A route may include both an expressway and a different kind of toll road. Saying simply that “holiday tolls are free” can therefore leave a misleading travel budget. The Korean government says expressway tolls are waived September 24–27, 2026, including privately operated expressways. This does not by itself waive every road charge, parking fee or fuel cost.

Checked September 25, 2026. This is a reading of the government's special-transport news release. For exact lane operations and journeys crossing a midnight boundary, check the latest notice from the relevant road operator.

Route and cost decision table

Item What the reviewed release establishes What to check
Expressway toll Waived nationwide for September 24–27 Travel date and whether the route is an expressway
Privately operated expressway Explicitly included in the waiver The operator's notice for the specific route
Other toll road or bridge Not established by the expressway statement alone Separate operator notice; do not infer a waiver
Fuel at expressway service areas A separate price-reduction measure at some locations Actual posted price at the chosen station
Parking and ancillary costs Separate from expressway tolls Facility or local-government notice

“Check separately” does not mean that every such facility must charge. It means that the cited expressway announcement alone does not establish a waiver for that facility.

Private expressways are not all private toll roads

The September 22 Policy Briefing explicitly states that privately operated expressways are covered by the toll waiver. It does not say “all privately operated toll roads.” A connecting bridge or urban toll road may have a different classification and operator. Check that distinction before budgeting the trip. An operator's name alone does not establish the road's classification.

The release also describes a KRW 100-per-litre price reduction at a group of expressway service-area fuel stations. That is a separate measure, not free fuel or a nationwide promise at every station. Check the posted price where you actually stop.

What about Hi-Pass and journeys at midnight?

The government article identifies the dates and scope but does not set out individual cases for a vehicle entering before midnight and exiting afterward, nor all lane-level payment steps. If your trip straddles the boundary, consult the operator's detailed holiday notice. Check your electronic toll device and payment card as usual and follow the actual lane signs and speed limit. Do not change lanes abruptly on the assumption that a waiver changes the traffic rules.

Copyable pre-departure note

Question Record Source to check
When will I pass? Date and approximate entry/exit times Itinerary and operator's holiday notice
What kind of road is this? Expressway / privately operated expressway / another toll road Route operator
Which cost? Toll / fuel / parking Relevant operator or facility
Which lane? Device/card check and intended lane Current signs at the plaza

Remember the waiver spans September 24–27, not just Chuseok Day on September 25. Separate any other toll roads and incidental costs on your own route before assuming the trip is free.

Korean Naver quick guide

For a shorter pre-departure answer in Korean, see the Life Mokcha Naver article.

About the Author

The Life Mokcha editor turns public travel-policy announcements into practical route and cost questions. Current road-operator notices take precedence over this editorial summary.

References