China Train Tickets
High-speed rail across China — book in English, pay with an international card, and travel on your passport. No paper ticket needed.
Popular Routes
Most booked high-speed routes this week — every route below opens its own schedule, journey time and fare page.
China Railway: the network
What to expect from train travel in China, and how to read the timetable.
China Railway runs the largest high-speed railway network in the world — our timetable covers 3,404 stations · 432 cities. Almost every place a visitor wants to go (Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Kunming, Hangzhou) is on the rail map rather than a flight away: high-speed services run at 200–350 km/h, so Beijing–Shanghai takes under 4.5 hours and Shanghai–Hangzhou under an hour.
Trains are identified by a letter prefix. Knowing the six you will actually see makes a Chinese timetable readable at a glance:
| Code | Type | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| G | High-speed | Fastest services, running on dedicated high-speed lines |
| D | Bullet train | High-speed trains that also use upgraded conventional lines |
| C | Intercity | Short intercity runs between neighbouring cities |
| Z | Direct express | Direct express with few or no intermediate stops |
| T | Express | Express — more stops and slower than Z trains |
| K | Ordinary | Conventional trains, the slowest and cheapest option |
The letter is part of the train number: G7, D3106, C2001, Z20, T110, K816.
Three things foreign travellers need to know before booking. First, ticketing is real-name: every ticket is issued against a specific passport, so the name you type must match your passport exactly. Second, on most high-speed lines that passport is your ticket — you scan it at the gate instead of collecting paper, and if a gate does not read it, the staffed counter next to it will. Third, sales usually open 14 days before departure, so popular trains sell out early on public holidays; book as soon as your dates are fixed.
We handle the parts that are hard from abroad: searching in English, quoting in your own currency with the fare and our service fee shown separately, and paying with VISA, MasterCard, AMEX or PayPal. Once your seats are confirmed we email the e-ticket — nothing to collect at a counter, nothing to print.
What happens next
No payment is taken now. We verify seat availability, then email you a secure payment link.
Our team checks seat availability with the railway.
You receive a secure payment link by email.
E-tickets are issued to each passport — no paper ticket needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to book train tickets online
Can I buy tickets if I am not in China?
Yes. Book from anywhere. We issue e-tickets — show your passport at the station.
How many days in advance can I book?
Tickets usually open 14 days before departure. The calendar shows the exact window.
What information do I need?
Full name exactly as on your passport, passport number, and date of birth.
How can I pay?
VISA, MasterCard, AMEX and PayPal in multiple currencies. All payments encrypted.
How do I receive my tickets?
Confirmation is emailed. For most trains no paper ticket is needed — scan your passport.
How can I cancel?
Cancel online from My Bookings. Refunds follow railway policy.