Getting Around China

Book high-speed trains on 12306, the official railway platform, at 12306.cn/en or in the 12306 app. Both have an English interface and both let a foreign passport register, buy, change and refund. No Chinese ID and no Chinese bank account is needed.

Your passport is your ticket. There is nothing to print and nothing to collect — you scan the passport itself at the station gate. Most large stations handle foreign passports at the automated gates, but leave extra time: a staffed lane is sometimes faster.

If the train you want is sold out, submit a waitlist request. It is free and it fills automatically when a seat frees up.

Start with these

1Buy your first train ticket12306 in English, passport registration and the waitlist mechanism.
2Find your way through the stationGates, security, waiting halls and where the passport goes.
3Get from the airport into townAirport rail links, taxis and the transfer that avoids traffic.

All guides in this section

Trains: buying and boarding10

Using 12306 in English as a ForeignerRunning 12306 itself: registration, booking, refunds. How to Buy High-Speed Train Tickets in China as a Foreigner12306, passport registration, waitlists, refunds. Your First High-Speed Train in China: A Step-by-Step WalkthroughYour first Chinese train, step by step. Inside a Chinese Train Station: Security, ID Checks and BoardingSecurity, gates, waiting halls, which entrance. China Train Seat Classes: Second, First, Business and SleepersSecond, first, business and what the names mean. China Overnight Train Sleeper Guide: Hard, Soft and EMU SleepersOvernight trains: berth types and soft vs hard. China Train Luggage Rules: Limits, Banned Items and Station StorageSize limits, X-ray and what you cannot carry. China Train Refunds and Changes: Fees, Deadlines and Missed TrainsChanging and refunding, and what it costs. Food on Chinese High-Speed Trains: Dining Car, App Delivery and What You Can BringDining cars, trolleys and station food. Taking a High-Speed Train in China with Kids: Tickets, Free Children and StrollersChild tickets, seats together, strollers.

City transport9

Getting Around Chinese Cities: Metro, Taxis and DiDiMetro QR codes, taxis, ride-hailing and fares. Using DiDi Without a Chinese NumberRide-hailing when you have no Chinese phone number. How to Use the Beijing Metro as a ForeignerBeijing metro. How to Use the Shanghai Metro as a ForeignerShanghai metro. Chengdu Metro Guide: Fares, Lines and How to PayChengdu metro. Chongqing Metro Guide: Fares, Lines and How to RideChongqing metro. Getting Around Harbin: Metro, Buses and TaxisHarbin metro. Getting Around Kunming: Metro, Buses and TaxisKunming metro. Urumqi Metro Guide: Line 1, Fares and Getting AroundUrumqi metro.

Airports & railway stations7

Airport to City Centre in China: Beijing, Shanghai and GuangzhouGetting from any major airport into the city. Beijing's Two Airports: PEK vs PKX, and How to Get Into the CityBeijing: PEK and PKX. Pudong or Hongqiao? Shanghai's Two Airports ExplainedShanghai: PVG and SHA. Which Beijing Railway Station Do You Need?Beijing's stations and which one you want. Shanghai's Railway Stations: Which One Do You Need?Shanghai's stations. Xi'an North or Xi'an Station?Xi'an station. Hong Kong West Kowloon Station: How Co-Location Immigration WorksWest Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Train routes, city to city91

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