Train Ticket and Travel FAQs

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If you booked a train ticket but your plans have changed, you can submit a request to change or cancel your ticket. To ensure your request can be processed, please be sure to submit it before your train's departure time within the time period from 08:00 to 20:00 (GMT+8). 
If you<a href=""//www.trip.com/trains/"" target=""_blank"" class=""guide-col""> booked a train ticket with Trip.com</a> and it hasn’t been issued, you can cancel your train ticket on Trip.com. If you've already picked up your paper train ticket (for reimbursement purposes), you'll need to go to a station ticket window to change the ticket or get a refund.

How to Change or Cancel a China Train Ticket

<img src=""//pic.english.ctrip.com/train_guide/guide-5.jpg"" alt=""How to Change a China Train Ticket""> If you've already picked up your paper train ticket (for reimbursement purposes), go to the ticket change window at any mainland China railway station with the ID you used for your booking. No handling fee will be charged for the first change you make. If your train ticket has not been issued, please cancel your booking and make a new one. To cancel a train ticket that hasn't been issued yet, sign in to Trip.com, go to your account, and then select My Bookings > Trains. Cancel the train ticket booking by selecting the Cancel Booking button. You can make a new train ticket booking <a href=""//www.trip.com/trains/"" target=""_blank"" class=""guide-col"">here</a>. Please note that if you request to cancel your booking less than 7 days before departure, you'll be charged a handling fee. (See below for how handling fees are calculated). If the price of the new ticket is lower than that of the original ticket, you'll be refunded the difference. If the price of the new ticket is higher than that of the original ticket, you'll need to pay difference.

How to Change a China Train Ticket

If you haven’t picked up your train ticket, it can be canceled online. To do so, sign in to Trip.com, go to your account, and then select My Bookings > Trains. Cancel the train ticket booking by selecting the Cancel Booking button. Tickets can be canceled online from 08:00 to 20:00 (GMT+8). Please note that tickets for trains departing within 25 minutes cannot be canceled online. If you've already picked up paper tickets, cancellations can be made at the refund window of any railway station in mainland China (see the instructions below). 
If you've already picked up your paper train ticket (for reimbursement purposes), you can get a refund at any railway station in mainland China. To get a refund, go to the refund window with your paper train tickets and the ID you used for your booking.

How to Cancel and Refund China Train Tickets Online

Trip.com follows the cancellation policies of China’s national rail operator, China Railway. No handling fee is charged if the train ticket is cancelled at least 8 days before the train’s departure date. A 5% handling fee (minimum CNY2) will be charged per train ticket for any cancellation made between 48 hours and 7 days before departure; a 10% handling fee will be charged per train ticket for any cancellation made between 24 hours and 47 hours before departure; and a 20% handling fee will be charged per train ticket for cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure. The refund will be returned to your original account of payment within 7 working days. The refund amount is subject to China’s railway authority. The date you receive the refund is subject to your bank or credit card provider.

Handling Fees for Cancelled/Refunded China Train Tickets

Ticket change & cancellation policy

When you’re <a href="//www.trip.com/trains" target="_blank" class="guide-col">buying China train tickets online</a>, you’ll notice that the journey duration differs depending on which type of train you choose. 
 China train types can be recognised by their letter codes. G, D and C trains are high-speed trains, while Z, T and K are slower or overnight trains. High-speed trains in China have a few different classes of seats that are generally very comfortable but pricier than overnight trains. Overnight trains in China have hard and soft seating in addition to hard and soft sleeper options. While they're slower and make more stops than high-speed trains, overnight trains are great for travellers on a budget.

Choosing China Train Types and Seat Types

China's high-speed trains run between Chinese provincial capitals and first-tier Chinese cities. G trains (G stands for gāotiě, 高铁) are China's bullet trains – the fastest trains with a maximum speed of 300 km/h. Tickets for these trains are the most expensive. 
 D trains (dòngchē, 动车) are the second fastest trains in China with speeds of up to 250 km/h. D trains only stop at major cities, with some running direct services.
 C trains (chéngjì, 城际) refer specifically to the high-speed EMU trains that run short distances between cities like the 120-kilometre, 30-minute Beijing to Tianjin route.

