China Railway 12306
The official site for booking Chinese national railway tickets.
China Railway 12306 at a glance
China Railway 12306 is a travel website and one of the most visited sites in China, currently ranked #136 in the country. It was founded in 2011 by Ministry of Railways and is headquartered in Beijing, China. Today China Railway 12306 is owned by China Railway. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 300 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through ticket sales. Its closest rivals include ctrip.com, fliggy.com, qunar.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 282 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 291 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 300 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 318 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct43%
- Organic search32%
- Paid search16%
- Metasearch referral6%
- Social3%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 25-3431%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5420%
The audience is concentrated in China, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- China86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 90 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- China
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| china railway 12306 | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| cheap flights | Top 10 | High | — |
| hotel booking | Top 10 | High | — |
| train tickets | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the China web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 71% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading travel apps in China
Company information
- Website
- 12306.cn
- Sector
- Travel
- Owner
- China Railway
- Owner type
- State-owned company
- Founders
- Ministry of Railways
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Beijing, China
- Employees
- 1,000+
- Ownership
- China Railway controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- N/A (public service)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- N/A (public service)
- Ownership
- State-owned company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
China Railway 12306 operates a travel booking platform focused on China. The official site for booking Chinese national railway tickets. Revenue comes mainly from ticket sales, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Ticket sales
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- China
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (China)
- #136 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading travel site in China
- Global rank
- 250
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ctrip.com | ≈ 180 million / month | #137 class competitor | — |
| fliggy.com | ≈ 135 million / month | #138 class competitor | — |
| qunar.com | ≈ 90 million / month | #139 class competitor | — |
What is China Railway 12306?
China Railway 12306 (12306.cn) is a travel booking platform serving users in China. The official site for booking Chinese national railway tickets. It ranks #136 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the travel category.
Who owns China Railway 12306?
The site is operated by China Railway, founded by Ministry of Railways. The company was established in 2011 and is headquartered in Beijing, China. It employs around 1,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place China Railway 12306 at roughly 300 million visits per month, about 10 million per day. Around 71% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 7.8 pages per visit with an average session of 7 min.
How China Railway 12306 makes money
Revenue comes primarily from ticket sales, alongside .
Competitors in China
Its closest rivals include ctrip.com, fliggy.com, qunar.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2011
China Railway 12306 is founded in Beijing, China.
- Growth phase
Expands its travel offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #136 among the most visited websites in China.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad inventory of routes, hotels or tickets
- Transparent price comparison across dates
- Local payment and installment support
- Mobile check-in and booking management
Cons
- Prices fluctuate quickly during peak seasons
- Change and cancellation rules are restrictive
- Add-on fees appear late in the funnel
- Support pressure during disruptions
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns China Railway 12306?
China Railway 12306 is operated by China Railway. State-owned company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is China Railway 12306 headquartered?
China Railway 12306 is headquartered in Beijing, China.
When was China Railway 12306 founded?
China Railway 12306 was founded in 2011 by Ministry of Railways.
How many employees does China Railway 12306 have?
China Railway 12306 employs approximately 1,000+ people.
What is China Railway 12306's revenue?
China Railway 12306's revenue: N/A (public service).
Who are China Railway 12306's competitors?
Main competitors in China include ctrip.com, fliggy.com, qunar.com.
How does China Railway 12306 make money?
Mainly ticket sales.
Is China Railway 12306 publicly traded?
China Railway 12306's ownership: State-owned company.
How many visitors does China Railway 12306 get?
Third-party estimates place China Railway 12306 at roughly 300 million visits per month, mostly from China, with 71% mobile traffic.
Is China Railway 12306 safe?
China Railway 12306 is an established travel site founded in 2011 and ranked #136 in China; use the official domain 12306.cn and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcements12306.cn
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageChina and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos