Taking the KTX or SRT from Seoul to Busan, Daejeon or Gyeongju? You can eat on board, but there’s no food cart anymore, so what you eat depends on what you buy before you get on. Here are the rules, and the station food that Koreans plan their trips around.
Quick answer: Eating is allowed on KTX and SRT trains, but avoid strong-smelling food. On-board snack carts ended in 2017, and only some KTX cars have drink and snack vending machines, so buy food at the station. Best stops: Seoul Station for dakgangjeong and gimbap, Daejeon Station for Sungsimdang bakery, and Lotte Mart next to Seoul Station for snacks.
Can You Eat on the KTX and SRT?
- Yes. Korail’s train etiquette guide doesn’t ban eating. It asks passengers to avoid things that bother others, such as noise and strong smells. SR, which runs the SRT, has said the same: food and drinks are fine, but skip anything that could inconvenience the people around you.
- Good train food: gimbap, sandwiches, bread, dosirak (lunch boxes), fruit, coffee.
- Skip: anything strongly scented or soupy, like jokbal, sundae, fried chicken fresh from the fryer or cup ramyeon. The cabins are sealed, and the smell travels.
- COVID rules are gone. Eating on trains was restricted during the pandemic, but that was lifted in 2022.
Is There Food for Sale on Board?
Not much. Korail ended on-board sales on December 30, 2017. Some KTX cars have vending machines for drinks and snacks, but not every train does, and they can sell out on busy weekends. Buy food and water before you board.
Seoul Station: What to Buy Before the KTX
- Inside the station, near the gates: past the ticket office and the Tous Les Jours bakery is a cluster of grab-and-go counters: dakgangjeong (sweet, crispy fried chicken) by the cup, mini gimbap, rice cups with egg, inari sushi and sweet hotteok.
- Food court upstairs: sit-down Korean meals if you have 30 minutes.
- Lotte Mart Zettaplex Seoul Station, right next to the station: Korea’s best-known snack-shopping stop for tourists. Foreign customers made up more than 40% of its sales in 2025, and it offers free luggage storage, currency exchange and Alipay. Tourist favorites include Lotte Zero jelly and HBAF honey butter almonds.
Insider tip: Dakgangjeong is glazed, so it holds its crunch even after it cools. That makes it a good train snack. Just keep the lid on. More Korean snacks are in our snacks section.
Daejeon Station: Sungsimdang
Daejeon is halfway between Seoul and Busan, and every Korean knows its famous bakery, Sungsimdang (성심당). There’s a branch on 2F of Daejeon Station, open daily 07:00–22:30. Its signature is the twigim soboro (튀김소보로), a deep-fried streusel bun filled with sweet red bean, sold at its own counter. Some travelers even break their journey at Daejeon just to buy a box.
- Go in the morning if you can. Around 18:00–19:00 the line can be long.
- The plain (original) twigim soboro is the classic. The chive bread (buchu ppang) is the savory favorite.
Busan Station
Busan is Korea’s fish cake (eomuk) capital, and in 2016 Korea JoongAng Daily reported a Samjin Eomuk shop on Busan Station’s 2F. Check that it’s still there before you plan around it. Fish cakes are a good train snack (mild, not too smelly). For more, see what to eat in Busan.
SRT from Suseo Station
The SRT leaves from Suseo in southeast Seoul, a smaller station with fewer food options than Seoul Station. Buy what you need on the way, or at the convenience stores in the station, and use the same rules on board. Our convenience store food guide covers the best grab-and-go picks.
Order like a local
포장해 주세요.
Pojang hae juseyo.
“To go, please.”
작은 컵으로 주세요.
Jageun keobeuro juseyo.
“A small cup, please.” For dakgangjeong sold by the cup.
튀김소보로 몇 개 남았어요?
Twigim soboro myeot gae namasseoyo?
“How many fried soboro buns are left?”
FAQ
Can I eat on the KTX?
Yes. Korail doesn’t ban eating on board. Avoid strong-smelling or messy food, and keep the noise down.
Is there a food cart on the KTX?
No. On-board sales ended on December 30, 2017. Some KTX cars have drink and snack vending machines.
Can I eat on the SRT?
Yes. SR says food and drinks are allowed, as long as they don’t inconvenience nearby passengers.
What should I buy at Seoul Station before the KTX?
Dakgangjeong, mini gimbap or a rice cup from the counters near the gates, or snacks from Lotte Mart next to the station.
More Travel Food Guides
- Incheon Airport food guide
- Gimpo Airport food guide
- Gimhae (Busan) Airport food guide
- Jeju Airport food guide
- Incheon Airport 24-hour food
- Smoking areas at Korean airports
Sources
- Wikitree, Korail train etiquette and on-board sales (September 24, 2026): wikitree.co.kr
- The Fact, Lotte Mart Zettaplex Seoul Station (2026): news.tf.co.kr
- Trvlogue, Sungsimdang Daejeon Station (2026): trvlogue.com
- Trvlogue, Seoul Station KTX guide (2026): trvlogue.com
- Korea JoongAng Daily, station food specialties (2016): koreajoongangdaily.com
