The Spring Festival Travel Rush is China's largest annual human migration. Every year during this period, hundreds of millions of people leave the cities where they work and return to their hometowns to reunite with their families for the Chinese New Year. The travel rush not only reflects people's desire for family reunion, but also highlights the strong family-centered traditions and cultural customs associated with the Spring Festival in China.
Tickets for the first day of the 2026 Spring Festival Travel Rush (February 2) officially went on sale on January 19. Passengers can purchase tickets via the official website or mobile app of Railway 12306, or at railway station ticket counters.
Recently, railway authorities have introduced several new passenger-friendly measures, including limited-time full ticket refunds for mistaken purchases and the addition of more "quiet carriages".
Starting January 19, a limited-time full refund service for mistaken ticket purchases has been available on the Railway 12306 platforms (including the website and the mobile app).
Passengers who purchase tickets through the Railway 12306 platforms using electronic payment or reward points for passenger trains running within the Chinese mainland or cross-boundary trains to/from West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong SAR, with departure dates on or after February 2, may request a full online refund if a mistaken purchase occurs. The refund must be applied within 30 minutes of payment confirmation and at least 4 hours before departure.
Refunds for electronic payments will be returned to the original payment method. For tickets bought with reward points, the points will be fully credited back, with no change to their validity periods. Each passenger may apply for such a refund for only one order per calendar day. This service does not apply to ticket rescheduling, reservations, or waitlisted bookings.
Currently, the railway authorities implement a tiered refund policy. Refunds processed within the full refund period do not affect passengers’ eligibility for mistaken-purchase refunds. Additionally, for tickets mistakenly purchased at station ticket counters, passengers must report on the spot, and staff will promptly assist them in issuing new tickets.
Starting February 1, the quiet carriage service will be extended to all D-series and G-series electric multiple unit (EMU) trains except for sleeper EMU trains. This will bring the total number of trains offering the service nationwide to over 8,000.
A quiet carriage refers to a designated train carriage where the volume of on-board audio and visual broadcasts is limited, and passengers are encouraged to maintain a quiet environment. By providing a more peaceful journey, the service caters to passengers' diverse travel needs and enhances their travel experience. Trains with quiet carriage service are marked with the Chinese character "静" (Quiet) on the ticketing interface of the Railway 12306 platforms, and passengers must agree to the quiet carriage terms before purchasing tickets.
(Sources: Beijing Daily, China Railway)
