Trip.com Service Fee Guide for Chongqing Travel: Calculate, Refund & Save
- cometodolphinunion
- Sep 18
- 7 min read
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)

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.
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.
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.”
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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