Use the official 12306 website or app as the reference route for China Railway tickets. Create each passenger with the valid passport that will be carried on travel day, complete the required identity verification, and check the city, exact station, date, train number, seat, and passenger before paying.
Keep the original passport available for station entry, boarding, and exit. A screenshot or itinerary sheet is useful for navigation but is not a replacement for the identity document.
Recognize the Official Channel
China Railway’s English FAQ says 12306.cn is the official website of the China Railway Customer Service Center and warns that the railway department will not handle ticketing problems caused by other websites.
Third-party sellers may offer translation or bundled services, but understand who holds the order, who processes changes, and what fees apply. Never give a seller an invented identity or access to a wallet verification code.
Create the Passenger Carefully
Enter name, passport type, passport number, nationality, and other fields exactly as the official form requires. Use the passport that will be presented on travel day.
The State Council’s 2025 guide explains that foreign travelers can use passports on 12306 and may complete identity verification automatically, through a passport information-page upload for manual verification, or at a station ticket office where applicable.
Allow time for verification before popular tickets go on sale. Do not wait until the intended train is the only workable connection.
Search the Correct Stations
Many cities have several railway stations. Compare:
- full station name in Chinese and English
- location relative to the hotel
- airport or metro connection
- departure and arrival time
- final local transport after arrival
A faster train from a distant station may create a slower total journey. Save both station pins and the correct entrance or taxi zone.
Choose the Train and Seat
Review duration, departure time, arrival time, transfers, and seat class. On a connection, leave enough time for station navigation and the operator’s transfer process. Avoid constructing a tight self-managed connection merely because each train is available separately.
For children, use the current age-based 12306 rules and declare free-travel children as required. Confirm whether a child has a reserved seat.
Payment
Official visitor guidance says 12306 can support Chinese or foreign bank cards and mobile-payment apps, subject to the current channel. Use a tested method and check the order before retrying if payment appears slow.
Keep the order number, payment record, and passenger list. A card authorization without a confirmed ticket is not proof of travel.
Waitlists and Sold-Out Trains
Follow the official interface for any waitlist or alternative-train function. Understand the deadline, accepted alternatives, payment authorization, and how success or failure is communicated.
Do not buy duplicate tickets for the same passenger and train unless the official rules and itinerary require it. A valid identity document is generally limited to one ticket for the same train and date.
Changes and Refunds
Read the current 12306 terms before changing, refunding, or changing destination. The English FAQ describes timing-based refund fees and conditions, but the current order screen controls the available action.
Use the official order and keep the result. A changed train may affect seats, children, connecting tickets, hotel arrival, and the final metro. Recheck the complete journey after every change.
At the Station
Bring the original passport used for purchase. The official FAQ says passengers use the valid identity document for check-in, boarding, and station exit. An itinerary sheet or reimbursement receipt is not the boarding identity.
Arrive with time for:
- correct station and entrance
- security screening
- manual passport or ticket assistance if needed
- large-station walking
- gate opening and closing
Do not queue at a domestic-ID-only machine if the passport is not supported; use the staffed route indicated by the station.
If the Passport Changes or Is Lost
Contact official 12306 or station support. Do not edit a screenshot or travel under another person’s passenger record. If the passport is lost, follow police, consular, and exit-entry procedures and ask the railway which issued document can be accepted.
The 2025 visitor guide lists several possible identity documents for certain railway transactions, including a passport-loss report certificate and a receipt of acceptance for a visa application. Applicability depends on the document and transaction; confirm before travel.
Ticket Checklist
- I am using official 12306 as the reference channel.
- Every passenger matches the passport carried on travel day.
- Identity verification was completed before the booking deadline.
- Exact stations, date, train, seat, and passenger were checked.
- Child ticket and seat status follow current 12306 rules.
- Payment produced a confirmed ticket, not only an authorization.
- Change, refund, and connection consequences were reviewed.
- The original passport and station route are ready.