Seniors can now book train tickets by phone

Seniors can now book train tickets by phone. This new service arrives as China prepares for the Spring Festival travel rush, the world’s largest annual migration.

A cartoon image generated by Doubao AI.

This year, the 40-day rush period begins on Feb. 2, ahead of the Lunar New Year on Feb. 15. 

While the tradition sees many young workers journeying home for family reunions, a noticeable counter-trend has also emerged, with increasing numbers of parents traveling to major cities to visit their children.

To assist passengers aged 60 and above, railway authorities have introduced a dedicated phone-booking service alongside existing online options. Here’s how it works:

Registered seniors can call 12306 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. By pressing “1,” they will be connected to a staff member who can check schedules and ticket availability. The passenger must provide their ID and contact information during the call.

If tickets are available, the staffer will notify the caller and offer both online and offline payment options. The caller can either pay by clicking a link sent via SMS or complete the transaction at any railway ticket window by presenting their ID and the reservation number from the text message.

Please note: reservations will be canceled if payment is not completed within a set time.