High Speed Rail MTR
High Speed Rail MTR
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How to purchase ticket on 12306 China Railway?

Once you have created 12306 account, login to enjoy the convenient ticketing service.

Click to view the tutorial video.

Step 1: Login your account

  • Click "Login" (登录) on 12306 ticketing website.

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  • Enter your username(用户名), password(密码) and proceed login verification (登录核验).

    • Tips: Operating hours of 12306 ticketing website is 06:00am-23:00pm. Ticketing booking is available within 30 days until 30 minutes before train departure time. Please allow sufficient time for ticket collection and immigration clearance.

Step 2: Add "Frequent Contacts" (常用联系人)

If you wish to purchase tickets for your companions, please set up your "Frequent Contacts" list in advance at 12306. Each traveller can add and save up to 15 "Frequent Contacts" under his/her account; please note that all contacts have to pass through real-name verification in order to enjoy the ticketing service. For "Frequent Contacts" holding Home Return Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents or Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, real-name verification will be processed online, and the results will be shown instantly after input of the list.

  • Select "Frequent Contacts" (常用联系人) under "My 12306" (我的12306), then click "Add" (添加).

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  • Fill in the personal information of your companions in the fields marked with｢＊」, then click "Save" (保存).

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  • Real-name verification results will be shown instantly under "Frequent Contacts" (常用联系人) page after submission.

    Tips:
    If the verification results of your "Frequent Contacts" (常用联系人) are shown as "Pending for Check" (请报验), i.e. those cannot complete the verification online, you can still purchase tickets for them on their behalf. However, each "Frequent Contact" is only entitled to a maximum of 4 tickets (including altered and refunded tickets) until the verification is done at Mainland stations or ticketing counters operated by China Railway (Hong Kong) at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.

Step 3: Select train

  • Click "Ticket" (车票) and select "Single Journey" (单程) or "Return" (往返) ticket.

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  • Select "Origin" (出发地), "Destination" (目的地), "Departure Date" (出发日), "Return Date" (返程日), "Traveller Types" (旅客类别), "Train Types" (车次类型) and preferred "Departure Time" (发车时间), then click "Search" (查询).

    Tips:

      Search "Origin" (出发地) and "Destination" (目的地):

    1. From "Popular" (热门) index: Name of cities are listed under the index. If there are different stations within the same city (e.g. There are Futian Station and Shenzhenbei Station in Shenzhen), the search result will show relevant train information of all stations in the city for your ease of selection.

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    2. From Alphabetic" (字母) index: If you cannot locate your preferred cities from the "Popular" index, you may search through the "Alphabetic" (字母) index of which names are listed by stations. The station names are arranged in alphabetical order of Hanyu Pinyin. For instance, if you are searching for Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, you should locate it from index "X" (香港西九).
    3. By direct input: Travellers can type the 1st alphabet letter of Hanyu Pinyin of the station name to perform the search. For instance, type "G" to search for Guangzhounan Station.

      Note: You may type either "X" or "H" to search for Hong Kong West Kowloon Station (hkwestkowloon)

  • Train numbers(车次), departure time(出发时间), arrival time(到达时间), journey time (历时)as well as remaining seats information of each class will be displayed in the search results. You can click the train number and remaining seats information to view the intermediate stations(中途站) and fare(票价). Select your preferred train then click "Book" (预订).

    Note: Tickets are sold in Renminbi (¥) only on 12306.

    Tips:

    Require Interchange: Only information of direct trains is displayed in the search results. If you are looking for connecting trains, please click "Continue & Transfer" (接续换乘) to refine your search.

    1. Click "Continue & Transfer" (接续换乘).
    2. Attention: When searching for connecting trains to and from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, you MUST fill in the "Designated Transfer Station" (指定换乘站) field before clicking "Search" (查询). For instance, you may type Shenzhenbei (深圳北) as designated transfer station when searching connecting trains between Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and Guangzhounan Station. If you are searching connecting trains for Mainland domestic journeys, it is optional to fill in the "Designated Transfer Station" field. You may directly click "Search" (查询) to proceed.
    3. Train numbers(车次), departure time(出发时间), arrival time(到达时间), journey time (历时)as well as remaining seats information of each class will be displayed in the search results. You can click the train number and remaining seats information to view the intermediate stations(中途站) and fare(票价). Select your preferred train then click "Book" (预订).

Step 4: Select and confirm tickets' information

  • Select travellers' information

    Select travellers' name (including Frequent Contacts) under "Passenger Information" (乘客信息) column. Travel document type (证件类型) and document number (证件号码) are pre-filled as associated with your account. Simply select your preferred ticket type (票种) and class (席别).

    Tips:

    1. Each 12306 account user can only purchase one ticket for the same train on the same date (except adults who use their personal identity documents to buy tickets for the accompanied children) . There is a maximum limit of 5 single journey tickets or 5 sets of return tickets per order.
    2. Click "Add Child Ticket" (添加儿童票) for purchasing child tickets. Child tickets are associated with accompanying adult's travel document by default. However, children may use their own personal identity documents if their real-name information is stored under "Frequent Contacts".

  • Submit your order

    After adding in all travellers' information, click "Submit Order" (提交订单).

  • Seat preference

    Check your ticket information and indicate your seat preference. Click "Confirm" (确认) to proceed.

    Note: If there are insufficient seats available of your preference, the system will assign the seats randomly from the remaining seats.

Step 5: Payment

  • Travellers should complete the payment process within designated time after redirecting to the payment page. Please double check the ticket information and you may purchase travel insurance additionally for your train ride. "Self-Pick-up" (自取) was set as the ticket collection method (取票方式) by default. Click "Online Payment" (网上支付) to proceed once completed above selections.

    Note: "Tickets Delivery" (车票快递) is only available in Mainland cities and extra service fee will be charged.

  • Hong Kong and overseas travellers can select "China UnionPay" (中国银联在綫支付) or "WeChat Pay HK" (微信支付) as your payment method. Follow the instructions for proceeding online payment.

    Note: Payment will be converted from Renminbi to Hong Kong Dollar automatically when proceeding through different payment means. Variance in actual payment amount may possibly occur due to fluctuation of exchange rate and service charge difference between different payment means.

Step 6: Complete transaction

  • Click "Payment Completed" (支付完成) when transaction is done. You will then be redirected to "Transaction success" (交易成功) page.

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    Tips:

    1. Order enquiry: Travellers can review the order by logging in 12306 account. Check your "Upcoming Bookings" (未出行订单) from "Train Ticket Bookings" (火车票订单) tab under "Booking Centre"(订单中心) section of "My 12306" (我的12306).

    2. Confirmation email will also be sent to your registered email.

    3. Ticket collection:
      • Holders of PRC Resident Identity Card, 2nd generation Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Home Return Permit) and 2nd generation Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents can collect the tickets from 12306 Ticket Collection Machines at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station or any Mainland Stations.
      • Travellers with 1st generation identity documents or holding other identity documents that are not supported by 12306 Ticket Collection Machines, please collect tickets from ticketing counters operated by China Railway (Hong Kong) at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, with a handling fee ranging from HK$10 to HK$30 subject to the ticket fares of each ticket.

Apart from High Speed Rail tickets, travellers can also purchase other train tickets through 12306 website and mobile app. Click to know more.