A rail pass as a culture code among youth travelers: the case of Rail-ro in Korea

Rail-ro (Railo), a seasonal rail pass for passengers under 25, is considered a culture code among youth in Korea. This study provides an in-depth description about meanings of Railo based on the view of cultural insiders (i.e. youth train backpackers) using ethnographic data collection methods such as participant-observation and semi-structured/unstructured interviews. The results indicated that Railo is not thought of as just a rail pass among youth, but is perceived as an exclusive right of mainly college students to participate in a week-long domestic rail travel. In particular, Railers associated four meanings with Railo: (a) Railo is a perfect opportunity for Railers to make self-initiated travel experiences; (b) Railo is perceived as a privilege exclusively given to young generations, which strongly motivates Railers to travel with Railo in their early twenties; (c) Railo enables Railers to realize the forgotten beauty of Korea and feel a sense of attachment to Korea; and (d) Railo makes Railers more skilled and thoughtful travelers. This study not only offers a fundamental background for future research of Railo in the context of Korea's domestic backpacking, railroad system, and culture, but also provides practical implications for domestic tourism and healthy leisure among youth in Korea.