Foreigners’ Guide to Chinese Holiday Train Tickets: 12306 Hacks + Trip.com Prep

Every foreign friend I bring to Chongqing gushes about its 8D quirks—trains zipping through apartment buildings, stairs that spiral up to the 10th floor—but as someone who’s lived here 30 years (and helped 200+ expats plan trips over 8 years), I know the real holiday headache isn’t the crowds: it’s losing out on train tickets to spots like Dazu Rock Carvings or the Three Gorges.​

Spring Festival (Chunyun), National Day, even Mid-Autumn Festival—these tickets vanish in minutes. Last year, my Canadian friend spent 3 days hitting “refresh” on 12306, only to find zero seats left for his Wushan trip. That’s why I built this guide: to break down 12306’s secret ticket-release patterns, teach you how to snag tickets fast, and show you how to use Trip.com’s 30-day advance booking wisely. No more missed trips—this is exactly how I help my friends lock in tickets every time.​ （Foreigners’ Chinese holiday train guide）

Guide to Chinese Holiday Train Tickets

1. Why Holiday Train Tickets to Chongqing Are So Hard to Get – Foreigners’ Chongqing holiday train guide​

Before we dive into hacks, let’s talk about why tickets disappear so quickly. It’s not just tourists—locals travel en masse for holidays, and everyone’s fighting for spots on 12306.​

• Chunyun (Spring Festival): China’s biggest travel rush—1.5 billion trips in 40 days. Trains from Chongqing to nearby spots like Dazu sell out in 2 minutes flat.​

• National Day (Oct 1–7): Families hit the road, so tickets to scenic spots (Wushan, Yichang) are gone by 8:05 AM.​

• My Experience: Last Spring Festival, I helped my Brazilian friend book a Wushan train. We set alarms for 7:50 AM, refreshed 12306 at 8 AM sharp, and grabbed the last two seats. If we’d been 10 seconds late, he would’ve had to cancel his trip.​

2. 12306 Holiday Ticket Rules Foreigners Need to Know – Foreigners’ Chongqing holiday train guide​

12306 doesn’t release tickets at random—there’s a clear pattern. Learn these rules, and you’ll beat 90% of other travelers.​

2.1 When 12306 Releases Holiday Tickets (Key Timing!)​

• Regular Dates: Tickets go on sale 15 days before departure (e.g., book a Jan 20 train on Jan 5).​

• Holiday Dates: For Chunyun/National Day, 12306 releases tickets 20–30 days early. They announce the exact date 1 week prior—follow their official WeChat or website.​

• Release Time by Station:​

• Chongqing North Station (to Wushan/Yichang): 8:00 AM​

• Chongqing West Station (to Dazu): 10:00 AM​

• Chongqing Station (old town): 12:00 PM​

• Pro Tip: Set two alarms—one for 10 minutes before release, one for 1 minute before. I do this for all my friends—no one’s ever slept through ticket time.​

2.2 “Hidden” Ticket Releases (Second Chance!)​

• Why It Works: 12306 releases unused tickets (from canceled bookings) 1–2 days before departure. This is your backup if you missed the first sale.​

• Timing for Second Releases:​

• Morning: 6:00–8:00 AM (most people cancel tickets overnight)​

• Evening: 20:00–22:00 PM (another peak for cancellations)​

• Personal Story: My French friend missed the first ticket sale for his National Day Dazu trip. He set alarms for 7 AM and 9 PM, and the night before departure, he found a seat—saved his whole itinerary.​

2.3 Avoid These 12306 Holiday Mistakes​

• Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi: It’s too slow—12306 will crash before you click “book.” Use your phone’s 5G or a fast hotel Wi-Fi.​

• Don’t Wait to Pay: Once you pick a ticket, you have 15 minutes to pay. Hesitate, and it goes back to the pool. I’ve seen friends spend 20 minutes hunting for their credit card—too late!​

• Don’t Book the Wrong Station: Chongqing has 3 main stations—mix them up, and you’ll miss your train. Example: Dazu = Chongqing West Station, Wushan = Chongqing North Station.​

3. 12306 Holiday Ticket Hacks for Foreigners – Foreigners’ Chongqing holiday train guide​

These are the tricks I use to get tickets for my friends. They’re simple, but they work every time.​

3.1 Use the “Backup Station” Trick​

• How It Works: If tickets to your target station (e.g., Wushan) are sold out, book a ticket to the next station (e.g., Wushan East) and get off early. You’ll pay a little extra, but you’ll have a seat.​

• Example: Last Chunyun, my friend wanted to go to Dazu, but tickets were gone. We booked a ticket to Dazu South (¥10 more), and he got off at Dazu—no one checked, and it was easy.​

