Card questions
What does the card say in Chinese?
It shows your train number, date, departure and arrival stations, and the lines you choose: where the staffed gate for passports is, which gate your train boards from, a printed receipt, and that you do not speak Chinese. If something went wrong, a second part asks for the right help.
Can I use the automatic gates with my passport?
12306 accepts a foreign passport for real-name tickets, but passports are not among the documents its automatic gates read. Travellers with other documents complete the ID check and the gate check through the staffed channel. The card asks where it is.
I missed my train. Can I get my money back?
Under China Railway's passenger rules, a ticket cannot be refunded after the train has left, but you can still change it to another train the same day if seats are available; a fare difference is charged or refunded. Online changes close 25 minutes before departure, so after that go to the ticket-change window at your departure station.
I got on the wrong train or rode past my stop. Do I pay again?
Tell the conductor or station staff straight away, before you leave the station. Under the rules the conductor writes a passenger record and the station sends you back on the nearest train, free, to your ticket's destination or original station. If you get off on the way back, you pay for both directions.
Does the card change my ticket or guarantee a seat?
No. It shows staff your ticket and your request in Chinese. Staff decide what they can arrange, and seats depend on availability.
Is anything I type sent to your server?
No. The card and the saved image are made in your browser. Your name is kept only in this browser so your other cards can reuse it.