seoul is the easiest choice.
Explore palaces, parks, neighborhoods and confirmed-open cultural attractions. Look for Chuseok events.
September 25 — Chuseok Day:
Make this your most flexible day.
Do not create an itinerary that depends on six specific restaurants and stores being open.
Enjoy the city, experience a cultural event, walk along the Han River or explore an area where you have several alternatives.
After the holiday:
Resume your normal itinerary, but remember that return traffic can remain heavy around the end of the holiday period.
What Travelers on Reddit Are Worried About
Looking at recent Korea travel discussions, the same concerns appear again and again.
Foreign travelers are asking whether they can get from Busan or Andong back to Seoul during Chuseok, whether KTX reservations will be available to foreigners, whether restaurants will close, and even whether they should change their entire Korea trip.
Those concerns are understandable.
But travelers who have previously spent Chuseok in Seoul also describe another experience: a quieter city, cultural events and plenty of things still available to do.
Both experiences can be true.
The difference is usually planning.
Someone trying to cross the country without a train reservation may remember Chuseok as a transportation nightmare.
Someone already staying in Seoul may remember it as one of the most interesting days of the trip.
A Korean’s Advice: Don’t Fight Chuseok
This is the most important point.
When Koreans know Chuseok is approaching, we change our plans.
We think about traffic.
We think about train tickets.
We check whether businesses will be open.
We avoid unnecessary long-distance movement.
Foreign visitors should do the same.
Do not try to force your normal itinerary through one of the biggest travel periods of the Korean year.
Travel with the holiday instead of against it.
Stay in one place.
Slow down.
Check opening hours.
Experience some traditional Korean culture.
And if you can avoid competing with millions of Koreans for a KTX seat during the busiest period of the year, do it.
Final Answer: Should You Travel to Korea During Chuseok 2026?
Yes.
I would not cancel a Korea vacation simply because it overlaps with Chuseok.
But I would change the itinerary.
The safest approach for most foreign tourists is:
Avoid unnecessary intercity travel during the peak holiday, secure transportation early, stay flexible on Chuseok Day, and check individual businesses before visiting.
If you do that, Chuseok does not have to ruin your Korea trip.
It may actually give you something most tourists never experience:
Korea during one of the most important holidays of the year.