Best booking options
Railway 12306 (铁路12306)
China's official railway ticketing platform.
Trip.com
Useful if you prefer an international-facing interface and additional English-language customer support.
Standard ticket sale window
Standard China Railway ticket sales normally open:
15 days ahead, including the travel date.
Selected peak-period reservation programs may accept requests earlier.
An earlier reservation request does not mean the normal ticket has already gone on sale.
Use your passport details exactly
Rail uses real-name ticketing (实名制购票).
Your booking should match your passport.
Popular journeys
Book promptly when tickets open for major holidays, weekends, morning departures and popular city pairs.
Do not confuse station names
Large cities can have several major stations.
For example:
Shanghai Railway Station (上海站)
is not:
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (上海虹桥站).
Always verify the full station name before booking.
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Last verified 2026-10-05. Procedures and limits change — check official sources before you travel.