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TravelChinaGuide.com is now offering on-line train tickets booking service. Currently, we could help you to book the tickets of trains departing from the 32 capital cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xian. Please search your trains and start a reservation at our Compared with coach and airline tickets, train tickets will be a problem for tourists who want train travels during their visit in China, especially for those busy railway routes to popular travel destinations on public holidays. The situation will be worse during the long holidays, for example the two week-long holidays: China's National Day Holiday (Otc. 1 - 7) and Chinese Spring Festival.
Real-Name Train Ticket Policy
The real-name train ticket policy has been applicable to high speed and bullet trains (C, G, D trains) since June, 2011. From January 1, 2012, this policy applies to all trains in China. The real-name train ticket policy is taken to relieve the difficulty in buying train tickets and effectively stop scalpers who profit a lot in trading train tickets especially during the Spring Festival travel rush every year. Passengers should buy train tickets and get on trains with the presentation of their own valid ID certificates. 
Purchase Train Tickets at Railway Station
Valid ID certificates that can be shown to buy a 'real-name train ticket' mainly include: Chinese citizen ID card, passport, Permit of Inland Entry and Exit for Hong Kong and Macau Residents, Permit of Mainland land Entry and Exit for Taiwan Residents, Home-return Permit, Permit for Mainland Residents to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, Residence Permit for Foreigners, Aliens' Exit-Entry Permit, Diplomat Certificate, Consulate Certificate, Seafarer Certificate, etc. First four certificates are applicable for online reservation.
One valid ID certificate is allowed to buy one ticket on the same date and in the same train, except for tickets of children with accompanying adults. If you are abroad, you can ask your friends in China help you process the ticket booking by presenting the original or a copy of your passport, and also his/her own ID certificate.
The real-name policy is implemented not only in buying train tickets, but also in the check-in system. The pilot project is taken into action in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu and their subordinates, totaling 50 stations. The passenger's name and the number of ID certificate will be printed on the ticket. Passengers should hold the train tickets with their own ID certificates, get a checkup and then pass the security and check-in in those stations.
Where to buy a train ticket?
• Online Travel Agency: China train tickets are not easy to buy during the peak seasons like the Golden Week (October 1 - 7) and Spring Festival. It is advisable for tourists from other countries to purchase train tickets via a reliable travel agency like TravelChinaGuide.com. This is a very efficient and secure way. Buy Train Ticket at TravelChinaGuide.com
• Online Booking with China Railway Customer Service Center: Passengers can book train tickets online with China Railway Customer Service Center (www.12306.cn). From the beginning of 2012, tickets of all trains are available online. While booking, it is valid to present one’s passport, mainland travel permit for Macau / Hong Kong / Taiwan residents or Chinese citizen ID card, however the website only has Chinese version and only offers online reservation service to its registered users, for tickets in 1-10 days usually (1-12 days in advance for 2012 Spring Festival Rush). Payment online are applicable for bank card of the Bank of China, China Merchants Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and bank cards stipulated by China UnionPay. The users should open up the e-currency payment service.
• Telephone booking is available in several cities but only for local citizens (95105105 for Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Wuhan, Nanchang, Taiyuan, Shenyang, Zhengzhou, Lanzhou, Jinan and their subordinate stations, 96006 for Chengdu and 96688 for Xian).
• Railway Station: At these ticket windows of railway stations, passengers could purchase train tickets on the spot or a few days in advance. In these popular cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xian, the ticket windows at railway stations are opened 24 hours round the clock. 
Crowded Waiting Hall of a Railway Station
during Spring Festival Travel Rush
• Designated Ticket Office: Generally, passengers could purchase train tickets 3~10 days (20 days for Z and D trains) ahead of travel time at these tickets offices distributed throughout a city. An additional service charge of CNY5 per ticket should be paid.
• Travel Agency: It is often more convenient to obtain your tickets through a reliable travel agency or at the Reception Desk of your hotel. While this is both convenient and can save time, relevant service charge is required, maybe more if the tickets are delivered to you.
