China Railway 12306

12306 is the official ticketing platform for China Railway, and the only authorized source for high-speed and conventional rail tickets in mainland China.

Because it is official, prices carry no markup and changes and refunds go through directly rather than via an agent — the practical argument for using it over a third-party booking site.

Registration requires identity verification, and tickets are tied to the passenger's ID document, which must be presented at the station or gate.