Rail refunds, lodging discounts and more: South Korea rolls out fall travel perks

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's '2026 Travel This Autumn' campaign

Transport discounts and up to 70,000 won in lodging support

Up to 70% of travel costs refunded in depopulated regions

City tour buses, temple stays at half price and more

Poster for the '2026 Travel This Autumn' campaign [Korea Tourism Organization]

South Korea has unveiled a sweeping package of autumn travel incentives, including discount coupons worth 100 percent of rail fares, lodging support of up to 70,000 won ($51) and refunds covering up to 70 percent of travel expenses in depopulated areas. The campaign also extends to island-exclusive accommodation vouchers and tourism products for Geoje and Tongyeong, two coastal cities hit by heavy rainfall this summer.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are running the "2026 Travel This Autumn" campaign through Nov. 30. Themed "Go deep into autumn, travel light on your wallet," the campaign aims to ease the financial burden of domestic travel and channel visitor spending into regional economies.

Transport subsidies span cars, trains, flights and rentals

Metasequoia Road in Damyang, South Jeolla Province [Korea Tourism Organization]

Transportation costs — often the largest share of a travel budget — will be subsidized across all major modes of travel, from private cars and trains to flights and rental vehicles, with the goal of drawing visitors to destinations across the country.

Drivers using their own vehicles can earn fuel savings through a tie-up with navigation platform T-map. Travelers who set one of 89 designated depopulated areas as their destination and drive at least 30 kilometers from their starting point will receive T-map points based on the number of local governments visited: 5,000 points for one visit, 10,000 for two and 15,000 for three, up to a maximum of 30,000 points per account.

Electric vehicle drivers receive an additional 2,000 points, with a further 5,000 points available for using a digital tourism resident card on-site and 2,000 more for posting a video review. The program runs from Tuesday through Nov. 30. Repeat visits to the same area do not count, and participants must complete an "eco-friendly safe travel pledge" before departure for their activity to be recognized.

Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province [Korea Tourism Organization]

Korail's rail discount program, which proved popular in the first half of the year, will continue. Under the "Free Independent Travel to Depopulated Areas" product, travelers who visit and check in at designated tourist sites in 41 depopulated areas — including Yeongwol, Samcheok, Jeongseon and Taebaek in Gangwon Province as well as destinations across the Gyeongsang, Chungcheong and Jeolla regions — receive discount coupons equal to 100 percent of their ticket price. A traveler who buys a 50,000-won ticket, for instance, gets back 50,000 won in coupons, redeemable on any train including KTX for one year from the date of issue.

Five themed trains — including the West Sea Gold Train, the Namdo Ocean Train and the East Sea Santa Train — offer 50 percent off their fares, while the "Naeillo Pass" popular among young travelers is discounted by 20,000 won. Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 26 (Nov. 23 for the Naeillo Pass), with travel valid from Tuesday through Nov. 30.

Ulsan Airport [Korea Airports Corporation]

Domestic air travelers can also earn rewards. Passengers who purchase eligible round-trip domestic tickets through Naver's flight booking service and fly in October or November will receive Naver Pay points. Those on Gimpo routes to inland cities — including Gwangju, Ulsan, Yeosu and Pohang — receive 10,000 points per person (up to 40,000 for four passengers), while travelers departing from regional airports on Jeju routes — including Gimhae, Cheongju, Daegu and Yangyang — receive 5,000 points per person (up to 20,000 for four).

Rental car discounts are available for travelers heading to coastal areas with limited public transport. In 64 coastal municipalities across Gangwon Province, South Chungcheong Province, North Jeolla Province, South Jeolla Province, North Gyeongsang Province, South Gyeongsang Province, Busan and Ulsan — excluding the Greater Seoul area — renting a hybrid, electric or LPG vehicle for 24 hours or more earns a 10,000-won discount, rising to 20,000 won for rentals of 48 hours or more. Discount coupons can be issued and used through Oct. 31.

Lodging and camping discounts to ease accommodation costs

On the accommodation side, a lodging sale festival covering non-metropolitan and island areas is running alongside autumn camping support. The government is distributing a total of 80,000 accommodation discount vouchers — one per person, on a first-come, first-served basis through online travel agencies — for registered lodging facilities outside Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, Sejong and North Chungcheong Province.

For single-night stays, guests receive a 30,000-won discount when spending 70,000 won or more, and a 20,000-won discount when spending between 20,000 and 70,000 won. For stays of two or more consecutive nights, a 70,000-won discount applies to bookings of 140,000 won or more.

