Why verification comes first
On China Railway's official English website and app, a real-name identity check sits in front of online ticket purchase. The State Council's Guide to Working and Living in China says foreign travellers may use a passport or a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card on these official channels, and must complete identity verification before buying a ticket. The booking screen you see on 12306 can change.
Step one: confirm which document the channel accepts
Begin by checking what the specific booking form will accept. The government guide names passports and Foreign Permanent Resident ID Cards as documents foreign travellers can use. The official China Railway 12306 English registration page currently states that its website registration channel accepts valid foreign passports. Read the on-screen options on the form you are using rather than assuming a document accepted elsewhere will be accepted here. If you plan to use a document other than a foreign passport, verify the latest on-screen choices before relying on it.
Step two: enter identity information as prompted
When you register or add a passenger, the system asks for identifying details. According to the government guide, travellers enter name, nationality and document number as the form requests. Enter these exactly as they appear on the document you will later carry, since the same document must match at station entry and boarding.
Step three: complete the verification offered
The guide describes three ways verification can be resolved, and the method presented depends on what the channel offers at the time:
- Automatic verification by the system;
- Manual review through a photo of the passport information page, when that option is shown;
- Verification in person at a station ticket office with a valid passport.
The guide does not promise a single review time or a single payment method at every station, so avoid reading a delay or a specific payment option as a fixed rule.
Step four: buy with the verified identity
After the identity is verified, tickets may be bought through official channels using the payment methods that particular channel supports. Keep the verified identity consistent across the whole booking.
Step five: carry the original document for boarding
For station entry and boarding, bring the original valid identity document used to buy the ticket. A copy or a differently numbered document will not match the record created at purchase.
When the online verification stalls
If the automatic or photo-based check does not complete, do not assume the account is blocked. Check the following without guessing outcomes:
- Confirm the document type shown on the form is the one you hold, since the accepted list is channel-specific.
- Re-enter name, nationality and document number exactly as printed, watching for transposed characters.
- Note whether the screen still offers manual review via a passport photo, or whether that option has been withdrawn on the current build.
- Remember the in-person route: the government guide describes verification at a station ticket office with a valid passport as a fallback.
If you are unsure which on-screen option applies to your situation, Expat China's on-site web chat can help you locate the current official wording.
For the broader moving-in picture, see our settling-in guide's travel section.