Travellers can book online trains in China and pick up the tickets at the station before travelling.

We support advance ticket booking for more than 130 stations across China, including Beijing, Tianjin and Qingdao in the North, Xi An in the Northwest, Harbin in the Northeast, Shanghai and Hangzhou in the East, Chengdu, Chongqing and Changsha in the South Central region, Kunming and Guilin in the Southwest, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in the Southeast.

Train companies in China

Rail services in China are operated by China Railway (CR), a state-owned company under the control of the Ministry of Finance.

In the present, China Railway (CR) is divided in 18 subsidiaries dedicated to provide passenger train services in different regions of China: CR Harbin and CR Shenyang in the Northeast, CR Beijing, CR Hohhot and CR Taiyuan in the North, CR Lanzhou, CR Urumqi and CR Xi'an in the Northwest, CR Jinan, CR Shanghai and CR Nanchang in the East, CR Guangzhou and CR Nanning in the South, CR Wuhan and CR Zhengzhou in the Central region, CR Chengdu, CR Kunming and CR Qingzang in the Southwest.

Book your trains in China

To achieve a complete coverage of the railway transportation across the nation, China Railway (CR) operates several types of intercity trains, including:

  • - High-speed trains
  • - Conventional trains

China Railway high-speed trains

CRH is the high-speed railway service operated by China Railway with trains running at a maximum speed of 250–350 km/h.

Book your trains in China

High-speed trains are designated by a letter identifying the class of service followed by three to four numerals indicating the region of service:

  • - G-series: Long distance high-speed service, with maximum speed of 350 km/h.
  • - D-series: Long distance high-speed service, with maximum speed of 250 km/h.
  • - C-series: Intercity high-speed service, with maximum speed of 200 km/h.
Book your trains in China

In total, high-speed trains offer four seat passenger classes:

  • - Business class Seat, available in G series trains.
  • - Premier class Seat, available in G and C series trains.
  • - First class Seat, available in G, D and C series trains.
  • - Second class Seat, available in G, D and C series trains.

And one sleeper passenger class:

  • - Soft Sleeper 4-Berth, available in overnight D series trains.
Book your trains in China

Second class Seat

Book your trains in China

Soft Sleeper 4-Berth

China Railway conventional trains

China Railway conventional trains are hauled by electric and diesel locomotives that run on electrified rail tracks.

Book your trains in China

Conventional trains are designated by a letter identifying the class of service followed by three to four numerals indicating the region of service:

  • - Z-series: Direct Express service stopping at provincial capitals or no stops, with maximum speed of 160 km/h.
  • - T-series: Express service stopping at province-level cities, with maximum speed of 140 km/h.
  • - K-series: Fast service stopping at prefecture-level cities, with maximum speed of 120 km/h.
Book your trains in China

In total, conventional trains offer two seat passenger classes:

  • - Soft Seat
  • - Hard Seat

And three sleeper passenger classes:

  • - Deluxe Soft Sleeper, available in compartments for 1-2 passengers.
  • - Soft Sleeper, available in compartments for 1-4 passengers.
  • - Hard Sleeper, available in compartments for 1-6 passengers.
Book your trains in China

Soft Seat

Book your trains in China

Soft Sleeper 4-Berth

Getting around China by train

The railway network in China consists of 112,000 kilometers of rail tracks, including 16,000 kilometers of highspeed dedicated tracks. China has the longest railway network in the world, connecting all provinces as well as reaching the border with Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Mongolia, Vietnam and Laos.

The rail network interlinks the different CR service regions by sixteen major railway corridors, consisting of 8 railroads running north-south and 8 railroads running east-west, plus eight CRH dedicated corridors, 4 vertical high-speed railroads and 4 horizontal high-speed railroads.

We support advance ticket booking for more than 130 train stations in China, including the major cities and tourist sites, such as Beijing, Badaling, Datong, Tianjin and Qingdao in the North, Xi An in the Northwest, Harbin in the Northeast, Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Huangshan in the East, Chengdu, Chongqing and Changsha in the South Central region, Lhasa, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Xishuangbanna and Guilin in the Southwest, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Sanya in the Southeast.

Ticket sale is available from 15 days in advance.

Northern China

Northern China comprises the provinces of Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Henan and Hebei.

There are 5 subsidiary companies of China Railway operating in Northern China. CR Beijing operates passenger services in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. CR Hohhot operates passenger services in Inner Mongolia province. CR Zhengzhou operates passenger services in Henan and Shanxi provinces. CR Taiyuan operates passenger services in Shanxi province. CR Jinan operates passenger services in Shandong province.

book your train to Badaling

Train routes to Badaling

book your train to Datong

Train routes to Datong

Northwestern China

Northwestern China comprises the provinces of Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi and Xinjiang.

