Booking & transport
Source checkedChina Train Tickets for Foreigners: Book on 12306 (2026)
Book China train tickets through the official 12306 English service and avoid passport-name and station mistakes. Last checked 17 August 2026.
The short answer
Book with the passport you will carry on the train. Enter passenger details exactly as 12306 requires, and keep the original passport with you throughout the journey.
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Step by step
What to do
- 01
Start with the official English service
Create or use your account at the official 12306 English website. Confirm you are on 12306.cn before entering identity or payment details.
- 02
Match the passenger details to the passport
The official FAQ accepts valid foreign passports. Enter the passenger information carefully and use the same passport for the trip.
- 03
Save the itinerary offline
Keep the train number, departure station in Chinese, departure time and seat details available even if mobile data fails.
Start with China Railway 12306
China Railway's official English service is 12306.cn. It sells tickets, handles eligible changes and refunds, and accepts valid foreign passports for real-name ticketing. Check the domain before entering a passport number or card. Search results and app stores can place agencies beside the official service, and an agency's customer support cannot change a rule inside your 12306 account.
The English FAQ says ticket information and refunds are available around the clock. Ticket sales and changes run from 5 am until 1 am the next day, except Tuesday, when they close at 11.30 pm. Outside those hours, you may be able to view a train without being able to buy a ticket. Check the service hours before investigating your account or card.
Use the official website or app when you want the railway's own price and after-sales rules. A reputable agency can still be useful when you need a different interface or combined itinerary support, but record where the ticket was bought. Refunds, changes, and customer service should begin with that seller. Do not pay twice on two platforms merely because one confirmation email arrives slowly.
Use the passport you will carry on the journey when creating your account and booking. Tickets are tied to the identity document used for purchase. If you renew or replace that passport before travel, check the booking and contact official support early. A photograph of the old document does not transfer the ticket to the new passport.
| Purchase route | Who handles the order | Where changes or refunds begin | Passport and order checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12306 English website or app | China Railway 12306 | The 12306 order or staffed railway ticket office | Passenger record uses the valid passport |
| Railway station ticket office | China Railway | Eligible 12306 route or designated station window | Bring the original identity document |
| Railway ticket agency | Agency sale under railway rules | Begin with the recorded seller and official order evidence | Agency support does not replace railway identity control |
| Third-party travel platform | Platform controls its retail order and service terms | The platform that took payment | Do not create a duplicate 12306 order while status is unresolved |
Enter passenger details from the passport
Select the foreign passport document type offered by the English service and copy the document details carefully. Keep names in the order and form requested on the current screen. Do not invent punctuation or squeeze a long name into a field without reading the help text. The official FAQ confirms that valid foreign passports are accepted, while the form itself controls the fields and length rules for the current version.
Add each traveler separately, then compare every passenger's name and document number with their passport photo page before searching for a train. Complete any additional identity verification through the official process. Do not send passport images to a seller who contacted you through an unsolicited message.
If verification is delayed, save the exact status and contact 12306 support, or visit a staffed railway ticket counter if the official instructions direct you there. Bring the original passport. Creating duplicate accounts or repeated orders can complicate the passenger record without fixing a name or document mismatch.
Keep the original passport available on travel day. The railway e-ticket is linked to the valid identity document used for purchase. The itinerary sheet and reimbursement receipt can help you read the journey or handle expenses, but the official FAQ says neither one can be used as the ticket.
Read the station name as carefully as the departure time
Large Chinese cities have several railway stations, and the names are not interchangeable. Beijing, Beijing West, Beijing South, and Beijing North can place you on different sides of the city. Shanghai and Shanghai Hongqiao are separate stations. Search by the exact origin and destination shown in your plan, then compare the Chinese station name on the order with the address you saved for the taxi or metro.
Before paying, check the date, train number, both stations, passenger name, passport number and seat class. A train number may serve different stations on different days. Include the journey across town when comparing prices and travel times, particularly if it affects your sleep or an airport transfer.
Save the train number, station names in Chinese and English, departure time, carriage, seat, and booking record offline. A screenshot is useful for wayfinding, even though it is not the travel credential. Put the Chinese departure station in the note you show a driver. The word for a city alone is not enough when that city has multiple terminals.
Give yourself enough time for the journey on the order. There is no single official arrival buffer that fits a small station and a huge holiday terminal. Plan for transport to the correct station, security screening, finding the waiting area, and a staffed identity channel if the automatic gate does not read the passport. Add more time during national holidays and at unfamiliar stations.
Pay once and check the order status
Choose the train and seat, attach the correct passenger record, then review the whole order before paying. Chinese government guidance says foreign travelers can buy train tickets through the 12306 English website or app and pay with Chinese or foreign bank cards as well as supported mobile payment apps. The choices shown in your checkout depend on the current channel and account.
Keep your bank approval method ready. If the payment page times out, return to the 12306 order list before building a new order. Look for an unpaid, pending, cancelled, or paid state. A card alert on its own does not prove the railway issued the ticket, and an unrefreshed order page does not prove the bank failed. Match the two records.
Do not cancel and recreate orders as a reflex. A fresh order can lose the seat while the first authorization remains pending. If the order is unpaid and the platform offers another payment method, use the option shown there. If the order has disappeared or been cancelled, check the card account before booking again.
