FAQ About Train Ticketing

1.What is real-name ticketing?
To ensure the safety and order of passenger transportation, railway operation company has implemented real-name ticketing in accordance with related regulations. For the scope of real-name ticketing and the details of ticketing, ID verification and check-in, please refer to station announcements. When purchasing real-name tickets, please show a valid ID document of the passenger. Foreign passengers can purchase real-name tickets with valid passports that can be used according to related regulations.

2. How many kinds of tickets are there?
Currently, both E-tickets and paper tickets are on sale.
(1) E-tickets: Railway E-ticket is a voucher of railway passenger transport contract in electronic form. Passengers can purchase E-tickets within the scope designated by the railway authority on 12306.cn (or 12306 mobile app), at ticketing counters or on automatic ticketing machines in railway stations selling e-tickets, or from railway ticket agencies. Passenger shall reserve the information of railway e-ticket and the valid ID document used to purchase the ticket, and shall show the ID document to check-in and out of the station and get aboard the train.
(2) Paper tickets: Paper tickets mainly include printed soft paper tickets with red shading; printed magnetic medium tickets with light blue shading; train tickets printed by onboard mobile ticketing devices; substitute tickets, section tickets, and receipts of miscellaneous fees of passenger transport rates.

3. What is the validity period of tickets?
Passengers shall take the train according to the date and train number indicated on the ticket. A through ticket is valid only for the day and the train indicated on the ticket, and if the passenger gets on (off) the train on the way, the ticket becomes invalid for the section not travelled.

4. Where can I buy the ticket?
Please purchase train tickets from channels offered by railway operation company or its sales agency. At present, the following channels are offered:
（1）ticketing counters, in railway stations or in railway ticket agencies.
（2）automatic ticketing machines installed in railway stations or at designated places.
（3）12306.cn (or 12306 mobile app).
（4）ticket hotline. In areas where telephone booking service has been opened, passengers can book tickets on hotline and then pay at the designated place within the specified time.
（5）For railway lines where commuter cards can be used, passengers can apply for the card at the card selling outlets, and then check-in and take the train with the card.
www.12306.cn is the official website of China Railway Customer Service Center. The railway department will not handle ticketing problems that occurred on other websites.

5. Can I buy tickets for others?
At the station,you can buy tickets for others at the ticket counter by taking the original or copy of the passenger's valid ID document with you .
On 12306.cn, registered users with ID information "verified" and "ready to be verified" can buy tickets for themselves or others. After logging in, please add your friend to My Passengers list and enter his/her name, valid ID document type and number accurately. After his/her ID information becomes "verified" or "ready to be verified", you can buy tickets according to the corresponding prompts on the website.

6. Can I buy more than one ticket for the same train on the same date of travel?
A valid ID can be used to buy only one ticket for the same train on the same date of travel. However, for children who do not have ID cards, you can use the identity information of the accompanying adult to buy child tickets under the same order.
From January 1, 2023, For children boarding with adults, child discount tickets shall be booked for those over 6 years old and under 14 years old; full-price tickets shall be booked for those over 14 years old. Each adult passenger with a paid ticket, may board together with a child under the age of 6 bearing a free child ticket with no reserved seat. Only one child may board with a free child ticket together with each adult passenger, other children shall board with a discount child ticket.

7. What services does 12306.cn English website provide?
12306.cn English website offers services including purchase, endorsement, refund of tickets and change of destination for tickets.

8. Does 12306.cn English website offer services 7*24?
The 12306.cn website provides information query and ticket refund services 24 hours a day, and the ticket sales and endorsement services from 5:00 to 1:00 the next day (5:00 to 23:30 on Tuesday).

9. What ID documents are accepted by 12306.cn English website?
On 12306.cn English website, only valid foreign passports useable according to related regulations are accepted.

10. How to print E-ticket itinerary sheet?
After buying railway E-tickets on 12306.cn, passengers can print or download the "itinerary sheet" on the website, or have it printed at the designated ticket counters or automatic ticketing machines at the stations.

11. Can I check in with "itinerary sheet" and reimbursement receipt?

Neither "itinerary sheet" nor reimbursement receipt can be used as tickets.

Source: 12306