12306 Android Download
Official Android download. Railway 12306 Android is the official China Railway app for Android devices, supporting ticket search, booking, and payment. Learn how to safely download and install the 12306 Android app.
Official Download Channels
Huawei AppGallery
Recommended for Huawei users
- Open Huawei AppGallery
- Search "Railway 12306"
- Tap download and install
Xiaomi App Store
Recommended for Xiaomi users
- Open Xiaomi App Store
- Search "Railway 12306"
- Tap install
OPPO App Store
Recommended for OPPO users
- Open OPPO App Store
- Search "Railway 12306"
- Tap download
vivo App Store
Recommended for vivo users
- Open vivo App Store
- Search "Railway 12306"
- Tap download
Google Play Download
Overseas users can download Railway 12306 from Google Play. Open Google Play, search "Railway 12306", select the official app by China Academy of Railway Sciences, then tap "Install".
System Requirements
- OS: Android 5.0+
- Storage: About 100MB
- Network: Internet required
- Permissions: Location, Camera, Storage
Where to download the Android app
Android has no single app store, which is exactly why fake versions circulate. These three sources all lead to the genuine Railway 12306 app, listed from most to least reliable:
- The official website β open 12306.cn and use the app download entry, which provides the installer and a QR code. This is the hardest route to get wrong.
- Your phone's own app store β Huawei AppGallery, Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo and Tencent MyApp all carry it. Search for ιθ·―12306 and check the developer.
- QR codes posted at stations β official posters in ticket halls carry a download code.
Sources to avoid
Search-engine ads, links forwarded by SMS or messaging apps, and third-party APK mirrors are where counterfeits come from. These apps usually have words like "grabber", "booster" or "butler" in the name, copy the official interface, and then resell tickets at a mark-up, demand access to your contacts, or harvest identity data. Booking only ever costs the face value of the ticket β anything charging for an "acceleration pack" is not official.
Installing and app permissions
Android warns about "unknown sources" when installing a package that did not come from a store. If you downloaded from the official site you can grant the permission temporarily, then switch it off again afterwards. On first launch the app asks for several permissions:
- Camera β scanning documents and QR codes, and facial verification.
- Storage and photos β uploading document images and saving reimbursement receipts.
- Notifications β waitlist confirmations, gate changes and delay alerts. Worth keeping on.
- Location β suggests nearby stations. Optional; declining it does not affect booking.
An app asking for your contacts or the ability to read SMS has no business doing so for rail booking, and is almost certainly not the official client.
Four things to set up before you need them
Spending a few minutes on these right after installing means you are not fumbling when tickets go on sale:
- Register and clear identity verification β an unverified account cannot buy tickets, and verification can take a day or two.
- Add your travellers β save the documents of everyone travelling with you so you can simply tick them at checkout.
- Link a payment method β Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay are supported; linking in advance avoids payment timeouts.
- Turn on notifications and stay signed in β waitlist results and rebooking outcomes arrive as push messages.