There are 3 subsidiary companies of China Railway operating in Northwestern China. CR Lanzhou operates passenger services in Gansu, Ningxia provinces and parts of Inner Mongolia. CR Urumqi operates passenger services in Xinjiang province and parts of Gansu. CR Xi’an operates passenger services in Shaanxi province and northeast Sichuan.

Northeastern China

Northeastern China comprises the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang.

There are 2 subsidiary companies of China Railway operating in Northeastern China. CR Harbin operates passenger services in Heilongjiang province and northeast Inner Mongolia. CR Shenyang operates passenger services in Liaoning, Jilin provinces and southeast Inner Mongolia, south Heilongjiang and northeast Hebei.

Eastern China

Eastern China comprises the provinces of Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang.

There is 1 subsidiary company of China Railway operating in Eastern China. CR Shanghai operates passenger services in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces.

South Central China

South Central China comprises the provinces of Anhui, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi.

There are 3 subsidiary companies of China Railway operating in South Central China. CR Chengdu operates passenger services in Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and parts of Yunnan and Hubei provinces. CR Wuhan operates passenger services in Hubei and southern Henan. CR Nanchang operates passenger services in Jiangxi, Fujian, and parts of Hubei and Hunan provinces.

Southwestern China

Southwestern China comprises the provinces of Tibet, Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou.

There are 3 subsidiary companies of China Railway operating in Southwestern China. CR Qingzang operates passenger services in Qinghai and Tibet provinces. CR Kunming operates passenger services in Yunnan, and parts of Sichuan and Guizhou provinces. CR Nanning operates passenger services in Guangxi province and western Guangdong.

book your train to Lijiang

Train routes to Lijiang

book your train to Xishuangbanna

Train routes to Xishuangbanna

Southeastern China

Southeastern China comprises the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan.

There is 1 subsidiary company of China Railway operating in Southeastern China. CR Guangzhou operates passenger services in Guangdong, Hunan and Hainan provinces.

How to book your train tickets in China?

Booking your train tickets in China is very quick and simple. Search for train routes between any two cities for your travel dates.

Select your route

After search, we will display the results for your itinerary.

Find the high-speed rail and conventional rail services operated by China Railway (CR) available for your itinerary. Select the most convenient option.

We accept reservations from 15 days in advance up to 4 hours before departure. For departures under 4 hours, tickets must be reserved directly at the station.

How to book train tickets in China

Click to expand the details of the route, you will find the available fares. China Railway (CR) offers various types of fares for high-speed trains and conventional trains:

In total, high-speed trains offer four seat passenger classes:

  • - Business class Seat, available in G series trains.
  • - Premier class Seat, available in G and C series trains.
  • - First class Seat, available in G, D and C series trains.
  • - Second class Seat, available in G, D and C series trains.

And one sleeper passenger class:

  • - Soft Sleeper 4-Berth, available in overnight D series trains.

In total, conventional trains offer two seat passenger classes:

  • - Soft Seat
  • - Hard Seat

And three sleeper passenger classes:

  • - Deluxe Soft Sleeper, available in compartments for 1-2 passengers.
  • - Soft Sleeper, available in compartments for 1-4 passengers.
  • - Hard Sleeper, available in compartments for 1-6 passengers.

Fill in the passenger and contact details

Next, please provide the passenger information and the contact details of the person responsible for booking. We will send the ticket confirmation by email.

How to book train tickets in China

Complete your payment

Select your payment method. We accept international credit or debit cards.

Check your itinerary and price breakdown. Confirm that the booking information is correct. Before you proceed to payment, you must read and accept the terms and conditions of booking.

How to book train tickets in China

Receive your electronic ticket by email

Once your payment is complete, your reservation will be processed.

In the following 24 hours you will receive the itinerary and booking confirmation by email with the electronic ticket attached in PDF format.

How to book train tickets in China

You can also access to Manage your booking via web and download the electronic ticket to your device.

How to book your train tickets in China

How to use the train e-ticket?

The electronic ticket received by email is not a valid boarding pass and it cannot be used to board the train.

Passengers travelling with China Railway (CR) are required to use the electronic ticket to pick up the physical tickets at the station before departure.


RECEIVE YOUR E-TICKET BY EMAIL

Receive your electronic ticket by email in PDF format. Print a copy of the e-ticket in advance or carry it in your mobile phone.


PICK UP YOUR BOARDING PASS

Arrive at the station 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Present your electronic ticket at the authorized ticket counter, verify your passport and collect your boarding pass.


BOARD THE TRAIN

Cross through the gates using your boarding pass, locate the platform and wait for the boarding call to board the train. You may be required to show your passport and verify your id.