China High-Speed Trains: G and D Trains

<img src="//pic.english.ctrip.com/train_guide/guide-2.jpg" alt="China Train Seat Types">
 Business Class – Offered only on certain G (high-speed) trains, these are the most comfortable and expensive seats on Chinese trains, with three reclining leather seats in each row – two on one side and one on the other side of the aisle. Business class China train seats are ideal for travelers wanting to fully relax or rest during the journey. 
 VIP Class – Some G trains have VIP seats instead of business class seats, which are not as luxurious but are still very comfortable, with reading lamps and video facilities. 
 First Class – With four seats in a row and partially reclining chairs, first class China train seats are comfortable, with enough leg room for passengers. Power outlets, a pillow and a small table also come with each seat.
 Second Class – These seats are the most affordable on China’s high-speed trains. Power outlets are provided. While not as spacious as other seats, second class seats are still a good option for passengers wanting a convenient journey.
 Sightseeing Seats – Located in the Business Class area, sightseeing seats on Chinese trains are next to large windows and provide travelers with great views. 
 Soft Sleepers – Available on some long-distance overnight D trains, soft sleepers on Chinese trains consist of four bunk beds in one enclosed compartment. Deluxe soft sleepers of two beds per compartment are also available. 
 Facilities on both G and D trains include dining carriages and snack carts. Bathrooms are generally clean.
<div class="g-table">
 <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <th>High-Speed Train</th>
 <th>Business/ VIP Class</th>
 <th>First Class</th>
 <th>Second Class</th>
 <th>Sightseeing Seats</th>
 <th>Soft Sleepers</th>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>G</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Certain models</td>
 <td>No</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>D</td>
 <td>No</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>No</td>
 <td>Certain trains</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>C</td>
 <td>No</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>No</td>
 <td>No</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
 </table>
 </div>

China Train Seat Types

Due to their slower speeds and more frequent stops, these Chinese trains offer sleeper tickets in addition to soft and hard seating options. Hard or soft seat tickets are cheaper but are often unsuitable for overnight journeys. Sleepers and seats on Chinese trains can be purchased for the following trains:
 Z trains (zhídá, 直达) run to all major Chinese cities and only stop at major train stations. As these are usually overnight nights, hard and soft sleepers are available. Many also offer deluxe soft sleepers. 
 T trains (tèkuài, 特快) are slower but cover longer distances. These trains head to all of China’s main cities, stopping at large Chinese towns on the way. Hard and soft sleepers as well as hard and soft seats are available.
 K trains (kuàisù, 快速) are the slowest and oldest of China’s trains, making the most stops. Both hard and soft seats and hard and soft sleepers are available.

