China Train Tickets for Foreigners: 12306 or Trip.com

Where can a foreigner buy train tickets?

There are two main routes: the official 12306 and Trip.com. Both sell the same trains, and your passport number is your ticket.

12306

12306 is operated by China Railway. The app (铁路12306) is on the US and UK app stores and in China. We did not find it on Google Play. The English website is at www.12306.cn/en. The FAQ says “only valid foreign passports useable according to related regulations are accepted”. Ticket sales and changes run from 05:00 to 01:00 the next day, and from 05:00 to 23:30 on Tuesday.

Trip.com

Trip.com is a commercial booking site. Its trains page says you can pay by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay and that your passport number acts as the ticket. It says “no booking fee”. A Reddit commenter described a booking fee on Trip.com, with credit-card payment and no Alipay or WeChat linking (r/guangzhou, October 26, 2025). This is a traveller’s report. Compare the final price at checkout.

How do I book on 12306?

1. Install the app or open the English website. Register an account.
2. Add your passport details and complete identity verification. The Travel China site says foreign travellers must complete verification before buying. EyeShenzhen describes an automatic check, a manual review of the passport photo, or a visit to a station counter. Do this before your trip, in case your passport photo goes to manual review.
3. Search by city or station. For Guangzhou, pick the right station.
4. Enter your name and passport number as in your passport, same order, with no spaces or hyphens (Travel China’s example: SMITHJOHNDAVID).
5. Pay. The MTR’s high-speed rail site says 12306 accepts international credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard; Travel China (April 2026) and EyeShenzhen (2024) list Alipay, WeChat or UnionPay. If your card fails, pay through Alipay or WeChat with the card linked.
6. Keep the booking. You do not need a paper ticket.

How far ahead can I book?

Tickets generally go on sale 15 days ahead, according to Travel China, which is published by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (April 14, 2026). 12306’s own booking calendar agrees: on October 19, 2026 it offered dates up to November 2, 15 days including the day of booking. One traveller thought “all trains had been fully booked for the month of Nov!” in late October (r/guangzhou, October 26, 2025). A reply pointed to the 15-day limit. Look again when the window opens. Trip.com takes advance reservations and tries to buy when the window opens; that is not a confirmed seat.

What happens at the station?

1. Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure (Travel China). One traveller asked whether arriving 59 minutes before a “60 minutes early” notice would make them late (r/travelchina, November 26, 2025). Aim for at least the time the booking says.
2. Scan the ride code in the 12306 app, or show your original passport at the manual inspection channel. Travel China says paper tickets are not required.
3. Go through security and find your platform. Gates usually close 3 to 5 minutes before departure (Travel China); 12306 says the exact time is in the station announcement.

12306’s FAQ says the itinerary sheet cannot be used as a ticket. You can print one at the ticket counters or download it from the website.

Changes and refunds

You can refund online before departure. Refund fees: none if you refund 8 or more days before the departure date, 5% more than 48 hours before, 10% between 24 and 48 hours, 20% under 24 hours, minimum ¥2. You can change a ticket once: date, train number, seat class or arrival station. Changes more than 48 hours before departure are free; later changes can cost 5% to 40% of the lower fare. To change or refund online a ticket bought at a station, machine or agency, or by someone else, you first need facial verification in the app (12306 English FAQ).

Where do I go next?

For the most popular routes, see Guangzhou to Shenzhen and Guangzhou to Hong Kong.

For long-distance trips, see Guangzhou to Shanghai and Guangzhou to Beijing.