Booking China trains with a passport

Choose where to book

China Railway’s official English booking site is 12306.cn. If you choose another booking platform, read its service fee and support arrangements before paying.

Our recommendation is to keep the entire booking record in the channel you used, including passenger details, any pending status and the final confirmation. A platform’s search result does not establish that seats remain available when payment is completed.

Complete identity verification

Official visitor guidance allows passport booking and describes online identity verification, manual passport-image review and verification at a station ticket office. Carry the original document used for the purchase when travelling.

1. Select the correct document type.
2. Enter the passport number, nationality and passenger name according to the booking form’s instructions.
3. Check each passenger separately before submission.
4. If a verification step fails, use the official support or manual-review path instead of inventing a different name format.

Read the final confirmation

• Departure date and train number.
• Full departure and arrival station names.
• Passenger and document details.
• Ticket status, class and seat assignment.
• Cancellation or change conditions in the booking channel.

Pay particular attention to Xiamen Station versus Xiamen North. Save the correct station in your map and address card.

At the station

Have your passport and train confirmation ready before joining a document-check line. If an automatic gate cannot read your document, ask staff which manual check point to use.

Our advice is to leave enough time to solve a document or entrance problem without rushing. Follow the gate and boarding time on the station’s current display rather than relying only on a saved screenshot.

For changes, refunds or an unsuccessful booking, contact the channel that sold the ticket. This site does not issue train tickets or see your order status.