How to book a high-speed train ticket in China

You can book a high-speed train ticket in China yourself, in English, from your phone. Book on the official Railway 12306 app or website, or through Trip.com. Either way the ticket is tied to your passport, and the passport is what you show at the gate. For the bigger picture on rail travel, see Getting around.

Step by step: booking a train ticket on Railway 12306

Railway 12306 is China Railway’s official app and website (12306.cn). It has an English version and charges no booking fee.

1. Install Railway 12306 at home, or open 12306.cn and switch to English.
2. Register an account with your email or phone number, and choose passport as your ID type.
3. Enter your name and passport number exactly as printed in your passport, matching the machine-readable lines at the bottom of the photo page: the same order of names, spaces and spelling. 12306 verifies foreign passports before the account can book. The check usually takes 3 to 5 working days, and up to 2 weeks when the name doesn’t match exactly and goes to a manual check; some accounts pass within hours. Register at least two weeks before you need a ticket.
4. Search your route. Enter the departure city, arrival city and date. Results list every station in each city, so check which one each train uses.
5. Pick a train and class. G and D trains are high-speed. Second class suits most trips; first and business class give more room.
6. Add the passenger. Every traveler needs their own passport details on the booking.
7. Pay. Choose a payment method on the payment screen and confirm.
8. Save the confirmation offline. Note the train number, station, car and seat.

Check before you go: Which payment methods 12306 accepts for foreign travelers, how far ahead tickets go on sale, and the refund and change rules all change. Check the current terms in the 12306 app or on 12306.cn before you book.

Step by step: booking a train ticket on Trip.com

Trip.com sells the same Chinese trains in English and accepts foreign cards. The booking still runs through China Railway, so it uses your passport details in the same way.

1. Open Trip.com, choose Trains, and search your route and date.
2. Check the departure station, train number and class.
3. Enter each passenger’s name and passport number exactly as in the passport.
4. Review the total, including any service fee or extras added to the basket, and pay.
5. Wait for the booking to be confirmed, then save the confirmation offline.

Compare the final Trip.com price with 12306 before you pay. See Trip.com vs 12306 for which suits you.

Collecting a Chinese train ticket: your passport is the ticket

A high-speed train ticket in China usually needs no pickup. There’s no paper ticket to collect: station gates and staff check your passport against the booking.

• Carry the same passport you booked with.
• If you need a receipt for expenses, you can ask for one at the station or through 12306. You don’t need it to board.

At the station: boarding your high-speed train

1. Go to the right station. Big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an and Chengdu have several. Show the station name in Chinese characters to your driver; the address card tool helps.
2. Arrive early. Allow plenty of time for the passport check and bag scan at the entrance, and more at big stations or during holidays.
3. Find your gate on the departure board by train number.
4. Board. Scan your passport at the gate, or use the staffed lane if the gate doesn’t read it. Gates close a few minutes before departure.
5. Find your car and seat. Platforms are marked with car numbers.

If booking or boarding a Chinese train goes wrong

• 12306 account not verified yet: book that trip on Trip.com, which needs no passport verification wait. Once in China, you can also take your passport to the ticket window at any railway station, where staff verify it on the spot.
• Payment declined: try another card or payment method, or ask your bank whether it blocked the charge.
• Train sold out: try another time, another station in the same city, or a different class. 12306 also offers a waitlist on many trains.
• Name or passport number typed wrong: contact 12306 or Trip.com straight away; you may need to cancel and rebook.
• Passport won’t open the gate: go to the staffed lane and show the passport and your booking.
• Missed the train: go to the ticket counter or the 12306 app quickly; rules for changing a missed ticket depend on timing.

The rail service hotline is 12306. Add the booking steps to your pre-trip checklist.