China Travel OS
ONE PERSON · ONE DOCUMENT RECORD

Match the passport.
Respect the fields.

The universal rule is identity accuracy. The non-universal part is how each airline, railway, hotel or attraction asks you to split, order and display that name.

OFFICIAL SOURCES checked 23 Aug 2026READ 7 minutesVERIFY before payment
TRAVEL DOCUMENT
SURNAMEEXAMPLEGIVEN NAMESALEX MARIAP<UTOEXAMPLE<<ALEX<MARIA
BOOKING RECORD
LAST / FAMILY NAMEEXAMPLE
FIRST / GIVEN NAMESALEX MARIA
CHECK BEFORE PAY
THE RULE

Use the same original passport for booking and travel. Copy the identity accurately, follow that provider’s field instructions, and check name, document number, type and expiry before payment.

CREATE A GOLDEN RECORD

Transcribe once. Reuse carefully.

DOCUMENT

Passport used for travel

Do not copy from an old visa, loyalty account, email signature or another passport.

NAME

Surname + all given names

Use the identity page and preserve the distinction between family and given names.

NUMBER

Passport number

Distinguish letters from digits and avoid spaces added by visual grouping.

DETAILS

Nationality · birth date · expiry

Verify every identity field against the same document before purchase.

PRIVACY

Keep a text-only reference of the minimum fields you need. Do not store or send a full passport photo casually; upload it only through an official provider’s secure verification route when required.

FIELD-BY-FIELD

Labels decide the order

PASSPORTSurname / Family name→LAST NAME · FAMILY NAME · SURNAME
PASSPORTGiven names→FIRST NAME · GIVEN NAME(S)
PASSPORTPassport number→DOCUMENT / ID NUMBER
PASSPORTIssuing country / nationality→USE THE FIELD’S EXACT MEANING
“CHINESE PASSPORT NAME FORMAT” IS NOT YOUR ENTRY TEMPLATE

Chinese names may appear family-name first, but a foreign visitor should not copy that display convention or invent a Chinese name. Transcribe your own passport into the provider’s labelled surname and given-name fields, then inspect the final passenger record.

FOUR BOOKING SYSTEMS

Same identity, different consequences

FLIGHT01

Carrier record

Airline conditions require the passenger name to match the identity information provided. Name changes can be restricted or unavailable, especially after ticketing.

  • Use the operating/ticketing carrier’s rules
  • Check every segment and passenger
  • Contact the carrier before self-correcting
12306 RAIL02

Real-name ticket

China Railway instructs foreign-passport users to enter the English name in passport order and preserve spaces within and between names. The original booking document is used for travel.

  • Complete identity verification first
  • Check name + passport number
  • Wrong identity data requires refund/rebook under current rules
HOTEL03

Reservation + registration

The property must find the reservation and register the guest using the original passport. Booking platforms and hotels may store guest names differently.

  • Put the actual lead guest on the booking
  • Add every guest when the provider allows
  • Send the property a message if the display is ambiguous
ATTRACTION04

Venue identity slot

Many venues use the original passport as the ticket or gate credential. The exact booking window, field format and correction route are venue-specific.

  • Use the venue’s official rule
  • Confirm date, slot and identity
  • Carry the original passport to the gate
60-SECOND CHECK

Freeze the record before payment

  1. 01

    Correct passenger, not the person paying

  2. 02

    Correct current passport

  3. 03

    Surname in the surname field

  4. 04

    All given names included as instructed

  5. 05

    Passport number character by character

  6. 06

    Document type, nationality, birth date and expiry

  7. 07

    Every traveler and every segment/slot

  8. 08

    Final confirmation page saved

MISMATCH RECOVERY

Do not edit blindly

1

Compare stored fields

Separate a display-only change—missing spaces, capitalization—from a real identity mismatch.

→
2

Save evidence

Keep the order number, exact stored name, passport fields, error and deadline.

→
3

Ask the owner

Contact the airline, 12306, hotel/property, venue or original booking provider.

→
4

Correct once

Use the provider’s correction, refund/rebook or staffed verification route.

DO NOT CREATE A SECOND PAID ORDER FIRST

Confirm whether the first booking can be corrected, canceled or refunded and whether inventory is still available. Duplicate purchases can create separate refund and seat/slot problems.

SAFE EXAMPLES

Use structure—not these names

PASSPORT

Surname: EXAMPLE
Given names: ALEX MARIA

Surname fieldEXAMPLEGiven names fieldALEX MARIA
ONE-NAME PASSPORT

A traveler whose document has only one populated name component must follow the provider’s dedicated single-name guidance.

Do not inventFNU / LNU / a repeated nameAsk firstOriginal provider or carrier
HYPHEN / APOSTROPHE / SPACE

Enter the document name as instructed. If a system removes a character, confirm whether it is expected normalization.

CompareStored fields, not stylingSaveWritten provider response
QUICK QUESTIONS

Passport-name FAQ

How should I enter my passport name for China travel bookings?

Use the identity page of the same valid passport you will carry. Copy the name accurately, then follow the original provider’s field instructions for order, spaces, punctuation and length. Do not invent a Chinese name, nickname or shortened form unless the provider explicitly instructs it.

Should I use surname first or given name first?

Follow the labels and instructions of the original booking provider. The underlying identity must match the passport, but different systems display or collect surname and given names differently. Confirm the final passenger record before payment.

Is Chinese passport name format the rule for my China booking?

No. A Chinese name may be displayed family-name first, but that is not a universal entry rule for a foreign visitor. Transcribe your own passport into the provider’s labelled surname/family-name and given-name fields, then check the final passenger record before payment.

Can I change the name on a China train ticket?

China Railway states that 12306 uses real-name ticketing and a name cannot be changed after purchase. If passenger identity information is wrong, the published route is to refund and purchase again under the applicable rules, so verify before paying.

What if the booking removes spaces or punctuation from my name?

Do not assume the record is wrong based only on display formatting. Compare the stored surname, given names, passport number and document type, then ask the provider whether its display normalization is expected. Keep written confirmation for a material mismatch.

Which passport should I use if I have two?

Use the document that supports the specific booking and journey, and carry that original document. Do not mix one passport number with the name or entry basis of another. For a complex itinerary, confirm with the carrier and immigration authority.

PRIMARY SOURCES & SCOPE

Identity facts checked here

Reviewed 27 August 2026. Provider field formats and correction policies vary; the original provider controls the booking record.

  1. China Railway 12306 — English FAQReal-name ticketing, valid foreign passports, accurate passenger identity and original document at the station.
  2. China Railway 12306 — identity verification instructionsForeign-passport English-name order and spacing instructions.
  3. China Railway 12306 — online ticket FAQName cannot be changed after purchase; incorrect identity information requires refund under current rules.
  4. China Southern — Conditions of CarriagePassenger name must match the identity information provided.
  5. China Travel OS — hotel check-in source reconciliationOriginal passport, booking lookup and accommodation-registration boundaries.
  6. China Travel OS — attraction booking source reconciliationVenue-specific passport booking and gate identity boundaries.