Foreign travelers book China train tickets on 12306, China Railway's official platform — it has an English interface.
12306 is the official booking channel for China's rail network. Official sales open 15 days ahead, including the travel day. Passport registration, payment, station in/out, refunds and one change all sit on this page.
Register your passport a week or more before you fly, then book inside the sales window, pay, and show the same original passport to enter and leave the station. Keep Alipay or WeChat Pay as a backup — foreign-card payment can fail.
English interface
China Railway's official English-language booking path — passport registration to boarding, then refund or change if plans move.
- The official 12306 platform provides an English-language option for search, booking, payment, refunds and endorsement (change). That is the official path; third-party resellers add a booking fee.
- Official presale is 15 days including the travel day. Each station posts its own release clock — read the date shown in the app. This page does not say you will always get a seat.
Booking your ticket
Foreign travelers register an account using passport details rather than a Chinese ID number — travelers consistently report that an email address is enough, with no Chinese phone number required. Have your passport on hand when you set up your account, since the same details are checked against your ticket at the station. Identity verification is reported to take anywhere from minutes to a few days, so set up your account a week or two before your trip rather than on travel day.
Official presale is 15 days including the travel day. Ticket sales and endorsement run 05:00–01:00 the next day (Tuesday 05:00–23:30). Query and refund stay open 24 hours. Search From / To / Date, pick the train on that day’s screen, and pay. If a foreign card is declined, use Alipay or WeChat Pay. If the search is empty, the 15-day window may not have opened yet — read the release date in the app. If the train is sold out, the official waitlist exists and is free; this page does not say you will not get a seat.
Many stations support e-tickets: show the original passport you booked with at security and at the gate, and again on the way out. Automatic gates are built for the Chinese ID card — use the staffed lane. A printed itinerary is not a ticket. Stations that do not support e-tickets still issue paper at a window or machine. Official carry-on: 20 kg for an adult; 160 cm on the three sides (200 cm for a pole); on EMU trains (G/D/C and similar) every item is 130 cm or less. Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is banned on the whole EMU trainset; the official fine range is ¥500–2000.
Refunds: free 8 days or more before departure; 5% inside 8 days; 10% from 24–48 hours; 20% inside 24 hours; minimum ¥2. One change per ticket. More than 48 hours out, there is no endorsement fee. Inside 48 hours, changing to a later train has a fee (5% of the lower fare at 24–48 hours, 15% inside 24 hours, 40% after departure to the next day or later). You cannot change the name on a ticket. Do not board the next train on the same ticket. Official missed-train relief: after departure, until 24:00 the same day, you can change free to another same-day train at the ticket’s origin station. Changing to the next day or later has a fee. A ticket changed after departure cannot be refunded.
Switching the 12306 app to the English version · Jul 2026Illustration courtesy of 洋指南 China Guide (Xiaohongshu), used with permission
Registering with a passport — name must match exactly · Jul 2026Illustration courtesy of 洋指南 China Guide (Xiaohongshu), used with permission
Where foreigners get stuck
Name doesn't match your passport
Mismatched name entry — wrong order or spelling versus the passport — is the most commonly reported cause of failed identity verification.
Workaround: Enter your name exactly as printed on your passport, surname first, and double-check the spelling before submitting.
Payment options can vary
Supported payment methods for foreign cards can vary.
Workaround: Check the current payment options in the app/site when you book, and have Alipay or WeChat Pay linked as a backup if a direct card payment doesn't go through.
Search returns no trains
The official 15-day window, including the travel day, may not have opened yet.
Workaround: Read the release date in the app and search again that day. Station release times are posted at the station, not as one national clock here.
Sold out around holidays
Public holidays and the 2026 Spring Festival travel period (2 February–13 March; first-day seats on 19 January) are officially marked peak dates.
Workaround: Mark the release date. Use the official waitlist — it is free. This page does not say you cannot get a ticket.
Missed or boarded the wrong train
A real-name ticket is bound to one train and one ID. You cannot ride the next train on the same ticket as if nothing happened.
Workaround: After departure, until 24:00 the same day, change free to another same-day train at the origin station on the ticket. Changing to the next day or later has a fee. A ticket changed after departure cannot be refunded. You cannot change the passenger name.
Before you travel
Passport registered and verified — start a week or more before you fly
Travel date sits inside the official 15-day window (including the travel day)
Alipay or WeChat Pay ready if a foreign card is declined
Same original passport for station entry and exit
Refund or change done before departure if plans move
Frequently asked questions
Is there an English version of 12306?
Yes — the official platform provides an English-language option covering route search, booking, and payment.
Do I need a Chinese ID to book on 12306?
No — foreign travelers register using their passport details instead of a Chinese ID number.
Do I need to print a paper ticket?
Many stations now support e-ticketing: show the original passport you booked with at security, at the gate, and again on the way out. A printed itinerary is not a ticket. Check your station before assuming you must collect paper.
What if my foreign card doesn't work for payment?
Supported payment options can vary — having Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card as a backup is a practical safety net.
How far ahead can I book?
Official presale is 15 days including the travel day. Each station posts its own release clock. Read the date in the app. This page does not say it is always 15 days at every station, or that you will get a seat.
How should I book around holidays and Spring Festival?
Official 2026 public holidays: 1–3 January, Chinese New Year 15–23 February, Qingming 4–6 April, Labour Day 1–5 May, Dragon Boat 19–21 June, Mid-Autumn 25–27 September, National Day 1–7 October. The 2026 Spring Festival travel period runs 2 February–13 March (40 days); first-day seats went on sale 19 January. Mark the release date. If it is sold out, the official waitlist is free. This page does not say you cannot get a ticket.
What do refunds and changes cost?
Refunds are free 8 days or more before departure, then 5% inside 8 days, 10% from 24–48 hours, 20% inside 24 hours, minimum ¥2. One change per ticket. More than 48 hours out, no endorsement fee. Inside 48 hours, changing to a later train has a fee. Query and refund are 24 hours; sales and endorsement 05:00–01:00 the next day (Tuesday 05:00–23:30).
What if I miss the train or board the wrong one?
The ticket is bound to that train and that ID. Do not board the next train on the same ticket. Official rule: after departure, until 24:00 the same day, you can change free to another same-day train at the origin station printed on the ticket. Changing to the next day or later has a fee. A ticket changed after departure cannot be refunded. You cannot change the name.
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