China Railway 12306
Why You Need It
China Railway 12306 is the official, authoritative source for the country's 45,000+ km high-speed rail network. It books tickets at face value with no agency markup, supports passport-based passenger registration, and lets you board most stations with just your passport — no paper ticket needed. Third-party booking sites work too, but they add a service fee and have tighter inventory.
Register your account and submit your passport for verification a few days before your trip. Manual approval can take a few hours up to 1–2 working days.
Installation
1. Download China Railway 12306
Search 'China Railway' or '12306' in the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). Look for the official version published by China Railway.
2. Switch to English
Tap the 'EN' button in the top-right of the home screen to flip the interface to English.
3. Register your account
Sign up with an email and an international phone number. Set a username and password — no Chinese phone number required.
4. Add yourself as a passenger
Go to Member → Passenger Info → Add. Choose 'Foreigner', enter your full name as it appears in your passport, your passport number, nationality, and date of birth.
5. Submit passport for verification
Upload a clear photo of your passport's identity page. Approval is manual and typically completes within a few hours to two working days.
Booking Tickets
1. Search a route
Enter departure and arrival stations and your travel date. The app shows all trains with class options, duration, and price.
2. Pick train and seat class
Second Class is the standard option, First Class adds more legroom, and Business Class on G-trains is near-luxury. Window seats are great for scenery.
3. Add the passenger
Select your verified passenger profile. You can add travel companions the same way.
4. Pay for the ticket
Use Alipay or WeChat Pay — both linked to your international card work reliably. Direct international card support is limited.
5. Check the e-ticket
After payment, your booking appears under My Orders. No paper ticket needed for most stations — your passport is your ticket.
Usage Tips
- Book early: Tickets open 15 days before departure. Popular routes (Beijing↔Shanghai, holidays) sell out fast.
- Passport at the station: Walk up to any e-ticket gate, place your passport on the reader, look at the camera, and the gate opens. No queue at counters.
- Train classes: G = high-speed, D = fast, K/T/Z = slower long-distance. G is what most tourists want.
- Refunds and changes: Possible in-app up to 25 minutes before departure. Refund fees scale with how close to departure you cancel.
- Add a buffer: Arrive at the station 30–45 minutes early — security and station size eat time.
Troubleshooting
Verification taking too long? Submit at least 2 days before your first booking. If it stalls beyond 2 working days, contact the in-app support or use a third-party site like Trip.com as a fallback.
International card payment failing? Don't fight it — pay through Alipay or WeChat Pay, which route through your foreign card seamlessly.
Gate won't read my passport? Some smaller stations require a paper ticket pickup. Look for a manned counter and present your booking number plus passport.