China High-Speed Rail (2026): 12306, Tickets & Refunds
Last verified
Last checked: 3 November 2026. All rules below come from China Railway's official 12306 site unless marked otherwise. Railways can change rules temporarily, so station announcements prevail.
The short version
- Register on the official 12306 English website or the "Railway 12306" app with your passport, and complete identity verification (Beijing government / MOFCOM guide, 24 Apr 2024).
- Book up to 15 days ahead, including today (12306 help centre).
- Your passport is your ticket. Tickets are electronic, and you go through the gates with the same passport you booked with (12306 FAQ).
- Refunds are free 8 or more days before departure. Closer to departure, a fee of 5–20% applies (see the table below; 12306 FAQ).
12306 or Trip.com?
| 12306 (official) | Trip.com and other agencies | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | China Railway Customer Service Center. 12306 calls itself the only official online ticket platform (12306 statement via Xinhua, 10 Jul 2024) | Commercial travel agencies |
| Price | Official fare | Official fare plus any agency service fee (check before you pay) |
| Payment | Chinese or foreign bank cards, and mobile payment apps (Beijing gov / MOFCOM, 24 Apr 2024) | Usually foreign cards; terms are set by the agency |
| Changes and refunds | Self-service on the website or app | Through the agency; its own terms may apply |
| Customer service | 12306 hotline; station ticket offices | Agency support in English |
| Risk | — | 12306 warns about personal-data and refund risks on third-party platforms (Xinhua, 10 Jul 2024) |
Our advice: use 12306 if verification goes through. It gives the official price and direct changes and refunds. If verification or payment keeps failing, an agency is a reasonable fallback. When paying on 12306, check that the payee is "中国铁路网络有限公司" (China Railway Network Co., Ltd.) (same Xinhua source).
Step by step: registering and booking on 12306
- Open the English site at 12306.cn/en or install the official "Railway 12306" app.
- Register with your passport details, typed exactly as printed. You can register with an email address, so no Chinese phone number is needed (MTR guide: 12306 account with email). The 12306 English site only accepts valid foreign passports (12306 FAQ).
- Identity verification. The system usually verifies you automatically (Beijing gov / MOFCOM). If you stay "to be verified", take your original passport to a station ticket counter to verify in person (12306 FAQ).
- Add travel companions under "My Passengers". Each person's ID must also be "verified" or "ready to be verified" before you can book for them (12306 FAQ).
- Search, choose a seat, and pay. One passport can hold only one ticket per train per day (12306 FAQ).
Booking window and hours
- Online and at stations, tickets go on sale 15 days ahead, including today. Release times are staggered by region, and railway groups may change this temporarily (12306 help centre).
- Ticket sales and changes on 12306 run from 05:00 to 01:00 the next day (05:00–23:30 on Tuesdays). Queries and refunds are available 24 hours a day (12306 FAQ).
At the station
- Bring the original passport you booked with. Itinerary sheets and receipts are not tickets (12306 FAQ).
- Allow time. There can be queues at security, ID checks and ticket gates. Ticket checking stops before departure, and each station announces its own cut-off (12306 FAQ).
- Security check. All passengers and bags are screened. Some items are banned or limited, for example lighters (max. 2) and aerosol sprays (max. 120 ml each) (12306 FAQ).
- Ticket gate. Use the automatic gates or the staffed lane (人工通道) with your passport (Beijing gov / MOFCOM). If the gate can't read your passport, go to the staffed lane.
- Find your gate (检票口) on the departure boards, or look it up under "check-in gate" in the 12306 app.
- Luggage: EMU (high-speed) trains allow up to 20 kg of free cabin luggage per adult. Each item may be up to 130 cm in total dimensions and 20 kg (12306 FAQ).
Changes ("endorsement") and refunds
Change fees for date, train or seat (12306 FAQ; China Railway notice 铁客〔2021〕15号, in force since 14 Jan 2021):
| When you change | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| ≥ 48 h before departure | Any train within the booking window | Free |
| < 48 h before | A train on or before the original date | Free |
| 24–48 h before | A later date | 5% of the lower fare |
| < 24 h before | A later date | 15% of the lower fare |
| After departure (same day) | Another train the same day | Free |
| After departure (same day) | Next day or later | 40% of the lower fare |
- A ticket can be changed only once. Changed tickets can't have their destination changed, and vice versa (12306 FAQ).
- Changing the destination must be done ≥ 48 h before departure (12306 FAQ).
Refund fees (12306 FAQ; 12306 refund rules):
| Refund requested | Fee |
|---|---|
| ≥ 8 days before departure | Free |
| 48 h to 8 days | 5% |
| 24–48 h | 10% |
| < 24 h | 20% |
- The minimum fee is ¥2, rounded to the nearest ¥0.50. If the changed ticket is for a train in the Spring Festival rush, the refund fee is 20% (12306 FAQ).
- No refund after the train leaves your boarding station, or for tickets changed after departure (12306 refund rules).
- Accidental purchase: for travel dates from 2 Feb 2026, registered users buying on official 12306 channels (website, app, Alipay mini-program) with e-payment get one free refund per day. The refund must be made within 30 minutes of purchase and at least 4 hours before departure, and some ticket types are excluded (12306 FAQ).
- Online refunds go back to the original payment method (12306 FAQ).
- Cross-border trains (e.g. to Hong Kong or Laos) follow the relevant cross-border agreements (Xinhua, 10 Jul 2024).
Children
Children aged 6 to under 14 need a child ticket; 14 and over pay full fare. Each paying adult can bring one child under 6 free without a seat (12306 FAQ, rules from 1 Jan 2023).
FAQ
Do I need a Chinese phone number for 12306? No. You can register with an email address (MTR guide).
Can I pay with a Visa or Mastercard? Officially, foreign bank cards and mobile payment apps are accepted on 12306 (Beijing gov / MOFCOM, 24 Apr 2024). If your card is declined, see our payments guide.
Do I need to print a ticket? No. Tickets are electronic and your passport is the ticket. You can print an itinerary sheet for your records, but it isn't valid for travel (12306 FAQ).
My account says "to be verified". Can I still travel? Take your original passport to a station ticket counter for verification before you travel (12306 FAQ).
I lost my passport on the train. Tell the train staff at once. Under 12306 rules you buy a replacement ticket and pay a service fee, and a refund may be possible later once your original booking is confirmed; the conditions and time limits are in the 12306 FAQ. Also call 12367 (immigration) about your entry status.
How early should I be at the station? 12306 doesn't publish one fixed time; ticket checks close before departure according to each station's announcement. Leave a buffer for security and ID checks, especially at big stations.
Is the train trip inside my 240-hour visa-free stay area? Under 240-hour transit you may only travel within the permitted areas. Check your route with our transit checker before booking.
Related
Information is for reference only. Official sources prevail.
Information is for reference only; official sources prevail. See our terms and disclaimer.