Your bag is missing.
Keep the trail alive.
Identify the last operator that controlled the bag, create a traceable report, and preserve the identifiers that can reconnect you with it.
Stay where custody changed, contact the operator there, and leave with a written or digital case reference. A phone call without a reference is not a complete report.
Where did custody break?
Airline / ground handler
The bag tag and operating carrier start the trace. Report before leaving baggage reclaim.
China Railway
Use staff plus the 12306 lost-property route tied to the train, station and date.
Trip operator
Preserve the app order, plate, receipt, pickup/drop-off and driver contact route.
Property desk
Give the room or location, time window and a distinctive item description.
Use factual wording until evidence shows theft. If there is danger, threats or a clear crime, move to safety and call police on 110.
Report before leaving reclaim
- 01
Check the correct belt, oversize area and nearby offloaded bags.
- 02
Go to the operating airline or its ground-handling baggage desk.
- 03
Show the baggage tag, boarding pass, passport and connection details.
- 04
Describe the bag, marks and contents accurately.
- 05
Request the baggage irregularity record and save its reference.
- 06
Confirm a reachable delivery address, phone number and next update.
Use the train number and station clock
Tell the nearest staff member
Give train number, carriage, seat, boarding/alighting stations, date and exact last-seen location.
Search and register on 12306
The official lost-property service can search by train or station and accepts a detailed registration.
Keep one description
Use the same color, size, brand, marks and contents. China Railway directs claim questions to 12306.
Preserve the transaction that identifies the place
Open the original trip, use in-app lost-item support and keep the order.
Use the receipt, plate, fare record, pickup/drop-off and time. Ask local 12345 which authority owns an unresolved complaint.
Ask the exact property to check the room, luggage store, entrance and housekeeping log.
Give official visitor service the gate, zone, time slot and booking identity.
Split out anything urgent
The luggage trace can continue while you protect an item that creates immediate risk.
- Passport: start the official loss and consular route.
- Phone: lock it and protect the number and payment accounts.
- Cards: contact the issuer through a trusted channel.
- Medicine: seek medical help; use 120 for an emergency.
What to save before moving on
Bag tag · flight/train/order · plate · room · booking reference
Color · size · brand · marks · photo · factual contents
Last seen · exact place · time · staff/operator name
Report number · contact · next check · requested delivery
Missing-luggage FAQ
What should I do if my checked bag does not arrive at a China airport?
Go to the operating airline or its ground-handling baggage desk before leaving the reclaim area. Ask for a baggage irregularity report, keep its reference, your baggage tag and boarding pass, and give a reachable delivery address and phone number.
How do I report an item lost on a China train?
Tell train or station staff immediately. China Railway also provides a 12306 lost-property search and report service by train or station, and says travelers can call 12306 to ask about a matching item.
Should I report my bag as stolen?
Only describe theft if you have evidence or a clear theft event. A delayed checked bag, a bag left on a train and an item taken from a hotel are different cases. If theft is suspected or you are unsafe, contact police on 110.
What if my passport, phone or medicine is inside?
Start the luggage report, then treat the critical item as a separate urgent problem. Use the lost-passport or lost-phone route immediately; for essential medicine, contact a qualified medical service or 120 if there is an emergency.
Recovery routes checked here
Reviewed 23 August 2026. The operator controls the live trace and any compensation decision. This guide does not promise recovery or payment.
- CAAC — Public Air Transport Passenger Service rules (English)Baggage monitoring, onward transport, delivery and incident-record duties.
- CAAC — Civil Aviation Law effective 1 July 2026Baggage evidence, carrier responsibility and written-claim boundaries.
- China Railway 12306 — lost-property serviceSearch, registration and 12306 follow-up.
- China Railway 12306 — English contact pageOfficial +86 12306 service number.
- China Southern — customer service planOperating-airline baggage-desk route before leaving the airport.