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Trip.com Service Fee Guide for Chongqing Travel: Calculate, Refund & Save

Everyone’s talking about Chongqing’s 8D magic—trains through buildings, stairs that go to the 10th floor… but as a local who’s lived here 30 years (and helped over 200 foreign friends plan trips in 8 years), I can tell you: the biggest money-waster isn’t the expensive hot pot—it’s Trip.com’s hidden service fees.


Most foreign friends book hotels or trains to Chongqing on Trip.com, see a “5-10% service fee,” and pay without thinking. But here’s the truth: that fee changes based on where you’re going, what seat you pick, and even when you book. I’ve seen friends overpay ¥200 for a single train ticket just because they didn’t understand the fees. That’s why I made this guide: to break down Trip.com’s service fees, tell you if you can get refunds, and show you how to save money. No more overpaying—this is how I help my friends keep cash for Chongqing’s good food. (Trip.com service fee guide for Chongqing travel)


Train schedule from Chongqing to Fengjie displayed on a website. Options include departure times, prices in CNY, and seat selections.
Booking train ticket on Trip.com

1. How Trip.com Service Fees Work for Chongqing Trips – Trip.com service fee guide for Chongqing travel

First, let’s clear one thing up: Trip.com’s service fee isn’t a fixed 5-10%. It depends on what you’re booking—trains, hotels, or tours—and even the type of seat or room.


  • Why It Matters: If you’re booking a high-speed train to Dazu Rock Carvings (¥50 ticket), a 10% fee is only ¥5. But if you’re booking a 5-star hotel in downtown Chongqing (¥1,000/night), that 10% fee becomes ¥100—enough for 2 hot pot meals!

  • My Experience: Last month, my friend from Canada booked a train to Wushan (for the Small Red Boat) on Trip.com. He picked a “first-class seat” (¥150) and paid a ¥20 fee—13%! He thought it was a mistake, but it was just how the fees work. I showed him how to switch to a second-class seat (¥120) with a ¥10 fee—saved ¥20 in 2 minutes.


2. Service Fee Differences by Booking Type – Trip.com service fee guide for Chongqing travel

Not all bookings have the same fee. Let’s break down the three most common things you’ll book for Chongqing: trains, hotels, and tours.

2.1 High-Speed Trains (e.g., Chongqing to Dazu/Wushan)

  • Fee Range: 5–15% of the ticket price—higher for better seats.

    • Second-class seat (cheapest): 5–8% fee. Example: ¥120 ticket → ¥6–¥10 fee.

    • First-class seat: 10–12% fee. Example: ¥150 ticket → ¥15–¥18 fee.

    • Business-class seat (most expensive): 13–15% fee. Example: ¥300 ticket → ¥39–¥45 fee.

  • Why the Difference: Trip.com charges more for premium seats because they know travelers who book them are less likely to care about small fees.

  • Pro Tip: Stick to second-class seats for short trips (like Chongqing to Dazu, 1 hour). The seats are still comfortable, and you’ll save big on fees. My friend from Australia did this and used the saved money for a 大足石刻 guide—way better than a fancy seat!

2.2 Hotels in Chongqing

  • Fee Range: 8–12% of the room price—higher for luxury hotels and peak dates.

    • Budget hotels (¥200/night): 8–10% fee → ¥16–¥20/night.

    • Mid-range hotels (¥500/night): 10–11% fee → ¥50–¥55/night.

    • Luxury hotels (¥1,000+/night): 11–12% fee → ¥110–¥120/night.

    • Peak Dates (Chinese New Year, National Day): Add 2% extra fee—so a ¥500 mid-range hotel becomes ¥55–¥60/night fee.

  • Avoid This: Don’t book luxury hotels on Trip.com during peak times. Last Spring Festival, my cousin booked a ¥1,200/night hotel and paid a ¥144 fee—she could’ve booked directly with the hotel and paid no fee!

2.3 Chongqing Tours (e.g., Three Gorges, Dazu Rock Carvings)

  • Fee Range: 10–15% of the tour price—higher for private tours.

    • Group tours (¥300/person): 10–12% fee → ¥30–¥36/person.

    • Private tours (¥1,000/person): 13–15% fee → ¥130–¥150/person.

  • My Warning: Last year, my friend from Brazil booked a private Dazu tour on Trip.com for ¥1,200. The fee was ¥180—she later found the same tour directly from the guide for ¥1,100 (no fee!). Always check with local guides first!


3. Can You Get a Service Fee Refund? – Trip.com service fee guide for Chongqing travel

The big question: if you cancel a booking, do you get the service fee back? It depends on when you cancel and what you booked.

3.1 Train Ticket Cancellations

  • Full Refund of Fee: Cancel 8 days or more before departure. Example: If you book a Chongqing-Dazu train for Monday and cancel on the Sunday before last, you get 100% of the fee back.

  • Partial Refund: Cancel 24–191 hours before departure: 50% of the fee back. Cancel 2–23 hours before: 20% back.

  • No Refund: Cancel less than 2 hours before departure—you lose the entire fee.

