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12306 Railway
China's official railway ticket booking platform for booking high-speed rail and regular train tickets.
Official Links
Download Official App
China's official railway ticket booking platform for high-speed rail and regular train tickets. Supports seat selection, e-tickets, refunds and changes.
Features
High-Speed Rail Booking
Book tickets for China's 40,000km HSR network, the world's largest high-speed railway system.
Real-time Seat Selection
Choose your preferred seat (window/aisle) and car on most trains.
E-Ticket Support
No paper ticket needed, just use your passport at the gate.
Train Schedule Query
Search routes, check real-time delays, compare travel times.
Student & Military Discounts
Special pricing for students and military personnel (with valid ID).
Connecting Train Suggestions
Auto-suggests transfer routes when no direct train is available.
Usage Guide
1
Step 1
Download 12306 app from App Store or visit www.12306.cn.
2
Step 2
Register an account with your passport number and real name.
3
Step 3
Complete identity verification — this may take 1-2 business days for foreign passports.
4
Step 4
Search for trains: Enter departure city, arrival city, and date.
5
Step 5
Choose your train: G/D = High-speed (300km/h), K/T/Z = Regular trains.
6
Step 6
Select seat class: Second Class (economy), First Class (business), Business Class (luxury).
7
Step 7
Confirm passenger info (must match your passport exactly) and pay.
8
Step 8
Payment: Use Alipay, WeChat Pay, or China UnionPay card.
9
Step 9
On travel day: Show your passport at the station gate (e-ticket auto-verified).
10
Step 10
Some stations require paper tickets for foreign passports — collect at the ticket window if needed.
Pro Tips
- Book 15 days in advance — Tickets release at 8AM, popular routes sell out within minutes.
- Name must match exactly — Your passport name on 12306 MUST exactly match your physical passport, no abbreviations.
- Register before your trip — Identity verification for foreign passports can take 1-3 days, register BEFORE your trip.
- In-person verification backup — If online verification fails, visit any railway station ticket window with your passport to verify in person.
- G-trains are worth it — G-trains (Gaotie) are high-speed and worth the premium. D-trains are slightly slower but cheaper.
- Second Class is comfortable — Second Class seats are comfortable enough for trips under 5 hours, save money vs First Class.
- Download offline schedules — Download offline train schedules, station WiFi is unreliable during peak travel seasons.
- Peak season warning — During Spring Festival (Jan/Feb) and National Day (Oct 1-7), tickets are extremely hard to get, book immediately when released.
