China Ctrip (Trip.com Group) is a leading global travel platform headquartered in Shanghai, established in 1999 and listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol TCOM. It integrates air tickets, G-Series High-Speed Train tickets, hotels, car rentals, and visas into an English interface, allowing overseas tourists to book using 29 types of foreign currency credit cards. The system issues tickets in 3 minutes, enables scanning of the code and entry into the station, and provides 24/7 multilingual customer service. It is known as the “master key to open China” by foreign media.
What is China Ctrip
In a word: China Ctrip = Chinese version of Booking + 12306 + Uber + Viator’s “super complex”.
- Covers 200+ countries in the world, 7,200 Chinese star-rated hotels, and 6,800 boutique homestays
- Directly connected with 1,200 scenic spots, including the Imperial Palace and Disney, enabling 0-second entry
- Supports automatic name filling via passport OCR, with English customer service connected in 28 seconds
- Provides US $200,000 public liability insurance for “safe accommodation”, with compensation for the first night if no room is available
What can China Ctrip do (Core Functions)
| Tickets (G-Series High-Speed Train) | Overseas cards rejected by 12306; long queues at windows; language barriers | Supports 29 foreign currency cards + PayPal + Apple Pay, real-time RMB settlement; automatic passport number verification; 3-minute e-ticket QR code for scanning to enter the station |
| Hotels | No available rooms; complicated identity registration | Direct connection to the public security ministry’s hotel system; free same-level upgrade within 30 minutes |
| Scenic Spot Tickets | Tickets sold out; long queuing times | 24×7 online service in 19 languages, including English, Spanish and Russian |
| Customer Service | Time differences; language barriers | 24×7 online service in 19 languages including English, Spanish and Russian |
5 Steps to Complete Booking in China Ctrip (Practical Operation Process)
- Download Trip.com (international version of China Ctrip) → Select “Global” by country/region.
- Register with email → Automatic name filling via passport photo OCR.
- Search for flights → Check the “International Cards” option.
- Book G-Series High-Speed Train tickets → Choose “Passport Collection” to generate an English + Pinyin e-ticket.
- Book scenic spot tickets → Click “Book & Skip-the-Line”, and store the QR code in Wallet
Payment, Refund and Discounts
- Dynamic Currency Conversion: RMB ticket prices are converted into 19 foreign currencies in real time, with 0 hidden spreads (UnionPay International, 2024)
- Refund and Change Synchronised with 12306: Free cancellation 15 days before departure, refund to the original payment method within 3 working days
- TripPLUS Points: 2 points for every 1 US dollar spent, which can be exchanged for airport pick-up services and G-Series High-Speed Train VIP lounges, with an average cost saving of 11.6% (Ctrip Group Q2 2024 Earnings Report)
Compare China Ctrip with Local Apps
| Functions | 12306 | Meituan | China Ctrip |
| English Interface | Partial | No | Yes |
| Support for Foreign Currency Cards | No | No | 29 kinds |
| Customer Service | Chinese only | Chinese only | 19 languages, 24×7 |
| G-Series High-Speed Train QR Code Entry | Paper ticket required | Not available | Passport QR code for 1-second customs clearance |
| Accommodation Compensation | Not available | Not available | $200,000 insurance, compensation for the first night |
Experience Now
[Click to jump to Trip.com], book your first hotel in China in 3 minutes
