China Lets Children Buy Railway Travel Passes at Half Price
China’s national railway operator has expanded its tourism count-based travel pass program to include children, allowing young passengers to purchase the passes at 50% of the adult fare in a “discount on discount” pricing model that aims to make family travel more affordable. The policy took effect on June 11, 2026, according to an announcement from China State Railway Group (China Railway) via its official WeChat account, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.
What the New Policy Offers
Under the updated rules, children can now buy railway tourism count-based passes (旅游计次票) at half the price paid by adult passengers. This discount is applied on top of the already reduced fares that adult pass holders enjoy—a structure the railway authority describes as a “discount on discount” (折上折). Adult tourism passes already offer savings of up to 15% compared to purchasing individual tickets for the same routes.
The passes operate on a “one purchase, multiple rides, valid for 15 days” model, allowing passengers to choose between 2 and 10 segments between designated stations. Each order can accommodate up to nine passengers, making it convenient for families and groups traveling together, as detailed by CCTV News.
Children must be accompanied by at least one adult and must still fall within the eligible age range for child ticket discounts. The passes must be activated within 30 days of purchase; if not activated within that window, they automatically expire and are fully refunded via the original payment method.
How to Use the Passes
Passengers can board trains using one of two methods: advance seat reservation through the 12306 website or app, or direct ID card check-in at the station. For the direct check-in method, children must use the manual ticket gate where staff can confirm they are accompanied by an adult, as explained by China News Service.
Background and Evolution
The tourism count-based pass system was first launched in June 2023 for adult passengers, designed to promote railway-tourism integration. It built on the earlier count-based and commuter passes introduced in 2021, which primarily served daily commuters and business travelers. Those earlier passes now cover 74 popular routes and 780 stations nationwide.
China’s child ticket policy underwent a major reform on January 1, 2023, shifting from a height-based system to an age-based one. Under the current rules, children aged 6 to 14 are eligible for discounted tickets, while children under 6 can ride free with a paying adult (one per adult). The new tourism pass expansion applies these same age-based eligibility rules.
Current Coverage and Products
As of June 2026, China Railway offers 26 tourism count-based pass products covering 242 stations nationwide, connecting numerous popular scenic areas. Regional offerings include the “Northeast Charm” pass linking Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning; the “Zhengzhou-Kaifeng-Luoyang” cultural heritage pass; the “Shandong High-Speed Rail Tour” covering Qingdao, Qufu, and Tai’an; and the “Shanghai-Nanjing-Hangzhou” pass connecting the Yangtze River Delta’s major cities, as noted by The Paper.
An Zhongwen, Director of the Revenue Coordination Department at China Railway’s Passenger Transport Center, said the upgrade “facilitates family and group travel” and represents a significant step in making railway travel more accessible for families.
Implications for Family Travel
The policy’s launch date, just ahead of the summer vacation season, is strategically timed to capture peak family travel demand. China Railway explicitly cited “adapting to the needs of family travel and parent-child tourism” as the motivation behind the expansion.
The move aligns with China’s broader policy goals of railway-tourism integration (铁旅融合发展) and service consumption expansion. By making family travel more affordable, the policy is expected to boost domestic tourism, particularly to destinations served by the 26 pass products.
China Railway has indicated it will continue to expand the tourism pass system to more routes and stations, and will seek passenger feedback to further improve its product offerings. The expansion of child eligibility marks another step in the evolution of China’s railway ticketing system toward greater flexibility and affordability for all passenger segments.