Regular Trains: Z, T and K Trains

Hard Seats – Hard seats on Chinese trains are not actually hard, but are only thinly padded and the carriages are usually quite crowded. Passengers can smoke in these cars. Air-conditioning is not provided. As tickets for hard seats are cheap, short journeys are fine but the lack of comfort makes long-distance trips hard. 
 Soft Seats – Slightly more comfortable than hard seats, soft seats on Chinese trains are arranged in booths, with overhead luggage compartments. These carriages tend to be cleaner and less crowded than hard seat carriages. As air-conditioning is provided, these seats are bargains for travelers on a tight budget.
Hard Sleepers – These unenclosed bunk beds each come with a pillow, sheet and blanket. Like hard seats, hard sleepers on China’s trains are not actually hard, but offer less room than their “soft” alternatives. There are six beds per compartment, three on each side. Aside from the lack of privacy and the inconvenient positions of the beds (your bed, whether it's a lower bunk, middle bunk or top bunk has to be navigated with other passengers in mind) these sleepers are a cheap option for travelers wanting to rest during the journey. The price of the bunks are not the same; the upper bunk is the cheapest and the lower bunk is the most expensive because it is more comfortable during daylight hours to sit on. Indeed, upper and middle bunk passengers usually sit on the bottom bunk during the daytime because they don’t have the space to sit up on their own bunks. Don’t get a lower bunk if you’d rather not share! 
 Soft Sleepers – Each soft sleeper compartment in Chinese trains contains four beds – two on each side – that come with comfortable bedding and wider berths. Because there are two rather than three bunks on each side of a soft sleeper compartment, soft sleeper tickets offer considerably more space than hard sleepers. Over-bed and under-bed storage is available. In addition, each bunk bed has an individual LCD screen. 
 Deluxe Soft Sleeper – Each compartment has two beds, with a table and closet. Bathroom facilities are comparatively clean. Some deluxe soft sleeper compartments include an in-room sink and a shower cubicle. 
<div class="g-table">
 <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <th>Regular Train</th>
 <th>Hard Seats</th>
 <th>Soft Seats</th>
 <th>Hard Sleepers</th>
 <th>Soft Sleepers</th>
 <th>Deluxe Sleepers</th>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Z</td>
 <td>No</td>
 <td>No</td>
 <td>No</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>T</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>No</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>K</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>Yes</td>
 <td>No</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
 </table>
 </div>

How to choose train type & seat class

You can <a href="//www.trip.com/trains" target="_blank" class="guide-col">buy China train tickets online</a> with Trip.com up to 60 days in advance and at least 35 minutes before the train’s departure. If you want to have your China train tickets delivered to your chosen address, you’ll need to purchase train tickets at least three days prior to departure.
 Simply select “Trains” on the navigation bar of Trip.com’s home page, enter your desired route and date, and click “Find trains.” Select the train that best suits your needs from the results and complete the instructions to make your reservation. In accordance with the real-name requirements of China’s railway authority, you must provide your full name as it appears on your valid ID (for most foreign nationals, this is your passport) as well as the ID number. 
 Once you’ve completed payment, China train tickets can be picked up at any train station in Mainland China or can be delivered to your chosen address.
The delivery fees are CNY 40 for the first train ticket and CNY 20 for each additional train ticket. China train tickets are delivered within 24 hours of being issued. For train ticket pick-up, go to any railway station or authorised ticket office in Mainland China with your ticket pick-up number along with the ID you used for booking. Note that only one-way train tickets can be purchased and that the number of train tickets is limited to a maximum of five per booking. Once issued, Trip.com cannot cancel or modify your China train tickets. If you need to cancel or modify your ticket, go to the refund window at the railway station with your tickets and ID. For more details on buying China train tickets online, see our <a href=""//pages.trip.com/faq/en/train.html"" target=""_blank"" class=""guide-col"">FAQ page</a>

How To Buy China Train Tickets Online With Trip.com?

<img src="//pic.english.ctrip.com/train_guide/guide-1.jpg" alt="How To Buy Train Tickets At The Train Station Or Local Ticket Agencies">
 China train tickets can be purchased 58 days in advance at train stations and local ticket agencies in China. Again, you’ll need a valid ID such as your passport to buy a China train ticket.
 The ticket windows at Chinese train stations are open 24 hours a day. Local ticket agencies – kiosks found throughout Chinese cities, such as near your hotel – operate on regular business hours, generally from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 Because the staff at the railway station or train ticket office might not speak English, it can be helpful to have the details for your trip – such as the train number, travel date and destinations – written in Chinese. Railway stations in major cities, such as Beijing or Shanghai, often include windows for foreigners or English-speaking agents. The self-service machines that you see next to train station ticket windows can only be used with Mainland China ID cards. 
 When you tell the agent where you want to go and at what time, you will be shown available trains and departure times on the screen. Choose the best ticket for your trip, hand over your valid ID and payment, and the tickets will be printed for you.
 An additional fee, usually CNY 5, is charged for tickets issued at local ticket agencies.

