How to Book China Train Tickets with a Passport

Book on the official Railway 12306 service

Start at Railway 12306, the official China Railway ticketing site, or its official app. An agent may offer a different interface, but the railway says it does not handle ticketing problems that occur on other websites. Compare the final train, station, passenger and refund terms before paying; do not treat a search result or an unpaid order as a confirmed ticket.

1. Enter the passenger document correctly

The 12306 English site accepts eligible foreign passports for real-name tickets. Use the passenger's name and passport number exactly as they appear on the document. If you are booking for someone else, add that traveler as a passenger and follow the identity-verification prompt shown by 12306. Keep the passport used for the booking available throughout the trip.

If verification is still pending, follow the instructions in your account or ask at an official station ticket counter before departure. Do not create a second account with a different spelling to work around a mismatch: the reservation and boarding document must refer to the same person.

2. Check the whole route, not just the city

China's largest cities have multiple railway stations. Check the full departure and arrival station names in both the search results and final order, along with the date, train number, departure time and seat class. Beijing South and Beijing West, for example, are not interchangeable. Save the Chinese station name in your map app before arranging a hotel or airport transfer.

Choose a train only after checking how you will reach the departure station and leave the arrival station. A seemingly faster train may be less convenient if it uses a different station or arrives after your last practical local connection. Timetables, availability, sale windows and prices are live information: use the current 12306 result, not a fixed figure in an older travel article.

3. Confirm the order after payment

After payment, open the completed order in 12306 and confirm that each traveler, station, date and train is correct. Save the order details offline in case mobile data is unreliable at the station. If payment appeared to finish but no completed order is visible, check the account's order status before trying to buy again.

Changes and refunds depend on the ticket and the current railway rules. Use the 12306 order tools or an official railway counter; check the displayed deadline and fees before confirming a change.

4. Board with the document used to buy the ticket

Railway 12306 says e-ticket passengers should retain their ticket information and present the valid identity document used for purchase when entering and leaving the station and boarding. Bring the original passport used in the order, allow time for security and identity checks, and follow the station's departure screens to the correct waiting area and gate. If an automatic gate does not accept your document, ask station staff for the appropriate identity-check channel.

An itinerary sheet or reimbursement receipt is not a ticket for check-in. The older advice on this site about requiring a printout for foreign travelers was incorrect and has been removed. Paper tickets may still exist for some services, so follow the ticket type and station instructions shown for your actual booking.

Before you leave for the station

• Recheck the exact station, date, train number and passenger name in the completed order.
• Carry the same passport used to book and keep the order details available offline.
• Check current train status and allow time for security, identity checks and the correct waiting hall.
• Use the station's signs and staff instructions if your platform, gate or boarding process changes.

Official source: Railway 12306 ticketing FAQ, including the rules for foreign passports, e-tickets, identity documents and itinerary sheets. Reviewed 9 October 2026; live services and rules should be checked again before travel.