High Speed Train Booking at Trip(dot)com

Question

Hello, please help me answer this question.

It is said that you can only book the ticket 15 days in advance. And it sells out fast at holiday season (chinese new year, golden week etc).

I will be in China around June-July and it is considered summer holiday.

It is hard to secure the high speed train ticket at that time? I have check the Trip(dot)com apps and even at chinese new year (peak of the peak season), there were many tickets available for sale. I assume in summer, the availability is much easier to book.

What do you think?

Answer

In China, high-speed train tickets can generally be booked up to 15-30 days in advance, depending on the train and the platform you use. Trip.com and other third-party platforms often allow online bookings for most routes, sometimes with slightly extended advance periods compared to official Chinese railway websites.

Regarding ticket availability in June-July:

This period coincides with the summer holidays for schools in China, so it is considered a moderately busy travel season, though not as intense as Chinese New Year or Golden Week.
Major city-to-city routes, such as Beijing-Shanghai, Shanghai-Xi’an, or Chengdu-Chongqing, can sell out quickly during weekends and peak travel days.
Less popular or regional routes are generally easier to book, even during this period.

Based on your observations that tickets were available even during Chinese New Year on Trip.com, it is reasonable to assume that high-speed train tickets in June-July should be more manageable to secure, especially if you plan and book early (as soon as the 15-day window opens).

Additional tips:

Try to be flexible with travel times, as early morning or late evening trains may have more availability.
Use the Trip.com app or website to monitor availability and book immediately when the booking window opens.
Consider alternative nearby stations if your preferred train is sold out, as this can improve your chances of securing tickets.

In summary, while summer is a busy travel period, it is not as extreme as the official Chinese holiday periods, and securing tickets on popular routes should be feasible with timely planning.