Book on 12306 or Trip.com up to 15 days ahead, check which station your train leaves from, and arrive about 45 minutes before departure with the passport you booked with.
Booking
Tickets go on sale 15 days before departure. China Railway's own app, 12306, has an English version and sells at the face price. Trip.com is easier to use in English and may add a service fee. Enter your name and passport number exactly as they are printed. On popular routes at weekends and public holidays, book as soon as sales open.
Which station
Large cities have several stations, and the one nearest your hotel may not be the one on your booking. Shanghai has Shanghai Hongqiao (上海虹桥站), next to Hongqiao Airport, and Shanghai Station (上海站) in the city. Hangzhou has Hangzhou East (杭州东站) and Hangzhou West (杭州西站). Save the Chinese name of your station and show it to your driver.
At the station
There is a security check at the entrance, much like an airport. Staff check your passport here too.
Find your train number on the departure boards. They show the waiting area and the gate.
Boarding usually opens 15 to 30 minutes before departure and closes about five minutes before the train leaves.
Some automatic gates do not read foreign passports. If yours is refused, use the staffed lane beside them.
On board
Your carriage and seat numbers are on the booking. Large suitcases go on racks at the end of each carriage, smaller bags overhead. Every train has hot water, and longer routes have a food trolley or a dining car.
With a Voyage East journey
If you are joining A Quiet Current in Hangzhou, airport transfers are included; railway-station transfers are not, unless your quote says so. Send us your train number and we will confirm where and when to meet.
Sources & checking details
Station procedures can differ between stations and change over time. Follow the instructions on your booking and from station staff.