A newly introduced island-exclusive voucher applies to lodging facilities in 32 local governments that include inhabited islands outside the metropolitan area. Bookings of 70,000 won or more receive a 50,000-won discount, while bookings between 30,000 and 70,000 won receive 30,000 won off. Accommodation vouchers are valid through Nov. 8.

Autumn camping enthusiasts are also covered. Discount coupons of 10,000 won can be obtained through the online booking platforms Campingtalk and Camfit until Nov. 28, and are redeemable at registered campsites from Tuesday through Nov. 30.

Travel expense refunds for depopulated and flood-hit areas

'Worker Vacation Support' program [Korea Tourism Organization]

A travel product sale is also being held to meet a range of traveler needs. Through Nov. 20, a dedicated page on Gmarket offers domestic travel products — including package tours, attraction tickets and activity passes — at discounts of up to 50 percent, capped at 50,000 won per transaction. The products are usable from Tuesday through Nov. 30.

Workers have their own set of benefits. Participants in the government's "Worker Vacation Support" program can purchase accommodation, attraction tickets and transportation through the Vacation Shop online mall at discounts of up to 50 percent, capped at 50,000 won. The promotion runs through Oct. 31, with stays valid through Nov. 30.

Cheonghae Port filming location in Wando, one of the half-price travel destinations [Korea Tourism Organization]

A targeted spending-recovery program is also in place for depopulated areas and natural disaster zones. Visitors to designated areas — including Hwacheon in Gangwon Province; Goseong, Sancheong, Hamyang, Miryang and Geochang in South Gyeongsang Province; Andong and Yeongcheon in North Gyeongsang Province; Seocheon and Taean in South Chungcheong Province; and Jangheung, Yeonggwang and Wando in South Jeolla Province — can receive 50 percent of their travel expenses back as mobile local gift certificates. General travelers can recoup up to 100,000 won, while young travelers can recover up to 70 percent of their costs, capped at 140,000 won.

Applicants must submit a travel plan and obtain local government approval before their trip, then provide proof of actual expenditure afterward. The refund program runs through Nov. 30, and the mobile local currency issued can be spent locally through April 30, 2027.

Dara Observation Deck in Tongyeong [Tongyeong City]

Geoje and Tongyeong, which suffered damage from heavy rainfall this summer, will receive additional targeted support: a 20,000-won subsidy per person for marine tourism products (available to the first 360 applicants) and a 50 percent discount on Tongyeong day tours (available to the first 50 applicants).

Influencer tours, temple stays and more for every taste

'Five People, Five Colors' influencer travel program [Korea Tourism Organization]

Public participation programs and local government tie-ins will roll out nationwide. A themed travel series developed with influencers — covering food and drink, hiking, outdoor activities, family trips and eco-friendly travel — is accepting applications through Wednesday. The program runs across 25 regions nationwide over October and November, organized into five themes. The participation fee is about 40,000 won, and each participant receives a 10,000-won Onuri gift certificate on the day. Influencer accompaniment is offered in only one of the five showings per theme, not all, so applicants should confirm the schedule before signing up.

Information on roughly 10,000 regional tourist attractions selected in August by experts and the public is available on the official website "100×100," which also hosts participatory events including a stamp-rally challenge and a travel photo contest.

Daegwallyeong Sheep Ranch, accessible via the rural tour pass [Korea Tourism Organization]

Local governments and affiliated organizations are joining the discount effort. Gochang-gun in North Jeolla Province and Daegu are cutting city tour bus fares by 30 percent, while Incheon and Taebaek in Gangwon Province are offering 50 percent off.

The Korean Buddhist Cultural Service will discount temple stay fees by 50 percent throughout November for both Korean and foreign visitors on overnight programs and for foreigners on day programs. The Korea Rural Community Corporation is offering up to 50 percent off its rural tour pass, with accommodation and activity packages also available at up to half price — a cost-saving option compared with paying separately for multiple rural experiences and tourist facilities in a single area. The National Arboretum of Sejong will halve its evening admission fee every Friday and Saturday in October.

Night view of the National Arboretum of Sejong and its four-season greenhouse [National Arboretum of Sejong]

The "2026 Korea Grand Festival" — a cross-ministry national discount event — will run concurrently from Oct. 29 through Nov. 15, overlapping with the Travel This Autumn campaign. Additional perks include an increased discount rate on Onuri gift certificates and a consumer reward lottery. Full details and schedules are available on the official Travel This Autumn website.

terry@heraldcorp.com