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12306 - to buy train tickets - need some guidance

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  1. #11

    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    6,177

    Update: So I entered two 回鄉證 as a test, both with their +852 mobile number and both got an instant verification.

    For my passport I got a phone number verification (I used my China number), but the document verification has still a read flag and there is something like "need to go to the trains station to get it verified".

    Any passport holder knows if that is normal way? And I wonder if that can be done in Hong Kong? Or how do do in China? Just go to a ticket counter or how?


  2. #12

    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    1,548

    For the first time user with foreign passport, you need to goto the counter and get ur ID verified. After that you can purchase ticket using app.

    Ticketing FAQ 12. How does passenger "to be verified" with foreign passports in the My Passengers List pick up paper ticket?
    After buying tickets for a passenger "to be verified" with foreign passports in the My Passengers List on
    12306.n, you need to take the valid original passport used to buy the ticket to the ticket counter at the station for ID verification. When the status has been changed to "ready to be verified," you can pick up the paper ticket.

    Quote Originally Posted by flameproof:
    Update: So I entered two 回鄉證 as a test, both with their +852 mobile number and both got an instant verification.

    For my passport I got a phone number verification (I used my China number), but the document verification has still a read flag and there is something like "need to go to the trains station to get it verified".

    Any passport holder knows if that is normal way? And I wonder if that can be done in Hong Kong? Or how do do in China? Just go to a ticket counter or how?
    flameproof likes this.

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Tsuen Wan
    Posts
    1,100

    for using the 12306 you need to personally verify it at the Windows in the Train station, I had to do it twice & it took me almost 20 minutes ( that's at the window already) before the 2nd guy can fix the glitch.

    if not verified you can still book but i think for only 2 or 3 tickets at a time & can't book in advance if an existing booking has not been used, btw i'm in china

    flameproof likes this.

  4. #14

    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    6,177

    Saga update:

    Current status on the 12306 website is:
    Document - not verified
    Phone - verified

    Meanwhile I installed also the Chinese 12306 app direct APK from 12306 CN (which installs in English - but you can switch back to Chinese)

    Last time in China I had no time to go to the ticket counter for passport verification. So today I went to the High Speed Rail Station.

    It has a (Low Speed) counter (actually 3 counter) service for buying tickets - and - wait for it! - document verification!

    With 10 people in front it took only 30 Minutes. Actual verification took just 3 Minutes or so!

    Very fast and smooth. Only issue - it's still not verified! I called the High-Speed-Ticket Hotline at 2120-0888 and they are looking into it.

    ...and called back a few hours later... They suggested to delete the account and do a new one. Deleting isn't actually that easy, so I created a new one. However, you can't created one with the same passport. Delete only (maybe) works with the app - but only the Chinese one.

    What a bunch of incompetent twats, probably normal for China.

    One unrelated issue: 12306 want's me to send a SMS with 999 in it to them - however, I get "Trouble sending" from my China number phone. It's a new phone, but in the past I could send SMS from HK to CN with now problem, like 10086 'ye' for a balance check. Any idea what that ain't working on the new phone?

    Morrison and drumbrake like this.

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    1,548

    Is it a mobile number bought in china or one bought in HK?
    You can try putting +86 and ##86 in front and send. Though this is for the one card two number sims, may work for you!
    I just tried to send 999 to 12306 from my mainland registered phone and i got a code immediately. My sim was bought and registered in china (13x, not the mvno number ( like 17x)

    Quote Originally Posted by flameproof:
    Saga update:

    Current status on the 12306 website is:
    Document - not verified
    Phone - verified

    Meanwhile I installed also the Chinese 12306 app direct APK from 12306 CN (which installs in English - but you can switch back to Chinese)

    Last time in China I had no time to go to the ticket counter for passport verification. So today I went to the High Speed Rail Station.

    It has a (Low Speed) counter (actually 3 counter) service for buying tickets - and - wait for it! - document verification!

    With 10 people in front it took only 30 Minutes. Actual verification took just 3 Minutes or so!

    Very fast and smooth. Only issue - it's still not verified! I called the High-Speed-Ticket Hotline at 2120-0888 and they are looking into it.

    ...and called back a few hours later... They suggested to delete the account and do a new one. Deleting isn't actually that easy, so I created a new one. However, you can't created one with the same passport. Delete only (maybe) works with the app - but only the Chinese one.

    What a bunch of incompetent twats, probably normal for China.

    One unrelated issue: 12306 want's me to send a SMS with 999 in it to them - however, I get "Trouble sending" from my China number phone. It's a new phone, but in the past I could send SMS from HK to CN with now problem, like 10086 'ye' for a balance check. Any idea what that ain't working on the new phone?

  6. #16

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12,323
    Quote Originally Posted by aquaman:
    12306 is great. i do everything on wechat. you can sign up in wechat on your phone
    Yeah wechat is fantastic until it decides to suspend your account because... you only use it occasionally. It's a fucking awful piece of software.
    zzzzzz likes this.

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    1,219
    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    Yeah wechat is fantastic until it decides to suspend your account because... you only use it occasionally. It's a fucking awful piece of software.
    i didnt use mine for 3 years during covid and its still working great. the problem is usually at the user end

  8. #18

    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    6,177

    Saga update 2:

    My passport in the initial 12306 account is now green/green. So something happened overnight....

    If you want to sign up with 12306 I strongly suggest this sequence....

    • Go to the 12306 CN website
    • Chose ENGLISH
    • Enter your Passport details with EMAIL (no phone option anyway)
    • Verify email

    This "account" you can also use in the WeChat/AliPay mini-apps - or the official 12306 App.

    Now you can go to the High Speed Rail station, counter 2-4 (I believe) and get your passport verified. It may take a day to have it green/green on the website/apps

    https://www.12306.cn/en/register.html


  9. #19

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12,323
    Quote Originally Posted by aquaman:
    i didnt use mine for 3 years during covid and its still working great. the problem is usually at the user end
    Not sure how a user can be at fault for not using an app.

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    715
    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    Not sure how a user can be at fault for not using an app.
    I agree it's a ducking* awful piece of software and its complicated registration process is actually going to hinder the experience for tourists who will find it harder to use cash or enter tourist sites without.

    It's slow and cumbersome and the App size has become way too big. Typical Chinese overloaded bloatware.

    That said, it's certainly very versatile and impressive in its own right. There are benefits of a "one app for everything" approach versus the 9872345 apps I have in Hong Kong just to manage my Yuu, Moneyback, Powerbank sharing... I suppose the aggregate of those uses even more space.

    My main worry with WeChat is an over-reliance, which I sense is becoming the case in China. I don't like putting all eggs in one (or two) baskets.

    * not AutoCorrect