According to China Railway Shanghai Group Co., Ltd., la 2024 Spring Festival travel period will run from January 26 to March 5, spanning 40 journées.
Following the current railway ticket pre-sale rules (15 days in advance), the first day of the 2024 Spring Festival travel, Janvier 12, will mark the official start of train ticket sales.
The Spring Festival holiday will be from February 10 (Nouvelle année’s jour) à février 17 (Lantern Festival), lasting 8 journées. Following the ticket pre-sale rules, tickets for February 7 (the 28th day of the twelfth month) will be available on January 24, tickets for February 8 (the 29th day of the twelfth month) on Janury 25, and tickets for February 9 (Nouvelle année’Ève) en janvier 26.
For the return journey during the holiday, tickets will be available from February 3 (the 8th day of the first month) onwards, allowing passengers to plan and purchase tickets in advance.
For online ticket purchases (via the 12306 application mobile), the railway department advises passengers to pay attention to the starting time, as it varies between different stations.
Passengers can check the specific ticket sale time for their station under the « Information Query » section on the 12306 official website. En plus, passengers should be prepared for payment, as online ticket purchases require completion within 30 minutes, and tickets will be automatically canceled if the payment is not made on time. Passengers who miss out on tickets initially can use the « Standby Ticket Purchase » feature on the 12306 website or mobile app.
Ce’s important to note that the railway department has introduced various services to enhance passenger experience. These include the full implementation of electronic ticketing for on-site and on-train ticket supplementation, improving the 12306 notification mechanism for timely updates on train cancellations and changes, and the removal of restrictions on student discount ticket purchases during winter and summer vacations, allowing up to four discounted tickets to be purchased at any time during the school year.
Regarding ticket discounts and extended services, the railway department has expanded the scope and amount of discounts for off-peak direction train tickets. For tickets canceled due to railway responsibilities or force majeure, combined tickets can be processed for a refund without additional fees.
The railway department emphasizes that the current child ticket regulations are based on age, with children subject to real-name management. Children aged 6 to less than 14, traveling with adults, should purchase child discount tickets. Those aged 14 and above should purchase full-price tickets.
Each ticketed adult passenger can bring one child under 6 ans, not occupying a separate seat, for free. If there are more children, child discount tickets should be purchased.
