12306 vs Trip.com: Booking China Train Tickets from Australia

If you’ve already picked out a few destinations in China for an upcoming trip, you’re going to need to know how you’re going to get between. In the booking stage for China train tickets, two names will keep cropping up: 12306 and Trip.com. 12306 is the official railway platform, while Trip.com has support in English and may already hold your flights and hotel reservations.

So which should you use for your train tickets? In this guide we’ll look at the registration steps, any fees, payment options and booking flexibility for both platforms. 

12306 vs Trip.com at a Glance

12306 suits travellers who want to book directly with China Railway and avoid a third-party booking fee. 

Trip.com suits travellers who value English customer support and keeping their travel bookings in one place. 

Comparing Ticket Prices and Extra Fees | 12306 vs Trip.com

If you’re going to compare prices, make sure that you’re looking at the same train, stations, and seat class on each platform. For example, Beijing and Shanghai both have several train stations to choose from, and prices can vary depending on which one you’re travelling to at which time. 

12306 let’s you book directly without a third-party fee, as it is the official platform of China’s railway system. However, note that there could be potential fees or exchange fees when using an international card for payment.

Trip.com does charge a booking fee for its service, which you’ll be able to see in the price breakdown before you pay. However, make sure that you’ve added any discounts that are available for your trip to get the cheapest price for comparison.

Also note that 12306 operates completely in Chinese yuan, and while it does accept international payments, your bank or card might charge a conversion fee. You can pay in your own currency via Trip.com. 

Registering Your Account | 12306 vs Trip.com

For registration, Trip.com is more convenient, as there’s no verification process that needs to take place. For 12306, you’ll need to first activate an account and then wait for passport verification. An automatic verification might go through after only a few hours; if it requires a manual verification, it could take anywhere between 1 to 5 business days, so make sure you’re completing this step in advance. 

12306 Account Activation and Passport Verification

If you’re going the 12306 route for your China train tickets, the first step you’ll need to do is register your account. 12306 has an English version of their website, or you can also switch their app to English. 

How to Set Up Your Account

1. Open the English platform. In the app, open the profile tab, then settings and language settings. Choose English.
2. Select Register. Enter your nationality, passport information and the other requested details on the registration form. Follow the name-entry instructions.
3. Enter an email address you can access while travelling. Complete the login details and submit the registration.
4. Activate the account. Open the activation email and follow its link. Check your junk folder if it has not arrived. 
5. Check your identity-verification status. Sign back in and open your profile to see whether your passport details have been verified.

Trip.com Account Activation

Trip.com’s standard booking route lets you arrange China train tickets without first creating your own separate 12306 account, but you still need accurate passport details for each traveller. Using a booking service does not remove China Railway’s passenger-identification requirements.

1. Sign in to Trip.com. Open Trains and select China if prompted. Set your preferred currency.
2. Search your journey. Enter the departure city or station, destination and travel date.
3. Choose the train and seat class. Check the exact station names before continuing.
4. Add each passenger. Enter the requested passport and contact details carefully, then complete any verification prompts shown for the booking.
5. Review and pay. Check the full price, any extras and the cancellation conditions.
6. Check the ticket status. An advance request or processing order still needs a successful issuance confirmation.

Paying with an Australian Card | 12306 vs Trip.com

International card payment is available on both platforms, but Trip.com has slightly more options including PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Official Beijing guidance lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Diners for 12306, alongside other payment methods. You do not have to arrange a Chinese bank account just to use the English booking platform.

Reliability and Technical Bugs 

While both platforms accept varied international payments, there have been accounts of users having trouble processing the payments when using 12306, with their payments either blocked or rejected. 

Trip.com on the other hand has a very stable payment system, operating outside of China’s domestic banking network, and payments process smoothly on the first try. 

Image sourced from Unsplash.

Booking Tickets in Advance | 12306 vs Trip.com

China Railway releases tickets 15 days in advance of the train departure date, at 2pm Beijing time (5pm AEST). Trip.com only has access to tickets at that time as well. 

But in my opinion, I think Trip.com still has a slight advantage for tickets, as you can submit a booking request before sales open. It doesn’t mean you’re accessing tickets before the general sale, but it does mean that you don’t have to worry about being online the moment tickets go on sale to secure your trip; Trip.com will handle that when tickets become available.   

Think of the process in three stages:

• Request submitted: your journey preferences have been recorded.
• Awaiting issuance: the ticket has not yet been successfully issued.
• Ticket issued: check the confirmed train, travel date, class and allocated seat or berth details.

The one thing to note is that you will pay during the request stage, but this payment doesn’t mean you have a reserved seat. If tickets are unable to be obtained, you will be refunded that amount. 

When Your Preferred Train Is Sold Out

This is when 12306 has an advantage, as with a registered account, you can join the official waitlist for tickets. As the departure date nears, people may cancel, or more tickets might be released by China Railways; in this case, if you’re next in the queue, you will be able to purchase your tickets. 

If you’re not so beholden to that particular train you had originally planned for, simply browse alternative times or routes via Trip.com.

Changing or Cancelling Your Booking

If you need to cancel, Trip.com follows the same rules set out by China’s Railway, so there’s no platform that’s better than another. 

For ordinary mainland tickets, China Railway’s standard cancellation bands are generally:

Which Platform Should You Choose

Choose Trip.com if you value having your train bookings alongside your hotels and flights, with English customer support available when you need help. Its advance-request option can also be convenient when you are planning before railway tickets go on sale.

Choose 12306 if avoiding intermediary fees is your priority and you are happy to complete the account setup yourself. It is particularly worth considering when several travellers are taking multiple trains and the total service fees become more noticeable.

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