How to book China train tickets with a foreign passport

A simple guide for foreign travelers buying China train tickets: what passport details to use, when to use 12306 or Trip.com, and what to do if booking fails.

Quick verdict

If this is your first China trip, Trip.com is usually easier. It is in English and works better for many foreign cards. 12306 is the official train site, but it can be harder if your passport or payment needs extra checks. Before buying any train ticket, check your 240h route in the route planner and eligibility checker.

Who this is for

You are using a foreign passport to buy China train tickets.
You are using 240h transit and will take trains between Chinese cities.
You need train proof that you can show at airline check-in.

What you need before booking

Your passport name. Type it the same way it appears in your passport.
Your passport number and country. Use the passport you will bring to the station.
Your route. For 240h transit, your train plan must fit your allowed cities and exit plan.
Your email or phone. You need booking messages and refund messages.
Extra time. Do not try your first booking the night before an important train.

Booking path A: official 12306

12306 is the official China Railway site. It is good if you want the official channel and have time to set it up. It can be harder for first-time visitors because your account, passenger details, and payment may need extra checks.

Create or sign in to a 12306 account.
Add yourself as a passenger using the passport you will bring to the station.
Search the exact train stations. Big cities have more than one station.
Select the train, class, and passenger.
Pay and save the confirmation details offline.
At the station, use the same passport for real-name checks and boarding gates.

Booking path B: Trip.com

Trip.com is not the official railway site. It is a travel platform. For many foreign travelers, it is easier: the site is in English, payment is simpler, and support is easier to reach. You may pay a service fee, so check the price before you pay.

Search the train route after your 240h route is confirmed.
Choose the station pair carefully, not just the city names.
Enter passenger details from the passport exactly.
Pay with a supported card or wallet.
Save the order page, train number, departure station, and passenger name.
Bring the passport to the station. The passport is the real-name boarding document.

Book China trains on Trip.com. Sponsored · we may earn a commission if you book.

Station choice matters

Do not only check the city name. Check the station name. Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai Railway Station are not the same place. Beijing South and Beijing West are not the same place. The wrong station can cost you a lot of time.

For a 240h trip, leave buffer before your final flight or train out of mainland China.

Common failures and backup paths

Passport verification stuck or rejected. Re-check name order, passport number, nationality, and document type. If your travel date is close, use Trip.com or buy at a staffed railway counter with the passport.
Foreign card payment fails. Try another card, use Trip.com, or plan to buy at the station with more buffer. Do not assume every foreign card will work.
Wrong station selected. Cancel or change early if the rules and timing allow it. Do not discover this after going to the wrong side of the city.
Passport renewed after booking. The train booking and station check need the same identity document. If the passport changed, fix the passenger document before travel.
Schedule too tight for a 240h exit. Change the train or route before booking your final exit from mainland China. A good plan needs extra time.

What to save before travel

Train number, date, departure time, and arrival time.
Departure station name.
Passenger name and passport number as entered.
Order number and refund/change rules from the platform.
Screenshot or PDF that works offline.

When to book

Do not buy the cheapest ticket first. Check the legal route first. Then book the train that gives you enough time for arrival, hotel check-in, and your final exit. If you may show the train ticket at the airline counter, save a copy with your passport name visible.

Sources and last checked

Last checked: 2026-05-18. Source roles are separated: official sources for rules, platform sources for booking behavior, and specific traveler threads for failure discovery.