If your Seoul trip overlaps with Chuseok, you do not need to change your travel dates just because of the holiday. In fact, you may end up seeing a side of Korea that is only visible at this time of year.
In 2026, the Chuseok holiday runs from September 24 to 26, with Chuseok Day falling on Friday, September 25. Since September 27 is a Sunday, travelers should think of the holiday as affecting roughly four days of their trip.
Seoul does not simply shut down for Chuseok. Public transportation remains an option, and cultural events are held specifically for the holiday. But opening hours can vary at independent restaurants, small shops and individual programs inside tourist attractions. If there is somewhere you absolutely want to visit, check its latest official notice shortly before you go.
The bigger issue is traveling outside Seoul. Chuseok is one of Korea’s major nationwide travel periods, so if your itinerary includes cities such as Busan, Gyeongju or Jeonju, check your intercity train options early.
Chuseok also gives you something you normally cannot see
One of the places worth considering is Namsangol Hanok Village.
The 2026 Namsangol Chuseok Festival: Namsan Dalbit Madang will run from September 25 to 27, from 10 AM to 8 PM. The festival includes traditional performances, cultural activities and games. Admission is free, although some activities and food and beverages require payment.
Namsangol Hanok Village is about a five-minute walk from Exits 3 and 4 of Chungmuro Station on Subway Lines 3 and 4.
September 25–27, 2026 · 10 AM–8 PM
Free admission; some activities and food and beverages require payment
28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
“Open” does not always mean every program is running
A tourist attraction itself may be open while a special tour, exhibition or hands-on program inside it follows a different schedule.
For example, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center states that the 2026 special tour of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion and Hyangwonjeong Pavilion at Gyeongbokgung Palace will not operate from September 24 through 27.
So when checking a palace or museum, do not stop at whether the facility itself is open. Check the specific program you want to attend as well. The same applies to independent restaurants and small shops, especially on September 25.
Leaving Seoul? Check your KTX ticket first
KORAIL’s 2026 Chuseok holiday ticketing covers trains operating from September 23 through 27. Ticket reservations for the general public are scheduled by route and train type from September 7 through 11.
If the advance reservation period has already passed, check KORAIL for remaining seats. If a long-distance train is essential to your itinerary, securing that seat should come before fine-tuning restaurant plans or smaller activities around your hotel.
If you are in Seoul on September 25
You do not need an elaborate itinerary. One practical approach is to visit one attraction whose holiday operation you have confirmed, spend part of the day at the Chuseok festival at Namsangol Hanok Village, and choose a restaurant for dinner after checking that it will actually be open.
Finding a closed shop during Chuseok is possible. But the holiday also brings traditional events, songpyeon and a different rhythm to the city. September 25, 2026 may not be a day you need to work around. It could become one of the most distinctly Korean days of your Seoul trip.