Yes, a Malaysian can book China’s trains online with only a passport. Verify your details on 12306 or choose an English app, buy once tickets are on sale, and carry the same passport to the station.
If the Chinese screens and the timing of the sale window make you nervous, take it in the order below. Each step is small.
How do you start?
Begin with your passport, because everything else depends on it. Foreigners with ordinary passports can verify their details and buy tickets online via 12306, as announced on 28 November 2023[1].
Passport holders enter their name, nationality and passport number, or upload a photo of the passport page, and can then buy tickets[2]. Do this a day or two before the sale opens, so any verification delay does not cost you a seat.
When do tickets go on sale?
Train tickets usually go on sale 15 days before departure and cannot be bought earlier[3]. Rules can change, so check the date in the app for your own train.
Count back from the day you need the seat. If your trip is longer than the window, book the first legs now and the later ones as each date opens. Some travellers set a reminder for the morning the window opens.
Which app should you use?
You have two sensible choices. Use 12306 if you are comfortable with its screens. Use a third-party app such as Trip.com if you prefer English and a familiar payment flow.
Trip.com can accept pre-orders before the 12306 window opens, but it only attempts the purchase when China Railway releases seats[4]. Our comparison of Trip.com and 12306 sets out the trade-offs.
What do you carry on the day?
Carry your passport in your day bag. Foreigners must show it to buy a long-distance ticket and to pass the platform gates, because travel is ticketless[5].
Also keep a screenshot of the booking, the station name in Chinese, and the carriage and seat number. Arrive early for bag checks, using our guide on how early to reach a Chinese station.
How do you avoid the usual slips?
Most problems are simple ones. A different passport on the ticket, the wrong station in a city with two, or a tight connection can all spoil a day.
- Check the departure station name before paying.
- Match the passport name exactly.
- Leave a buffer between a flight and a train.
- Read the common first-time train mistakes.
If plans change, the refund and change guide explains the options. For the wider picture, return to the getting around topic page.