Korail Expands Multilingual Services to 10 Languages as Foreign Rail Passengers Surge

Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) is expanding its multilingual ticketing services to accommodate a surge in foreign rail passengers. The railway operator expects foreign travelers to reach 10 million for the first time this year, up 72% compared to the same period last year. Korail announced on November 2 that it will add three new languages to its services, bringing the total to 10 languages starting November 3.

The newly added languages are French, German, and Mongolian, joining the existing options of English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai. The decision to expand language support was made in consultation with the Korea Tourism Organization's public-private tourism transportation council, considering visitor numbers and average stays by nationality.

Foreign rail travel in Korea has seen significant growth, with 7.78 million foreign passengers using Korail services from January to September, a sharp increase from the previous year. To further improve convenience, Korail introduced a reservation window that allows foreign passengers to book tickets up to two months in advance, doubling the previous one-month limit.

These expanded language options are accessible via Korail's multilingual website at www.korail.com/global and the Korail+ mobile app, where users can choose their preferred language from the menu on the main screen. Korail's head of Passenger Business Division, Lee Min-sung, emphasized the company's commitment to removing language barriers for international visitors, stating that they will continue to enhance the railway experience for global travelers through diverse payment methods and tailored services for international customers.