Starting January 19, China Railway 12306 (including its website and mobile app) has introduced a time-limited free refund service for passengers who mistakenly purchase tickets.

When purchasing tickets for domestic trains (including those departing from or arriving at West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong) for travel on February 2 or later via the Railway 12306 platform (using electronic payment or points redemption), if a mistaken purchase occurs, passengers may cancel the ticket online free of charge within 30 minutes after successful payment and at least four hours before the scheduled departure. For tickets purchased using electronic payment, the fare will be refunded through the original payment channel. For tickets bought with reward points, the points will be fully reinstated, with no change to their validity period. Each passenger is eligible for only one free mistaken-purchase refund per calendar day. This service does not apply to ticket rescheduling, advance reservations, or waitlisted bookings.

Currently, the railway authorities implement a tiered refund policy, under which refunds processed within the free refund period do not count toward the quota for free mistaken-purchase refunds. Additionally, for tickets mistakenly purchased at station ticket counters, passengers must raise the issue on the spot, and staff will promptly assist in issuing a replacement ticket.

(Source: China Railway)