China Train Tickets for Foreigners: How to Book on 12306
Register with a foreign passport, pass real-name verification, buy the correct train and use that same passport to enter the station.
What you need to know.
Foreign passport holders can book directly through China Railway’s official 12306 website or app. Register with the passport, complete real-name verification, choose the exact stations and passenger, then pay before the order expires. The booking is normally an e-ticket: carry the same original valid passport to the station—a screenshot or printed itinerary is not a boarding document.
This guide is written for independent visitors using a foreign passport on China Railway. Details marked with a review date can change; use the linked official source for the final check.
Register before the ticket-release day.
Use the official English 12306 site or Railway 12306 app, enter the passport exactly, activate the account and leave time for identity verification.
A foreign-passport user can register with an email address; a mainland Chinese phone number is not required for the email route. Activate the account through the message sent by 12306 before trying to buy.
12306 first attempts automatic real-name verification. If that fails, recheck the passport fields, upload the requested passport images, or take the original passport to a staffed station counter. The official estimate for online manual review is usually three to five working days, so doing this on the day tickets open is a preventable risk.
- 01
Create the account
Choose foreign passport, use an email you can open immediately and complete the activation link.
- 02
Match the passport
Enter the Latin-letter name in the order shown by the passport fields. Omit titles such as Mr or Miss; enter the passport number without spaces or the printed prefix “No.”
- 03
Verify every traveler
Add companions under My Passengers and complete identity verification for each person before building the order.
- 04
Resolve a failed check early
Correct the fields first. If manual review is requested, upload clear passport images and allow the stated review time.
Choose the station—not just the city name.
The standard advance-sale period is 15 days including the travel date, but each departure station has its own release time. Confirm the complete station name before paying.
Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and many other cities have several stations far apart. Compare the station against the hotel and the next transfer, then select the verified passenger and check the date, train number, seat class, name and passport number before payment.
A limited 2026 pilot lets passengers request selected Beijing–Shanghai trains earlier through the app. A request is not a confirmed ticket; it becomes one only after the system fulfills it and payment succeeds. Do not treat that pilot as a nationwide 60-day sale window.
- 01
Check the release time
Open the travel date in 12306 and note the sale time shown for the departure station.
- 02
Compare the whole journey
Check station location, departure time, journey time and seat class—not only the fastest train.
- 03
Select verified passengers
Review every traveler’s name and passport number before submitting the order.
- 04
Pay before the countdown ends
The official guidance lists Chinese and international bank cards plus supported mobile payments. Keep a second payment method in case an issuer declines the transaction.
- 05
Use official Standby if sold out
12306 Standby is the railway’s free waitlist. Wider acceptable dates, trains and seat classes can improve the chance of fulfillment; third-party “speed packs” do not have a private ticket supply.
The passport is the key to the e-ticket.
Go to the exact station in the order and carry the same original valid passport used for booking. Use a staffed manual channel if an automatic gate cannot read it.
- 01
Arrive at the booked station
Do not assume another station in the same city can board the train. Leave a generous buffer for a first trip because stations stop admission before departure according to local displays.
- 02
Pass identity and security checks
Present the original booking passport and put baggage through the required security screening.
- 03
Find the waiting hall and gate
Use the 12306 order and station screens. Platform access is normally announced closer to departure.
- 04
Use the passport again
Try the passport gate where available; otherwise follow signs or staff to the manual identity-check lane. Keep the passport accessible for boarding, onboard checks and the exit gate.
- A normal e-ticket does not need to be exchanged for a paper ticket.
- An itinerary sheet, reimbursement receipt, screenshot or passport photocopy does not replace the original passport for boarding.
- A staffed identity-verification route should be available when the automated reader does not accept the passport.
The closer the train, the less flexible the refund.
A normal ticket may be changed once when seats are available. Refund fees increase as departure approaches, and a ticket changed after the original train departs cannot later be refunded.
Online refunds normally return to the original payment method. Rules have exceptions and special-product exclusions, so open the current 12306 order rules before changing a non-refundable hotel or flight around the train.
The 2026 advance-request pilot has a special rule: after a requested ticket is fulfilled and paid, canceling it 8–20 days before departure carries a 5% refund fee. Do not apply the standard eight-day fee-free row below to that pilot product.
| Time before departure | Standard refund fee | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| At least 8 days | No fee | Use the order’s displayed deadline, not a rough calendar count. |
| 48 hours or more, under 8 days | 5% of fare | The refund goes back through the original payment route. |
| 24 hours or more, under 48 hours | 10% of fare | Changing first can create different restrictions. |
| Under 24 hours | 20% of fare | After departure, normal refunds are generally unavailable. |
Five checks before you tap Pay.
Most booking mistakes are visible on the confirmation screen. Stop for one minute and compare the order with the passport and the actual route.
- Passenger name and passport number match the document that will be carried to the station.
- Departure and arrival stations—not only city names—match the hotel and onward plan.
- The date, train number and departure time are in China local time.
- Every companion is verified and assigned to the intended seat class.
- The train arrives early enough for the next activity, with a realistic station-to-hotel transfer.
Small assumptions that create avoidable friction.
Waiting to verify
Manual passport review can take several working days. Register before the standard sale window opens.
Typing a familiar name order
Use the order and spacing shown by the passport fields and official 12306 instructions—not an assumed Western format.
Choosing the wrong station
A city can have multiple stations with very different transfer times. Read the complete station name.
Boarding with a screenshot
The e-ticket is linked to the original passport used for purchase. An order image is not the travel document.
Questions travelers ask before they commit.
01Do I need a Chinese phone number to register for 12306?＋
No. A foreign-passport user can register with an email address and activate the account through the email sent by 12306.
02How long can passport verification take?＋
12306 first attempts automatic verification. When online manual passport-photo review is required, the official estimate is usually three to five working days.
03Can I buy China train tickets for my family?＋
Yes. Add each traveler under My Passengers using the passport they will carry. Every passenger must pass identity verification before purchase.
04Can I pay for 12306 with a foreign card?＋
Current official guidance lists Chinese and international bank cards and supported mobile-payment methods. The payment page and issuing bank still control acceptance, so keep a backup method.
05Do foreign travelers need to collect a paper train ticket?＋
Normally no. The e-ticket is linked to the passport used to book it. Carry that original valid passport; an itinerary or reimbursement receipt cannot be used to board.
06What if the automatic passport gate does not work?＋
Use the staffed manual identity-check channel and present the same original valid passport used for the booking.
What we checked—and when.
Official links are provided for verification, not as endorsements. Operating details can change after our review date.