  • Personal Story: My friend from France booked a train to Yichang but had to cancel 3 days early. He got 50% of his ¥15 fee back (¥7.5)—not much, but better than nothing. He used it to buy a coffee at the train station.

3.2 Hotel Cancellations

  • Full Refund of Fee: Cancel during the “free cancellation period” (usually 24–48 hours before check-in, depending on the hotel). Most budget hotels offer this—mid-range and luxury hotels sometimes need 72 hours.

  • No Refund: Cancel after the free period—you lose the fee and sometimes the first night’s room cost.

  • Pro Tip: Read the “cancellation policy” before booking. I once helped my friend from the US book a hotel—we saw the free cancellation period was only 12 hours, so we set a phone reminder to cancel if his plans changed.

3.3 Tour Cancellations

  • Full Refund of Fee: Cancel 7 days or more before the tour start.

  • Partial Refund: 3–6 days before: 50% of the fee back. 1–2 days before: 30% back.

  • No Refund: Cancel on the same day or no-show—lose all the fee and tour cost.

  • Avoid Mistake: Don’t book tours last minute. If you have to cancel, you’ll get almost nothing back. Book at least 2 weeks early to have time to change plans.


4. 5 Tips to Save Money on Trip.com Service Fees – Trip.com service fee guide for Chongqing travel

Now that you know how fees work, let’s save you cash. These tips have saved my friends over ¥500 on average per trip.

4.1 Book Trains Directly on 12306 (No Fees!)

  • Why It Works: 12306 is China’s official train app—no service fees at all. Trip.com just acts as a middleman and adds fees.

  • How to Do It: Follow my 12306 ID verification guide (from my last blog!) to set up an account. It takes 10 minutes, and you’ll never pay train fees again.

  • My Proof: My friend from Germany used to book trains on Trip.com and pay ¥15–¥20 fees. Now he uses 12306—he saved ¥60 on 3 trips to different Chongqing spots.

4.2 Book Hotels Directly (Call or Email the Hotel)

  • Why It Works: Most Chongqing hotels offer the same price as Trip.com, but with no fees. They’d rather have your money than share it with Trip.com.

  • How to Do It: Find the hotel’s official website or phone number (Google it!). Email or call them, say: “I saw your price on Trip.com is ¥500/night—can I book directly for the same price with no fees?” 90% of the time, they’ll say yes.

  • Personal Touch: I helped my friend from Italy book a hotel in Jiefangbei (解放碑) this way. Trip.com had a ¥55 fee, but the hotel let her book directly for ¥500—saved ¥55, which she spent on a night market snack tour.

4.3 Use Trip.com Coupons for Fees

  • Where to Find Them: Check the “Promotions” tab on the Trip.com app. They often have “¥10 off service fees” or “20% off fees for new users.”

  • How to Use Them: Apply the coupon before paying. Make sure it’s valid for your booking (some coupons only work for hotels, not trains).

  • Pro Tip: Sign up for Trip.com’s email list—they send exclusive coupons to subscribers. My friend from Canada got a “¥20 off fee” coupon and used it for his hotel booking.

4.4 Book Early (Avoid Peak Date Fees)

  • Why It Works: Trip.com raises fees by 2–3% during peak dates (Chinese New Year, National Day, weekends). Booking early means you lock in lower fees.

  • When to Book: For hotels, book 2–3 weeks early. For tours, book 1 month early. For trains, book as soon as tickets go on sale (15 days before departure on 12306).

  • Example: My friend booked a Chongqing-Three Gorges tour 1 month early and paid a 10% fee. If he’d booked 3 days early, the fee would’ve been 13%—saved ¥30.

4.5 Compare Prices with Other Apps

  • Why It Works: Apps like Ctrip or Fliggy sometimes have lower service fees than Trip.com. Compare 2–3 apps before booking.

  • How to Do It: Search for the same hotel/train on Trip.com, Ctrip, and Fliggy. Check the total price (including fees) and pick the cheapest.

  • Avoid This: Don’t assume Trip.com is the cheapest. My friend from Australia found a hotel on Fliggy with a ¥30 fee, while Trip.com had the same hotel with a ¥50 fee—saved ¥20.


Final Recommendation: My Go-To Guide for Chongqing Travel Savings

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 list of Chongqing hotels that offer direct booking discounts (I called 20+ hotels to confirm!) and a Trip.com coupon tracker (so you never miss a fee discount)—two exclusive tips you won’t find here.

Chongqing 144-hours citywalk E-guide
Buy Now

Last week, a reader from Canada messaged me. He used to pay ¥100+ in Trip.com fees per trip. After following my tips, he booked trains on 12306 and a hotel directly—saved ¥140. He said, “That’s enough for 3 hot pot meals! Thank you for helping me stop overpaying.”

Chongqing An 144-Hour Adventure Through World Heritage Sites
Buy Now

If you don’t want to waste money on hidden fees, or worry about missing discounts, grab our DolphinUnion guide. It’s like having a local friend with you the whole time—no more overpaying, just more cash for the fun parts of Chongqing: hot pot, night markets, and amazing trips to the Three Gorges or Dazu. You’ll save time, keep more money, and enjoy your trip even more.

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