How to Use 12306 as a Foreigner in China: Book Train Tickets Step by Step (2026)

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By HowInCN (@HowInCN) · Chinese apps explained for visitors

It's 11 at night, your train leaves at 8 tomorrow morning, and 12306 won't let you pay — your passport isn't verified yet.

12306 is China Railway's official ticket platform. There's no booking fee, and there's an English version. But a few steps trip up a lot of foreigners. Here's each one, and what to do when you get stuck.

12306 or a travel app?

12306 is the official channel: you pay the ticket price, with no booking fee. The English version is simpler than the Chinese one, but you can buy, change and refund tickets, and change your destination. Some extras, like the waitlist for sold-out trains, are Chinese-version only. If you buy on another website, the railway says it won't handle those problems.

Plan B: third-party travel apps sell the same trains for a fee, and station ticket windows accept your passport.

Do you need a Chinese phone number?

For the English version, no. Use the website 12306.cn/en or the Railway 12306 app switched to English. The English sign-up only accepts foreign passports and asks for your passport details, a username, a password and an email address. Notices come by email, so open the activation email (check spam) — you can't buy tickets until the account is activated.

Your passport name

12306 checks your name against your passport, so type it the way your passport photo page shows it:

  • Surname and given names: surname first, a space, then given names.
  • First, middle and last name: in that order, with spaces. Don't drop your middle name.
  • Hyphens or apostrophes: follow the code lines at the bottom of the photo page, and use a space wherever they show a gap.
  • Leave out Mr or Miss. Upper or lower case doesn't matter.

Check it twice: once your status is Verified, you can't edit it.

Passport not verified?

Foreign travellers can only buy tickets after passing identity verification. There are three ways: the system checks your details automatically; you upload a photo of your passport photo page and staff review it; or you take your original passport to a station ticket window.

Verification failed? Make every detail match your passport exactly and try again, or go to a station window. Anything other than Verified means you can't book online yet. 12306 doesn't publish how long a manual review takes — travellers report anything from minutes to days. So verify the day you book your flights, not the night before your train.

Booking for others

Add each person to your passenger list; each passenger must be verified too. A foreign-passport account can add other passport holders, but not Chinese ID card holders. One passport can hold only one ticket for the same train on the same day. Children aged six to under 14 pay a child fare; one child under six rides free with each paying adult, without their own seat — declare that child in your order.

When tickets go on sale

Online sales open 15 days ahead, counting today, at different times of day for different stations. Ticket sales run from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Beijing time (Tuesdays until 11:30 p.m.); in that gap you can check orders and request refunds, but not buy or change tickets. On the Beijing–Shanghai line, from October 27, 2026, the 12306 app takes reservations from 30 to 17 days ahead — it may not show in the English version, so check your app.

Booking the right train

Big cities have several stations: in Shanghai, Hongqiao and Shanghai station are different places. Nan, Bei, Dong and Xi mean South, North, East and West. Check the exact station on your ticket and use that name for your taxi. Filter to G, C or D for fast trains. On the English version the system assigns seats; a preference isn't guaranteed. Sold out? There's no waitlist in English — try another train, time or station.

Paying by card

There's a time limit to pay, shown on screen; miss it and the seat goes back on sale. Official guides say you can pay online with Chinese or foreign bank cards, or mobile payment apps; Visa and Mastercard are listed, and your bank may ask you to confirm. Declined? Try another card, or a mobile wallet if your payment page offers one. Each order is paid with one method, in one go. After three cancelled or unpaid orders in a day, you can't book online until the next day.

Changing a ticket

Each ticket can be changed once (date, train, seat class or arrival station):

  • More than 48 hours before departure: free.
  • 24–48 hours: free if the new train leaves on your original travel day; a later date costs 5%.
  • Under 24 hours: a train that same day is free; a later date costs 15%.
  • Missed your train? Change to another train that same day for free, if seats are available. The next day or later costs 40%.

Fees are based on the lower of the old and new fares. A ticket changed after departure can't be refunded.

Refunds

Refunds go back to the way you paid: free 8 days or more before departure; 5% more than 48 hours before; 10% at 24–48 hours; 20% under 24 hours (minimum 2 yuan). Once the train has left, no refund. Bought the wrong ticket? There's a free refund within 30 minutes of buying if the train is at least four hours away — one order per day, not for changed or waitlisted tickets. Paper receipts ended in October 2025; request an electronic invoice (fapiao) within 180 days of your trip.

At the station

The passport you booked with is your ticket — bring the original. 12306 says the automatic gates read Chinese ID cards, residence cards and certain permits; with a foreign passport, use the staffed lane for entry and exit. Some gates may read your passport, but if one doesn't, don't keep trying. Boarding closes a few minutes before departure (set by each station). The English site lists the 12306 hotline: +86 12306.

FAQ

Do I need a Chinese phone number for 12306? No — the English version signs you up with email and a foreign passport.

How long does verification take? 12306 doesn't publish a time; traveller reports range from minutes to days.

Can I pay with Visa or Mastercard? Official guides say foreign bank cards work, and Visa and Mastercard are listed. Your bank may ask you to confirm.

Rules, fees and menus can change. Information is as of October 2026 — check the official 12306 website or app before you travel. Not sponsored by 12306 or China Railway.

More China app guides on our official site: howincn.com

Sources

  • 12306.cn English website and FAQ (12306.cn/en)
  • 12306 identity verification and real-name ticket FAQs
  • China Railway notice on passport verification (December 2023)
  • Gov.cn on railway e-invoices (September 2025)
  • Beijing Municipal Government English site on Beijing–Shanghai reservations (September 2026)
  • Ministry of Commerce, A Guide to Working and Living in China as Business Expatriates (2025)
  • MTR High Speed Rail 12306 FAQ

Website screenshots are real public pages of 12306.cn/en. Logged-in screens in the video are redrawn illustrations. Lifestyle images are AI-generated illustrations.

Watch the full guide on YouTube: How to Use 12306 as a Foreigner in China — HowInCN · @HowInCN

More China travel and app guides: howincn.com · Follow us on X: x.com/HowinCN

HowInCN (@HowInCN) · series: HowInCN APPS — Chinese apps explained for visitors.

#12306 #ChinaTravel #ChinaTrain #ChinaApps #HowInCN

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