China Transport Guide 2026: High-Speed Rail, Booking on 12306 and Getting Around as a Foreigner
China's high-speed rail network is the fastest way to see the country — a Beijing-to-Shanghai run takes about 4.5 hours. Foreigners can book tickets on the official 12306 English website with a passport, and entry is with the same document you used to buy. Here's the whole transport system explained.
Key takeaway
Book high-speed rail tickets on the official 12306 English website with your passport (verify identity first), enter the station with the same document — E-tickets need no printing. Give yourself 30-60 minutes at big stations, use flights for long hops, metro and DiDi for city transport.
Full report
Why the Train Network Is Your Best Travel Tool
China's high-speed rail network is the largest on earth and the most practical way for travelers to cover big distances — Beijing to Shanghai in about 4.5 hours, Guangzhou to Shenzhen in under an hour. It's punctual, cheap compared to flights, and the stations are connected to metros in every major city. This guide walks through booking, verification, boarding and the alternatives (flights, metro, ride-hailing), so you can build a whole China itinerary on top of it.
The Official Channel: 12306 English Website
The only official ticketing system is 12306, run by China Railway. The English website is at 12306.cn/en/index.html and offers ticket search, booking, endorsement (change) and refund. Important: the railway department does not handle ticketing problems that happened on other websites — third-party sites like Trip.com resell official tickets, but for refunds, changes and passenger records, the official channel is what matters.
Identity verification before booking. China runs real-name ticketing, so you must complete identity verification before you can buy. With a passport, you have three options:
- Online auto-verification — on the 12306 English website or app, fill in your name, nationality and passport number; the system verifies automatically.
- Manual verification — upload a photo of your passport information page and wait for review.
- At the station — bring your passport to a ticket office; staff verify in person.
Note that the 12306 English website accepts foreign passports only. Self-service machines at stations accept the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card but not a regular passport, so plan for the window or online route.
Buying Tickets
After verification, you can buy through any of these channels:
- Ticket counters at stations and railway ticket agencies (pay by bank card, mobile payment or RMB cash)
- Automatic ticketing machines at stations
- 12306.cn or the 12306 mobile app (pay by Chinese or foreign bank cards, or mobile payment apps)
- The ticket hotline where telephone booking is available
Both E-tickets and paper tickets are sold. E-tickets are the default and simplest: you enter and exit the station with the same valid ID document you used to purchase — no need to print anything. Paper tickets (blue magnetic or red soft-paper) are still available at stations.
A useful refund rule for 2026: registered users who buy via official 12306 channels (website, app or Alipay mini-program) with e-payment for travel from February 2, 2026 can get one free refund per order per day, if the refund is processed within 30 minutes of purchase and at least 4 hours before departure. This doesn't apply to rebooked, multi-ride, pre-ordered, waitlisted or group tickets, or the Railway e-Pass.
Boarding and Practical Rules
- Arrive early: ticket counters, security, ID checks and gates take time. Ticket sales and check-in stop before departure, so give yourself 30-60 minutes at big stations, more during holidays.
- Gate entry: use automatic or manual gates with the original ID document used to buy the ticket; staff verify on the way.
- Lost documents: if you lose the ID used to purchase, get an ID certificate from the issuing authority and board with it; if lost on the train, apply for a replacement ticket (service fee applies) and claim a refund at a station within 30 days.
- Security check: all passengers and baggage are screened; checked rules cover restricted items like guns, ammunition and other prohibited goods — liquids, food and normal electronics are fine.
Children's Tickets
From January 1, 2023, child pricing follows age: children over 6 and under 14 get discount tickets; those 14 and over need full-price tickets. Each adult with a paid ticket can bring one child under 6 free, with no reserved seat. The older height rule (under 1.2m free, 1.2-1.5m child price) is still applied in some stations, so confirm at booking if your child is close to a threshold.
Flights, Metro and Ride-Hailing
- Flights: book on airline official sites, apps or WeChat mini-programs with Alipay, Weixin Pay or UnionPay; Chinese and foreign bank cards are accepted. Refunds and changes go through the platform or airport, fees may apply. For long hops (Beijing to Guangzhou, for example) flying can beat the train.
- Metro: every major city has a metro with English signage; pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay QR codes, or a transit card.
- Ride-hailing: DiDi is the main app (English interface via the Alipay mini-program); taxis accept mobile payment and cash.
- Bikes: shared bikes (Meituan, Hello, Didi) are everywhere in big cities and cheap — a great way to cover the last kilometer.
More China travel guides: China High-Speed Rail Ticket Guide for Foreigners · China Trip Preparation Checklist · China Digital Payment Guide · China eSIM for Travelers
What to do next
Create a 12306 account and complete passport verification before your trip, book tickets on the English site or via Trip.com, arrive 30-60 minutes early, and carry the passport you booked with for gate entry.
What may vary
Refund and change fees depend on timing and channel; self-service machine acceptance varies by station; some stations still apply the old height rule for children; holiday periods (Golden Week, Spring Festival) sell out early and have stricter schedules.