Checked on 29 October 2026.
China’s high-speed network links all four of our cities, and for most trips between them the train is the calmer choice, with city stations at each end and roomy seats. Beijing to Shanghai takes about 4 hours 20 minutes, Beijing to Xi’an about 4 hours 10 minutes, and Xi’an to Chengdu about 3 hours on the fastest trains.
Everything below reflects the official 12306 rules and schedules as of late October 2026. The China Railway site in English is 12306.cn/en, and the customer service line is 12306 (+86 12306 from a foreign phone).
Booking on 12306
The official channel is China Railway’s 12306, as a website and as the “Railway 12306” app. The app switches to English under Me, then Settings, then Language. Third-party agencies also sell tickets, usually with a service fee.
To buy with a foreign passport:
- Register. Sign up with your email address and enter your name exactly as it appears in your passport, surname first, with your nationality, passport number and date of birth. Click the activation link in the email.
- Verify your identity. You cannot buy tickets until this is done. The system often checks your details automatically. If not, upload a photo of your passport’s information page (and, in the app, a photo of yourself holding it) for manual review, or verify at any station ticket office.
- Add passengers. Each adult traveler needs their own verified passport added to your account. Children can be booked on the same order as an accompanying adult.
- Book and pay. Choose the train, seat class and seats. Published guidance lists Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay as payment methods; some foreign Visa and Mastercard cards also work on the English site. Linking your card to Alipay first is the dependable route.
Tickets normally go on sale 15 days before departure. The site sells tickets from 05:00 to 01:00 Beijing time, except Tuesdays, when sales stop at 23:30. Use the same passport you booked with all the way through the trip.
Train types and seats
Trains with numbers starting G are the fastest. D trains are also high-speed but usually somewhat slower. The train number on your booking tells you which one you have.
Seat classes on G and D trains:
- Second class: five seats across, three and two (A, B, C, D, F). Comfortable for trips of four or five hours.
- First class: four across (A, C, D, F), with wider seats and more legroom. A good upgrade for longer journeys.
- Business class: two or three across (2+1 or 1+1), with the largest seats and the highest fares.
Seats A and F are by the windows and C and D are on the aisle. There is no seat E. Luggage goes in racks above the seats and at the ends of each car; the limit for standard passengers is 20 kg, with each item up to 130 cm in total dimensions on high-speed trains.
The stations you will use
Each of our cities has several stations, often far apart, so check the station name on your ticket.
- Beijing: Beijing South for trains to Shanghai; Beijing West for Xi’an and Chengdu. Some services use Beijing Fengtai.
- Shanghai: Shanghai Hongqiao, next to Hongqiao Airport, for most fast trains to Beijing, Xi’an and Chengdu.
- Xi’an: Xi’an North, north of the city, for almost all high-speed trains.
- Chengdu: Chengdu East for most fast trains to Xi’an, Beijing and Shanghai; some use Chengdu South.
Allow time to cross the city: the main stations are linked to the metro, but journeys from the center can take 30 minutes or more.
At the station
At the entrance, staff check your passport and your bags go through an X-ray scanner. Inside, find your train number on the departure boards, which show the waiting area and gate. When boarding is called, you pass through the ticket gates to the platform.
Most gates are automatic and read Chinese ID cards. Official guidance says foreigners can use the automatic or the staffed gates with the passport they booked with; in practice, many automatic gates do not read foreign passports, so look for the staffed lane, or show the ride code in the 12306 app.
The official advice is to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. Gates close a few minutes before the train leaves, between 2 and 7 minutes depending on the station, and you will not be let through after that. For your first train, or at large stations such as Beijing South, Beijing West and Shanghai Hongqiao, allow 45 to 60 minutes.
Changes and refunds
You can change a ticket once, on 12306 or at a ticket office, as long as seats are available. Changes made more than 48 hours before departure are free; closer to departure, a fee may apply depending on the new train.
Refund fees on 12306:
- 8 or more days before departure: free
- From 48 hours to 8 days: 5% of the fare
- From 24 to 48 hours: 10%
- Within 24 hours: 20%
The minimum fee is ¥2. Since early 2026, a ticket bought by mistake on the app or website can be refunded free once a day, within 30 minutes of payment and at least 4 hours before departure.
Between our four cities
The fastest direct trains, on 12306 timetables for November 2026, take about 4 hours 20 minutes from Beijing to Shanghai, 4 hours 10 minutes from Beijing to Xi’an, 7.5 hours from Beijing to Chengdu, 5 hours 40 minutes from Shanghai to Xi’an and 3 hours from Xi’an to Chengdu. On the longer routes only one or two trains a day reach these times; most Shanghai–Xi’an trains take 7 hours or more, and other Beijing–Chengdu trains take 9 hours or more. Check the duration column when you book. Shanghai to Chengdu is the exception: the fastest train takes about 10.5 hours, so most visitors fly, about 3 hours 20 minutes in the air.
If you are using the 30-day visa-free rule, see our visa-free entry guide, and set up Alipay before you book using our paying in China guide.
