How to Book a Train Trip in China
Go to the website www.12306.cn and click on the button that reads “新版售票”., Enter information according to your travel plan to limit your search., Pick a train that fits your plan and pay attention to seat class selection., Create a 12306.cn login...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go to the website www.12306.cn and click on the button that reads “新版售票”.
This is the official China Railway Bureau website and guarantees the authenticity of your orders 100%.
Unfortunately, however, the website does NOT provide English service and does NOT accept international payment methods.
The button that links to ticket-selling webpage will be on the left sidebar. -
Step 2: Enter information according to your travel plan to limit your search.
You need to complete the following information before you can proceed:
One-way or round trip Departure city Arrival city Departure date Returning date (optional) Eligibility for student discount , There are different types of trains.
G trains are high speed trains.
On this type of train there are no berths so it's all seating, and they only travel to various places.
D trains are also high speed trains but somewhat slower.
They provide sleeper cars and seating cars.
C trains are also high speed trains but offer intercity service, so the number of times the train stops are few and there are no sleeper cars.
Z trains are express trains, but not high speed; they provide all classes.
The same applies to T, K or no letter trains, which are regular, "slow" trains.
The fast table in the search page will show which types of tickets are available on each train (i.e. hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper, soft sleeper, etc.).
You don’t have to choose which one you want yet; just click on the train you wish you book using the blue buttons on the right. , After you click on the blue button on the previous page, you’ll need to have a
12306.cn login in order to continue.
It’s not that hard to create a login but you will need to have your phone handy.
When you’re done, click the checkbox that says you agree with their terms of use and click Submit.
You'll need to fill the blanks in with the following information.
Username: this can be whatever you want it to be Password: the website will tell you the strength of your password and then you will need to retype the password again below.
Spoken Password: just type in a memorable number (at least 6 digits), which will be used if you ever needed to call customer support.
Retype the password again below.
Security Question: there is a dropdown menu of questions that you can answer.
CAPTCHA: type what you see. , It is incredibly important that you have all of this information filled out accurately or they may not let you on the train.The information they require includes:
Last Name: that would be your family name on your passport Gender: are you male 男 or female 女? Form of ID: in the dropdown menu, choose the form of ID you want to use.
Acceptable ID include Mainland China ID, Hong Kong/Macau Permit, Taiwan Permit and passport.
ID #: here is where you put your ID number Birthday: what year/month/day were you born? Email: to confirm your tickets Cellphone Number: again, to confirm your identity Additional Info: are you an adult, kid, student or disabled veteran? , Once you’ve confirmed your ticket order (确定) you will then need to worry about actually paying for the tickets.
You will want to find the pay online option (网上支付) and complete your order. -
Step 3: Pick a train that fits your plan and pay attention to seat class selection.
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Step 4: Create a 12306.cn login.
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Step 5: Fill in more detailed information about the passenger that will be purchasing the tickets.
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Step 6: Pay for your train ticket(s).
Detailed Guide
This is the official China Railway Bureau website and guarantees the authenticity of your orders 100%.
Unfortunately, however, the website does NOT provide English service and does NOT accept international payment methods.
The button that links to ticket-selling webpage will be on the left sidebar.
You need to complete the following information before you can proceed:
One-way or round trip Departure city Arrival city Departure date Returning date (optional) Eligibility for student discount , There are different types of trains.
G trains are high speed trains.
On this type of train there are no berths so it's all seating, and they only travel to various places.
D trains are also high speed trains but somewhat slower.
They provide sleeper cars and seating cars.
C trains are also high speed trains but offer intercity service, so the number of times the train stops are few and there are no sleeper cars.
Z trains are express trains, but not high speed; they provide all classes.
The same applies to T, K or no letter trains, which are regular, "slow" trains.
The fast table in the search page will show which types of tickets are available on each train (i.e. hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper, soft sleeper, etc.).
You don’t have to choose which one you want yet; just click on the train you wish you book using the blue buttons on the right. , After you click on the blue button on the previous page, you’ll need to have a
12306.cn login in order to continue.
It’s not that hard to create a login but you will need to have your phone handy.
When you’re done, click the checkbox that says you agree with their terms of use and click Submit.
You'll need to fill the blanks in with the following information.
Username: this can be whatever you want it to be Password: the website will tell you the strength of your password and then you will need to retype the password again below.
Spoken Password: just type in a memorable number (at least 6 digits), which will be used if you ever needed to call customer support.
Retype the password again below.
Security Question: there is a dropdown menu of questions that you can answer.
CAPTCHA: type what you see. , It is incredibly important that you have all of this information filled out accurately or they may not let you on the train.The information they require includes:
Last Name: that would be your family name on your passport Gender: are you male 男 or female 女? Form of ID: in the dropdown menu, choose the form of ID you want to use.
Acceptable ID include Mainland China ID, Hong Kong/Macau Permit, Taiwan Permit and passport.
ID #: here is where you put your ID number Birthday: what year/month/day were you born? Email: to confirm your tickets Cellphone Number: again, to confirm your identity Additional Info: are you an adult, kid, student or disabled veteran? , Once you’ve confirmed your ticket order (确定) you will then need to worry about actually paying for the tickets.
You will want to find the pay online option (网上支付) and complete your order.
About the Author
Paul Evans
A seasoned expert in education and learning, Paul Evans combines 11 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Paul's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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