What to prepare
- Your original passport and accurate booking details
- The full departure and arrival station names, saved in Chinese
- A confirmed journey, train number, date, coach and seat
- Time for local transport, security, identity checks and finding your gate
Book through China Railway 12306
Use the official English website or Railway 12306 app. Enter the passenger’s name, document type and passport number accurately, then follow the verification and payment prompts. Check that the booking is confirmed, not merely saved or awaiting payment.
- Compare the station name on the booking with your accommodation’s location.
- Check the travel date again when booking an overnight or early-morning departure.
- Save the booking reference somewhere available without a connection.
Sources: China Railway 12306 · China Railway 12306
Match the station, not just the city
A city may have several railway stations with very different travel times between them. A suffix such as South, North or Hongqiao is part of the destination, not an optional detail. Copy the full Chinese station name from your confirmed journey into your map.
Plan backwards from boarding, not just from the printed departure time. Give yourself extra margin for a first visit, unfamiliar stations, holidays or luggage. There is no single arrival buffer that fits every station.
Follow the passport and security process
Keep the original booking ID ready. Follow the station’s security and identity-check instructions. If a gate cannot read your passport, ask staff for the appropriate staffed lane rather than repeatedly trying different gates.
Check the departure board for your train number and gate. Boarding closes before departure; follow the station’s announced cutoff. Keep your passport accessible until you have left the arrival station.
Sources: China Railway 12306
Handle changes through the booking channel
If plans change, open the confirmed order promptly and review the options and charges displayed for that ticket. Do not rely on an old screenshot of refund rules. If you bought through an agent, begin with that agent’s order and support process.
A delayed city transfer and a railway disruption are different situations. Explain what happened to staff and ask what is available; do not assume a missed train lets you board any later service.
If something goes wrong
- For a failed gate, show staff your original passport and booking reference.
- For online verification or ticket problems, ask a station ticket counter for help.
- If your phone stops working, use your saved or printed journey details to explain the booking.
Important boundaries
- Train times, seat availability, baggage rules and refund conditions must be checked with China Railway.
- A passport copy helps explain a problem but is not a replacement boarding document.
- For a lost passport or cross-border journey, consult railway staff and the relevant authorities before travel.
Common questions
Do I need to print an e-ticket?
For an e-ticket, the original document used to book is the key boarding ID. Save the itinerary for reference; the itinerary sheet itself is not a ticket.
What if an automatic gate rejects my passport?
Use the staffed assistance channel directed by station personnel and show the passport used for the booking.
Official sources & review
Source material reviewed on . These are source checks, not a claim of first-hand testing. Check the linked authority or provider for changes before acting.
- China Railway: ticketing, boarding and refunds FAQ China Railway 12306
- China Railway English booking service China Railway 12306