Tips:
1. The number of days of pre-sale tickets may be adjusted temporarily during the rush Chinese holidays or festivals, such as Chinese New Year, National Holiday and summer vacation. To avoid disappointment, it is suggested that you book tickets through an agency as early as possible.
2. Ticket Scalper, Huangniu or Piaofanzi in Chinese, refers to those who buy tickets repeatedly and resell them at higher prices. They loiter at the railway station trying to sell their tickets for a profit. This practice is of course illegal in China and it is not recommended to buy tickets from them. Some sell fake tickets that are difficult to distinguish from the real ones. We supplied samples with some facts below to identify the authenticity of a ticket.
3. Children between 1.2M and 1.5M are ticketed at a half price while those under 1.2M are admitted for free. Please note that children are asked to be accompanied by adults on the train. How to identify the authenticity of a train ticket?
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2. Feel: The authentic ticket should be smooth to the touch. To be opposite, some fake tickets may be rough feel, the words of which are easily to rub out or not neatly.
3. Flexibility: Roll up and twist the ticket, an authentic ticket could resume its original shape.
4. Comparison: Please compare the ticket with an authentic one if you already have.
5. Code: Every ticket has a set of code at the upper left (e.g. 198A001524). You could find a corresponding set of code at the lower left (e.g. A0-0152-4).
6. Anti-fake Pattern: At the lower right of every ticket, there is an anti-fake two-dimensional pattern which could record train no. and date.
How to cancel a train ticket?
At the designated windows of railway stations, passengers can cancel tickets before the trains' scheduled departure times. 95% of the fare will be reimbursed. The rest 5% of the ticket fare (at least CNY 2) will be charged as the service fee. During peak time, such as Chinese New Year, cancellation must be made at least 6 hours ahead of departure time. Please note the cancellation may not be allowed if you book a train ticket through an agency. You'd better confirm the regulations of the specific agency before booking.
How to change a ticket?
A ticket can be changed one time at appointed counters at railway stations. It can be changed to an earlier or a later train which allows extra passenger capacity. Ordinary train tickets could be changed to a later train before the scheduled departure time in accordance with the new rule issued by the Ministry of China Railways. Under the old regulation, ticket changing to a later train was still allowed within two hours after the scheduled departure time, but now, passengers will be refused when requesting a change after the train leaves. Only a few minor exceptions exist by getting consent from the chief in the train station ticket hall or the waiting hall. This revision helps to stop ticket scalpers. So, generally speaking, it will be a dud ticket with no refund if passengers miss their trains.
When handling the changing, the later train or earlier train should still have tickets left, at the same time, the departure date of the train should be within the pre-sale period (usually 10 days before the scheduled time of departure). If all the train tickets within pre-sale period have been sold out, passengers can not change for another ticket. A ticket change is only allowed only once. No commission charge is involved. For the price difference between the previous and the changed tickets, the office staff will return any overcharge and demand payment of any shortage. Connecting train tickets and round trip tickets are not allowed to be changed.
The regulation above is not applicable to multiple unit trains (CHR trains including D, C and G trains). It means ticket changing between the same-day multiple unit trains is available at anytime of the day. That is to say, if passengers miss those trains, they can still change to another one (with available capacity and same destination) and the train ticket will not be voidable. Follow the changing rule of ordinary trains if passengers want to change their multiple unit train tickets to ordinary train tickets or to multiple unit train tickets on the other day: change before the departure time.
Passengers can also change their travel routes on the train or at any transfer stations on the way. For the price difference, they have to pay for any shortage but any overcharged part will not be refunded. How to transfer to another train?
Through passengers (without transfers on the way, as opposed to those who take connecting trains) can not get off the train leisurely between the starting station and the destination printed in the train tickets. When the journey is broken off on the way, the ticket won't be valid for the rest part of the trip. One can also ask for a transfer from one's through train to high-speed multiple unit trains by paying the shortage for the balance.
Related Link: Train Tickets Classification
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