China Railway Pilots 60-Day Advance Ticket Booking Service

China’s railway authorities have launched a pilot program allowing passengers to book train tickets up to 60 days in advance on the Beijing-Shanghai corridor, a move designed to ease travel planning during the peak summer season. The service, reported by People’s Daily, takes effect on July 20, 2026, and covers more than 200 trains on both the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway and the parallel conventional railway.

How the Reservation System Works

Under the new system, passengers can submit reservation requests through the 12306 mobile app’s dedicated “预约购票” (Reservation Booking) section between 60 days and 17 days before departure. The system then fulfills these orders between 20 days and 16 days before departure, according to Xinhua News Agency.

A transition period runs from July 20 to August 29, during which passengers can sequentially reserve tickets for September 15 and later dates. From August 30 onward, the service will operate normally, allowing routine bookings 60 to 17 days in advance. Reservation requests for 60 days ahead can be submitted starting at 8:00 a.m. daily.

Each 12306 account can have up to three pending reservation orders simultaneously, with each order accommodating up to 19 passengers. Orders can include up to three “precise reservations” — where passengers select specific train numbers, seat classes, and prices — and two “fuzzy reservations” across two consecutive days, allowing the system more flexibility in matching, as detailed by CCTV News.

Smart Allocation and Fairness Measures

The 12306 system uses a “long-distance priority, balancing medium and short-distance” principle combined with a “first-come, first-served” approach for intelligent ticket allocation. The system draws on historical data and artificial intelligence to optimize distribution, prioritizing long-distance travelers while accommodating shorter trips.

To ensure fair access, the system employs facial recognition and SMS verification codes. Accounts that accumulate three successful reservations that go unpaid — or are canceled after successful fulfillment — within 30 days will have their reservation function suspended for 90 days. Successful reservations must be paid by 11:00 p.m. on the day of fulfillment confirmation, or the order is automatically canceled.

Market Reform and Operational Efficiency

China State Railway Group has framed the pilot as a significant step in the market-oriented reform of railway passenger transport. “Implementing reservation-based ticketing helps the railway department proactively understand passenger travel demand, scientifically allocate transport capacity resources, and achieve ‘operating trains on demand,’” a spokesperson from the China State Railway Group Passenger Service Center told People’s Daily.

The railway operator gains better demand visibility through the reservation system, enabling more efficient train scheduling and capacity allocation. By understanding passenger needs earlier, the railway can adjust train compositions and schedules to better match supply with actual demand.

Background and Evolution

China’s railway ticketing system has undergone significant transformation over the past decade and a half. The 12306 online platform launched in 2011, replacing a system reliant on station counters and ticketing agents. The standard advance purchase period has fluctuated over the years — set at 30 days from 2014 to 2020, shortened to 15 days during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now supplemented by this new reservation-based approach.

The Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, which opened in 2011, is one of China’s busiest and most profitable rail routes, connecting the capital with the country’s financial hub. Choosing this corridor for the pilot ensures maximum impact and real-world testing under high-demand conditions.

What’s Next

If successful on the Beijing-Shanghai corridor, the reservation service could expand to other major routes nationwide. The railway department has indicated it will continuously monitor the pilot’s performance, gather passenger feedback, and refine the system’s functionality and service rules. Key questions remain about how the reservation system will interact with the existing pre-sale system during peak periods such as the Spring Festival travel rush, and what specific metrics will determine the pilot’s success.

For now, passengers traveling between Beijing and Shanghai this summer have a new tool at their disposal — one that offers significantly more time to plan and secure tickets on one of the world’s busiest rail corridors.