I Missed My Train — What Do I Do?

How to use this card

1. Save it before you travel. Download the whole pack from /rescue-cards/ and it works offline — no app, no data plan.
2. Show the big Chinese line to whoever you are talking to. They read characters; the English at the bottom is for you.
3. Say it out loud too if they hesitate. A spoken request gets a faster answer than a silent card, and repeating it removes all doubt.
4. Read the English to understand the reply.

What they will likely say

• “下一班是几点？” — What time is the next one?
• “可以改签，不收手续费。” — You can change the ticket, no fee.
• “今天的票已经没有了。” — There are no more tickets today.
• “请去服务台办理。” — Please go to the service desk.

Pro tips

• You need your passport to change a ticket — that is the whole reason the 12306 app asks for a foreign passport at booking, and it is why a paper backup ticket is worth keeping.
• Tickets sell out weeks ahead on holiday weekends. Having a 候补 (hòubǔ) waitlist request queued is the difference between a seat and a standing ticket.
• Say 下一班 (xià yī bān, “the next one”) and 改签 (gǎiqiān, “change the ticket”). Those two words plus this card cover the entire conversation.

Related guides

• Full guide — background reading for this situation

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This card is one of the TravelHubChina phrase cards — bilingual, offline, and verified against how people actually talk in China rather than textbook grammar. The full set is free at travelhubchina.com/rescue-cards/.