What to Do When Train Tickets Are Sold Out?

It Is Convenient to Travel Around China by High-Speed Train, but in many cases, your preferred train tickets might show as unavailable — that doesn't always mean they're sold out for good. They may become available soon. Keep reading to learn how to determine the real ticket availability and what you can do if they’re genuinely sold out.

Confirm the Train Tickets' Actual Availability

In most situations, when Train Spread or other platforms show your preferred train tickets as “sold out,” the tickets may not have actually sold out. Often, the tickets simply haven’t been released yet by China Railway. So how can you tell the real status? Here are some ways to check:

1. Check the Same Train for the Previous Few Days

For example, if you plan to take train G1 on May 20, and the website shows it’s sold out, we recommend checking the availability for G1 on May 17, 18, and 19.

If tickets are available on these days, there’s a high chance they’ll be available on May 20 as well.

If May 20 is a Friday, also check the previous Friday, since weekends typically see higher travel demand. If tickets are available last Friday (May 13), this Friday (May 20) will probably be similar.

2. Check the Availability from the Starting Station

Sometimes tickets for your segment of the route aren't available yet because the starting station has a later ticket release time.

For instance, if you’re booking G1 from Station B to Station C, and tickets at B are supposed to release at 10:00, you might still not see them available — because Station A, the train’s origin, releases tickets at 13:00.

In this case, you’ll need to wait until the release time at the starting station. This is more common when the starting station is a major city, which usually handles more passenger volume.

3. Tickets from Some Stations Are Released Later Than Official Schedule

Although China Railway publishes official release times, not all tickets are posted exactly on time. For example, tickets from Guilin to Hong Kong are often released four days later than the official date.

If you’re unsure whether your train follows this pattern, please feel free to ask us — we’re happy to help.

4. China Railway Prioritizes Booking for Certain Trains

China Railway sometimes prefers that certain trains get fully booked first, so they may release tickets for these trains earlier than others. Once these trains are mostly or completely booked, tickets for other trains will then be released.

This strategy helps China Railway maximize revenue, as the preferred trains are often more profitable or have higher demand.

5. Check If Your Travel Date Falls on a Public Holiday

China has several public holidays during which train tickets sell out extremely fast, especially during:

• Chinese New Year (late January or early February)
• National Day Holiday (September 30 to October 7)

If your trip falls on these dates and the website shows "sold out," it most likely means the tickets are truly sold out.

What to Do If Your Preferred Train Tickets Are Really Sold Out?

1. Take a Transfer

If direct train tickets to your destination are unavailable, consider taking a connecting route.

Example: Guilin to Hong Kong direct tickets often sell out quickly. Instead, consider: Guilin → Guangzhou → Hong Kong. There are only 3 direct trains from Guilin to Hong Kong daily, but:

• 70 trains run from Guilin to Guangzhou
• 40 trains run from Guangzhou to Hong Kong

More trains = more chances to get tickets. Sometimes, this transfer option is even cheaper than a direct ticket!

It is recommended to book the arrival station of your first train as the departure station for your second train, and allow at least 30 minutes for the transfer.

If your second train departs from a different station than where your first train arrives, please feel free to ask us how much time you should plan for the station transfer. We’ll be happy to assist!

2. Add to the Waiting List

If tickets are not available, China Railway allows passengers to join a waiting list. If you’d like us to add you, please send us photos of your passports. Once added, the system shows the probability of getting a ticket. To improve your chance, it is recommended to add multiple trains and seat types/ You only pay for the highest-priced seat. If you get a cheaper one, the difference is refunded.

3. Buy a Longer Trip and Get On Later

Tickets for longer routes are often available even when shorter segments are sold out.

Example: If the train goes Shanghai → Hangzhou → Huangshan, but Hangzhou → Huangshan tickets are sold out, you can Buy Shanghai → Huangshan and board the train at Hangzhou.

Note: You may lose part of the fare for the unused segment.

4. Wait for Canceled Tickets

Sometimes passengers cancel their bookings. These canceled tickets often appear online again at the top of the hour or half past. We recommend refreshing our website around these times to catch them.

5. Watch for Temporary Trains

During peak travel times like the Spring Festival and National Day, China Railway adds temporary trains. These are usually released just a week before departure, so it’s best to check our site daily.

Note: Temporary trains only run during holidays, not on regular days.

6. Buy Tickets at the Train Station

Some tickets are only sold at physical ticket offices, especially in remote areas where online booking is less common. If you don’t find tickets online, you can try your luck at your departure station’s ticket office. Most Chinese domestic passengers buy their tickets online, so you usually won’t have to wait long if you choose to purchase tickets at a ticket office.

7. Consider Bus, Taxi, or Flight

If none of the above methods work, consider Long-distance bus, taxi or private transfer, or flights — sometimes, discounted flight tickets are cheaper than train tickets.

Extra Tips

• Do NOT trust ticket scalpers - Anyone offering tickets at a high price is likely scamming. You cannot pay extra to secure train tickets in China.
• Buy a shorter trip and extend onboard (only in emergencies) - During typhoon season (June–July), many trains get canceled last-minute. You can buy a ticket for a train that takes you closer to your destination. Then ask a train staff member to extend the trip onboard. This method only works in emergency situations, like severe weather.

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