TravelChinaGuide.com is now offering on-line train tickets booking service. Currently, we could help you to book the tickets of trains departing from Beijing, Shanghai and Xian. Please search your trains and start a reservation at our China Train Ticket Booking Center!

 Where to buy a train ticket?

Purchase Train Tickets at Railway Station

• 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.

• 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.

 How to identify the authenticity of a train ticket?

Train Ticket Sample (Click to enlarge)

Ticket of Multiple Unit Train

1. Watermark: All tickets must have the CR and 中国铁路 watermark on the ticket.
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 could cancel tickets before the trains' scheduled departure time. 80% of the fare will be reimbursed. During peak time, such as Chinese New Year, cancellation must be made at least 6 hours ahead of departure time.

 How to endorse a ticket?
Ticket can be endorsed one time at appointed counters at railway stations. It can be changed to an earlier or a later train, which allows extra passenger capacity. The ticket could be endorsed at anytime ahead of the scheduled departure time but only within 2 hours after the train leaving. 

Related Link: Train Tickets Classification

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