Buying several tickets in one order improves the chance of adjacent seats, but it is not a promise. On a busy train, the system may use whatever seats remain. Check every passenger’s carriage, row and letter as soon as the tickets are issued.
Before you book
- Add every passenger with the correct passport before searching.
- Book the group in one transaction where the platform allows it.
- Use any visible seat-preference option, but read whether it is a request or a guarantee.
- Avoid splitting the group across different booking platforms unless availability leaves no alternative.
- If sitting together is essential, compare a later train with better availability before accepting scattered seats.
Read the seat pattern
Do not judge by seat letters alone. Confirm the carriage and row first. Seats 12A and 12B are together only if both are in the same carriage. A booking can place one passenger in Carriage 03 and another in Carriage 13.
When tickets have already been issued separately
- Check whether the booking platform allows a change without cancelling all passengers.
- If alternative seats are visible, compare the change fee and ticket availability before touching the original tickets.
- At the station, ask a staffed ticket window whether seats can be changed. Arrive early; do not try this during final boarding.
- After boarding, ask the conductor before moving luggage or occupying another seat.
我们想坐在一起，请问可以帮我们换座吗？
Pronunciation: Women xiang zuo zai yiqi, qingwen keyi bang women huanzuo ma?
We would like to sit together. Could you please help us change seats?
Traveling with children
Confirm whether each child has an assigned seat. China Railway’s child-ticket rules distinguish between a free child ticket without a reserved seat and a paid child ticket with a seat. Do not assume a young child automatically receives a separate seat.
Place one adult beside a child where possible. If the issued seats make that impossible, speak to station staff or the conductor before departure rather than negotiating after everyone has settled.
If your group is in different carriages
Agree on where to meet after arrival before boarding. Mobile service can drop in tunnels. Each person should keep their own passport, ticket details and destination address rather than putting everything on one phone.
FAQ
Can I choose an exact seat on 12306?
Available preference tools depend on the train and inventory. A preference is not useful if the requested seats are already gone.
Should I cancel and rebook?
Not until you confirm replacement inventory and the refund cost. On a popular route, the original seats can disappear before the new booking is secured.
Can we stand together between carriages?
Do not block doors or passageways. Sit in the assigned seats and ask train staff for help.
Official information to check
For station navigation, use the platform, carriage and seat walkthrough.