After payment, open the completed order and verify every traveler. Save the confirmation offline. Do not post a full screenshot in a public group. Passenger names, document details, order numbers, and QR or retrieval codes can all be sensitive even when the page looks like an ordinary itinerary.
Travel with the same passport used for booking
Bring the original passport connected to the ticket. At the station, follow signs for security and ticket checking. Where an automatic reader cannot process the document, show the passport and order to railway staff and follow the staffed route. A reader failure and an invalid ticket are different problems, so let staff check the passenger record before buying anything else.
The official FAQ says passengers using railway e-tickets should retain the ticket information and show the valid identity document used to buy the ticket when entering, leaving, and boarding. Keep the offline itinerary for your own navigation. It helps you find the waiting room and carriage, yet it does not replace the passport.
On the platform, check the train number and departure time. Several trains may board close together, so following the crowd can take you to the wrong one. Look for carriage numbers along the platform and allow for a short boarding window. Ask a uniformed railway employee if the display and your saved order disagree.
If you miss the train or need to change the journey, open the official order and read the options that remain available. One ticket can be changed once. Tickets changed after departure cannot later be refunded. Capacity still matters, so a valid change request does not guarantee that the train you want has a seat.
Calculate the cost before changing the ticket
China Railway uses a time-based refund scale. A refund at least eight days before departure has no refund service fee. More than 48 hours but less than eight days costs 5 percent. Between 24 and 48 hours costs 10 percent. Less than 24 hours costs 20 percent. The minimum refund fee is RMB 2, and the official rules specify how smaller fractions are rounded.
A change can also carry a fee when it moves the journey to a later date close to departure. The English FAQ says changes made more than 48 hours before departure are free. A later-date change made 24 to 48 hours before departure costs 5 percent of the lower fare, and one made less than 24 hours before departure costs 15 percent. After the train has departed, changing to a train on the next day or later costs 40 percent of the lower fare. Same-day options described in the official rule can be free.
Read the current order page before acting because special cases exist. A ticket moved from within eight days to a train more than eight days away can still incur a 5 percent fee if later refunded. Spring Festival travel-period tickets have a special 20 percent refund rule in that scenario. Cash purchases and tickets with a printed reimbursement receipt can require a station step even when the refund starts online.
Refund money returns through the original payment route under the railway rules. Processing time can differ from the moment 12306 marks the refund complete. Keep the refund record until the credit appears. If the card has been replaced or closed, ask the issuing bank how it handles a merchant refund to the old account.
| Time before departure | Refund fee | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| 8 days or more | No refund service fee | Special rule can apply after moving a near-term ticket beyond eight days |
| More than 48 hours and less than 8 days | 5 percent | Fee is based on the ticket price |
| More than 24 hours and up to 48 hours | 10 percent | Check the exact departure time, not only the calendar date |
| Less than 24 hours | 20 percent | A post-departure ticket is generally no longer refundable |
Plan the journey from the station to your hotel
Save your route from the railway station to the hotel before boarding. Chinese government guidance says metro tickets or passes can be bought with foreign or Chinese bank cards, RMB cash or mobile payment, depending on the station. It also describes Alipay transit codes and direct overseas Visa or Mastercard gate payment across Beijing's supported network.
Transit options differ by city. A payment card that taps into one metro should not be assumed to work in the next city. Check local signs, use the station ticket office, or activate the current city's transit code inside the app. When using a QR code, confirm that the city and mode match your route before walking to the gate.
Keep the hotel name and address in Chinese, plus the phone number, available offline. Railway stations are large taxi and ride-hailing pickup zones, and a driver needs the exact property branch. If mobile data fails, station staff can still point you toward the metro, official taxi queue, or ticket office when you can show the address.
For a late arrival, check the last metro time for your station and date, and keep enough cash or a working card for a taxi. Use the timetable for the line and station you will use. A general city guide may not reflect the current last service.
Continue the setup
Tasks connected to this guide
When Plan A fails
Fallbacks and safety checks
- If verification or payment fails, read the official FAQ before buying again through an unknown reseller.
- Leave extra time at large stations for security and wayfinding.
- Check which city station you booked; major cities have several stations far apart.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners book China train tickets on 12306?
The official 12306 English FAQ accepts valid foreign passports. Use the official English service and enter the passenger information required for that passport.
Do I need my passport to take a train in China?
Carry the original passport used for the booking. It is the identity document connected to the passenger record and journey.
What if my name does not match the train booking?
Do not guess a new format at the station. Recheck the official 12306 instructions and the passenger record, then use official support before buying a duplicate ticket.
Do I need to collect a paper China train ticket?
The 12306 English FAQ supports railway e-tickets linked to the valid identity document used for purchase. An itinerary sheet or reimbursement receipt can help with records but cannot be used as the ticket.
How much does it cost to refund a China train ticket?
The official scale is free at least eight days before departure, 5 percent more than 48 hours before, 10 percent between 24 and 48 hours, and 20 percent under 24 hours, with special cases described by 12306.
Can I change a 12306 train ticket after booking?
A ticket can be changed once when capacity and the official conditions allow it. Timing and whether the new journey is later determine any fee, and a ticket changed after departure cannot later be refunded.
Evidence
Primary sources
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