• Pro Tip: Check the train route on 12306 first—make sure your target station is before the backup (you can’t get off at a station the train hasn’t passed!).​

3.2 Enable “Auto-Refresh” (Third-Party Tools)​

• Why It Helps: Manual refreshing is too slow. Use apps like “Railway 12306 Helper” (available on Android/iOS) to auto-refresh for tickets.​

• How to Set It Up:​

• Download the app and log in to your 12306 account.​

• Enter your trip details (from Chongqing to Dazu, date).​

• Set auto-refresh to “every 5 seconds” (max speed without getting blocked).​

• Warning: Don’t set it to refresh every 1 second—12306 will block your account for 24 hours. I learned this the hard way with my Australian friend!​

3.3 Book “Standby Tickets” (Last Resort)​

• What It Is: When all seated tickets are sold out, 12306 sells “Standby Tickets” (无座票)—these have no assigned seat, so you’ll stand for the whole trip. They’re only for short journeys (1–2 hours max).​

• Price: 70% of a second-class seat (e.g., ¥120 seat → ¥84 standby ticket).​

• Best For: Short trips like Chongqing to Dazu (1 hour). It’s tiring, but better than missing the trip.​

• Personal Story: My UK friend once took a standby ticket to Dazu during National Day. He stood near the door, leaned against the wall, and said, “It was uncomfortable, but seeing the rock carvings made it worth it.”​

• Pro Tip: Bring a small folding stool (you can buy one for ¥20 at Chongqing’s train stations)—it’s a lifesaver for standby tickets. Avoid standby tickets for trips over 2 hours (like Chongqing to Yichang)—you’ll be too tired to enjoy your destination.​

4. Trip.com 30-Day Advance Booking: Tips for Foreigners – Foreigners’ Chongqing holiday train guide​

Trip.com lets you book holiday train tickets 30 days early (15 days sooner than 12306), but there are catches. Here’s how to use it without getting scammed.​

4.1 How Trip.com’s 30-Day Booking Works​

• Timing: Trip.com opens booking 30 days before departure for holidays. They collect your info, then wait until 12306 releases tickets (15–20 days early) to book on your behalf.​

• Fees: They charge a ¥20–¥50 “booking service fee” (on top of the regular ticket fee). It’s pricey, but worth it if you can’t wake up for 12306’s 8 AM release.​

• Avoid This: Don’t book “guaranteed tickets” on Trip.com—they charge an extra ¥100+, but there’s no real guarantee. My cousin paid for it once and still didn’t get a seat.​

4.2 Key Tips for Trip.com Holiday Booking​

• Enter Correct Info: Trip.com needs your passport number and 12306-verified name. A typo (e.g., “John” vs “Jon”) will invalidate your ticket. Double-check!​

• Choose “Instant Notification”: Trip.com will text/email you the second they book your ticket. If they can’t get it, they’ll refund your money within 3 days.​

• Personal Story: My Italian friend hates early mornings, so he used Trip.com’s 30-day booking for National Day. He paid a ¥30 fee, got his ticket 2 weeks later, and didn’t have to set an alarm—total win.​

4.3 When to Pick Trip.com Over 12306​

• You Hate Early Mornings: 12306 releases tickets at 8 AM, but Trip.com books for you 24/7.​

• You’re Booking for a Group: Trip.com can book 4+ tickets at once—12306 often splits group bookings.​

• You Don’t Speak Chinese: Trip.com’s English interface is smoother than 12306’s (even though 12306 has English now).​

Final Recommendation: My Go-To Guide for Chongqing Holiday Trips​

I spent 2 months helping put together DolphinUnion’s Chongqing guide—even I use it when my foreign friends visit, because it has all the little details I can’t fit in this blog. The guide has a 12306 holiday ticket release calendar (with exact times for 2024 Chunyun/National Day) and a list of trusted third-party apps (that won’t block your 12306 account)—two exclusive tips you won’t find here.

Chongqing 144-hours citywalk E-guide

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Last week, a reader from Canada messaged me. He’d tried to book a Spring Festival train to Wushan for 2 years and failed. After using my 12306 backup station trick and auto-refresh tip, he got tickets for him and his family. He said, “We finally got to see the Three Gorges—thank you for making it possible!”

Chongqing An 144-Hour Adventure Through World Heritage Sites

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If you don’t want to miss out on Chongqing’s best spots during holidays, or worry about fighting for train tickets, grab our DolphinUnion guide. It’s like having a local friend with you the whole time—no more stress, no more missed trips. You’ll lock in tickets easily, save money on fees, and focus on enjoying Chongqing’s holiday magic (like Spring Festival night markets or National Day fireworks).