How to buy train tickets in China
A foreign-traveler workflow for choosing stations, verifying a passport, booking through 12306, paying, and boarding with the correct document.
The safest way to buy China train tickets is to use the official China Railway 12306 English website or app. Create an account, enter your passport details exactly, complete online identity verification, search by the actual departure and arrival stations, pay with a supported bank card or mobile wallet, and bring the same original passport to the station for real-name checks and boarding.
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Common apps and official downloads
Start with the official railway route, then prepare payment, station transport, and communication fallbacks. Install only from the official store listing.
Works without signal
Save before you go
Prepare the exact journey, identity, and station details before signal becomes unreliable.
- Save the train number, date, time, and exact station names.
- Keep the booking record with the passport used to book.
- Save the destination in Chinese and plan station access.
Printing this page also keeps the guide answer and visible source links with this checklist.
Emergency numbers in China
Call only for a real emergency. Say the exact location first; ask nearby staff to help communicate when safe.
Choose the station before the train
Large Chinese cities often have several railway stations that are far apart. Search the full station name shown in 12306, then compare the station location and transfer time with your hotel or airport before choosing a departure.
- Treat Beijing, Beijing South, Beijing West, and other similarly named stations as different places, not interchangeable entrances.
- Check both the departure and arrival station in your map app before paying.
- Leave extra time for city traffic, security screening, passport inspection, and finding the correct waiting hall.
Create and verify the 12306 passenger
China Railway uses real-name ticketing. Foreign passport holders can enter their name, nationality, passport number, and other requested details in the 12306 English website or app. The system may verify the details automatically or ask for a photo of the passport information page for manual review.
- Copy the name and passport number exactly; a ticket cannot simply be edited to a different passenger name after purchase.
- Finish verification before a high-demand travel day so a manual review does not become a last-minute problem.
- If online verification does not complete, take the valid passport to a staffed station ticket office for help.
Book and pay on the official channel
After verification, search the route and date, choose the train and seat class, confirm the passenger, and pay before the order expires. Official visitor guidance says 12306 supports Chinese or foreign bank cards and mobile payment apps, subject to the live payment options and issuer approval.
- Use the official 12306 English website or official app rather than relying on an unofficial ticket-snatching service.
- Recheck the travel date, city station, train number, departure time, passenger name, and passport number before payment.
- If the preferred train is unavailable, compare other stations, times, or official waitlist options shown in 12306 instead of assuming the entire route is sold out.
Board with the passport used for booking
A foreign traveler normally uses the original passport tied to the reservation as the travel credential. At stations where the automatic gate does not read that passport, use the staffed real-name or manual inspection lane and show the passport to railway staff.
- Keep the 12306 order page or train details available offline, but do not treat a screenshot as a replacement for the original passport.
- Follow the train number, departure time, waiting hall, platform, carriage, and seat shown in 12306 and on station displays.
- If the passport is lost or replaced after booking, contact 12306 or station staff before travel because the document no longer matches the reservation.
Before you rely on this answer
China travel rules and app behavior can change by city, route, account, passport, airline, and local inspection practice. Treat this page as a traveler-friendly starting point, then verify official or provider details before booking or packing anything important.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the official website for China train tickets?
China Railway's official booking platform is 12306. Foreign passport holders can use its English website or app to register, verify identity, search trains, and purchase tickets.
Can foreigners buy China train tickets with a passport?
Yes. Foreign travelers can use a valid passport for real-name verification and ticket purchase through supported 12306 channels or at a staffed station ticket office.
Do I need a paper train ticket in China?
Usually the passport linked to the booking is the travel credential. Keep the order details handy, use a staffed inspection lane when an automatic gate cannot read the passport, and follow any current station instructions.
Can I change the passenger name after buying a 12306 ticket?
No. Real-name ticket information must match the traveler. If the passenger identity is wrong, follow the current 12306 cancellation or refund rules and purchase the correct ticket rather than editing the name.