A recent rail-linked travel promotion significantly increased the number of visitors to regional destinations.
According to the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) on the 14th, a total of about 134,000 people used the 'Special Discount on Train Travel Packages for the 2026 Travel Month' event, which was hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and organized by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
The special discount on train travel packages ran from April 1 to May 31 with support from the MCST and KTO. During the event, travelers received coupons worth 100% of train fares for the 'Free Travel Package for Depopulated Areas,' a 50% discount on themed trains, and a 20,000 won discount on the 'Rail-ro Tomorrow Youth Pass.'
What stood out most was the number of visitors to depopulated areas. Of the total 134,000 users, about 51,000 used the Free Travel Package for Depopulated Areas. KORAIL said the program refunded the full train fare to customers who visited one of 42 depopulated areas nationwide, and that the number of users jumped about 31-fold from 1,618 in the same period last year.
The most visited destinations were Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province (5,773), Iksan, North Jeolla Province (4,151), Samcheok, Gangwon State (4,130), Namwon, North Jeolla Province (3,378), and Yeongwol County (2,644).
About 70,900 people used the 50% discount on themed trains, up 92% from a year earlier. The themed trains included the Donghae Santa Train, V-Train, West Gold Train, and S-Train. Among the most popular stops were Buncheon Station (4,912), Cheolam Station (4,711), Suncheon station (4,574), Gunsan Station (4,440), and Jeonju Station (4,302).
Lee Min-seong, head of KORAIL's Customer Marketing Division, said, "We will take the lead in revitalizing local tourism by developing a variety of travel products."
Kim Se-hyung, fax123@sportschosun.com