How To Buy Train Tickets At The Train Station Or Local Ticket Agencies

If you book between the hours of 06:00 and 23:25 (GMT+8), we will notify you regarding ticket availability via email within 15 minutes of booking. The Railway Administration's system does not allow bookings after 23:25 (GMT+8). If you submit your booking after this time, we will attempt to purchase tickets for you the next day at 06:00 (GMT+8) when the Railway Administration system opens for bookings. In general, we will inform you of ticket availability via email before 06:30 (GMT+8). Please keep an eye on your inbox and booking details.

After booking, when will tickets be issued?

So you've booked your China train tickets online, now what? If you chose to have your train tickets delivered, no need to read on — the tickets are on their way! However, if you decided to pick up your tickets at the train station, don't worry, the next steps of your China train trip are easy.

How to Pick Up China Train Tickets After Booking Online with Trip.com?

<img src=""//pic.english.ctrip.com/train_guide/guide-3.jpg"" alt=""Where Can I Pick Up China Train Tickets?"">
 After <a href=""//www.trip.com/trains"" target=""_blank"" class=""guide-col""> booking a train ticket in China</a> via Trip.com, you can pick up your ticket at any train station in Mainland China. 
 Convenient, right? Most large cities in China have more than one train station, so you can find the closest train station to you to pick up your train tickets in advance or simply pick them up on the day that you depart. Make sure to check which train station you depart from. 
Once you arrive at the train station, you need to find the ticket office. Look for the characters “取票” (pronounced “qŭ piào”) for ticket pick-up or “售票” (pronounced “shòu piào”) for ticket sales if signs aren't available in English. Some railway stations only have one counter for both sales and ticket pickup. Others have a dedicated pick-up counter for those who booked tickets by phone or online. Self-service ticket pickup machines can be found at some stations, but are only accessible with Chinese ID cards. Taking a multi-city trip across China? You can still pick up your train tickets in a different city than where you will depart from for a CNY 5 fee per ticket. Or you can pick up your train tickets at an authorised train ticket office (火车票代售点) – each city has several located in central locations outside of a train station — for a CNY 5 fee.

Where Can I Pick Up China Train Tickets?

Roughly two hours after your train ticket payment has gone through our system successfully, you should receive an email with your train ticket pickup number at the email address you provided when you booked your China train tickets. Don't see it? Be sure to check your spam folder or anywhere else emails might be filtered to. If no email has been received, log into <a href=""”//www.trip.com/”"" target=""”_blank”""> Trip.com's desktop website</a>. Select My bookings under My account and click Trains to see your booking status. Once you have received a ticket pick-up number, you can head to the train station or train ticket office whenever you'd like. If you decide to collect your China train ticket the day of your departure, be sure to allow enough time. Lines to pick up tickets and go through security can be long, especially at peak travel times like holidays, summer and just before weekends. It's a good idea to go to the train station at least an hour in advance since you have to both collect your train ticket and clear the train station's security check. If you are travelling before or during a Chinese public holiday, like Chinese New Year or the October National Day holiday, you may want to arrive at the train station a couple of hours before departure, or collect your tickets in advance.

When Can I Pick Up China Train Tickets After Booking?

You only need two things to pick up your train tickets: the ticket pick-up number and the valid ID used for booking the tickets. For most foreign nationals, the ID will be your passport. To get the ticket pickup number, check the email sent to you by Trip.com or your account on Trip.com's desktop website. After logging in, select My bookings under My account and click Trains to see your booking history and ticket pick-up number.

What Do I Need to Pick Up China Train Tickets?

Print these out before going to the train station to help you pick up your tickets. Train Ticket Office 火车票代售点 Ticket Pick-up 取票 Online Booking Ticket Pick-up Counter 互联网取票专区 I booked my ticket online. Where should I go to pick up my ticket? 我在网上订的火车票，我应该在哪里换取纸质车票？ I booked my ticket online. Is this the correct line? 我在网上订的火车票，是在这里排队取票吗？ There? 那里吗？ Here? 这里吗？