Tips for buying train tickets

1. Starting from January 7, tickets for the upcoming Spring Festival rush period can be purchased online or by phone up to 20 days in advance, compared to 12 days in previous years. Passengers will also be able to buy train tickets from outlets and railway stations 18 days in advance beginning on January 9.

2. Tickets sell out quickly, so do not hesitate for too long at ticket windows.

3. One ticket is allowed per valid ID card provided. Foreigners must enter a passport number when booking online, along with a Chinese bank account number and sufficient fluency to navigate the system in less than 15 minutes, after which the transaction automatically cancels.

4. When booking by phone, record your reservation number, which is necessary to retrieve tickets at locations nationwide. Presently, any tickets booked before 12:00 pm will be available before 12:00 pm the next day, while those ordered after 12:00 pm can be picked up before midnight the following day. Tickets left unclaimed will be cancelled after departure time without a refund.

5. For those unable to buy tickets direct to a destination, hub stations are a good choice. For example, Beijing passengers can first travel to major transit centers such as Tianjin, Shijiazhuang or Zhengzhou before continuing to their destination.

6. Departing from nearby, smaller stations will also increase chances of ticket availability.

7. There are also last-minute opportunities to grab returned or canceled tickets; 12:00 to 1:00 pm and 6:00 to 7:00 pm one day before departure time and 7:00 to 8:00 pm three days ahead of departure time. During the Spring Festival rush, some tickets are made available at 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm daily.

8. Tickets can only be exchanged or refunded at a railway station. During the Spring Festival rush, refunds and exchanges must be made at least 6 hours before departure time. Although exchanges are processed free of charge, there is a 5-percent service fee for all refunds.

9. Passengers should be flexible in their departure times and try different services immediately after notification that tickets are unavailable online or through the phone ticketing system.