12306 China Railway: The Magic Behind The Online Passenger Ticketing System 

Author: Wang Xiong 

Price: RMB 138 

Hardcover, 449 pages 

Published by Foreign Languages Press 

The Chinese railway ticketing system 12306 is a household name in China. It is much more than just a website or a mobile app for selling train tickets. With over 720 million registered users, it handles over four billion annual ticket sales and up to 20 million single-day ticket sales. Currently, nine out of ten train travelers in China purchase their tickets through the 12306 ticketing system. 

The book’s author Wang Xiong is a member of the China Writers Association, whose notable books include China’s high-speed rail trilogy: A Story of Speed and Development, A New Model for Technology Innovation, and Changing the Face of China. 

In this book’s seven chapters, Wang chronicles the evolution of Chinese train travel and explores the development of China Railway’s 12306 ticketing system, uncovering its challenges and advancements. 

The author masterfully weaves together a series of narratives that resonate with every Chinese person. The imagery of long lines at train stations and the familiar scrambles for tickets during the Spring Festival evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time that many in China remember. The train ticket is more than a mere piece of paper, it’s a symbol of both adventurous dreams and a deep longing for home. 

The launch of the 12306 system in 2011 as the world’s largest railway ticketing platform offered travelers across China unprecedented convenience. This transformation stands as a powerful testament to the nation’s remarkable technological advancement, naturally sparking widespread curiosity about the story behind such a monumental achievement. 

However, the system's resilience was tested early on, most notably during the 2013 Spring Festival travel rush. It faced massive pressure from automated ticket-grabbing software and unauthorized third-party websites. These tools flooded the system with access requests, exploiting technical vulnerabilities to hoard tickets and resell them at inflated prices. In response, 12306 swiftly implemented the innovative "waiting list" function. This feature allows users to submit their travel details and queue for tickets as they become available. The official platform’s optimized processes now enable it to process requests faster and with a higher success rate than ticket-grabbing software. This capability underscores the system's robustness under immense pressure and highlights the persistent innovation and dedication of the engineering team behind it. 

Shan Xinghua is a key figure in the 12306 ticketing system’s R&D team. She has led the team through numerous challenges with her innovative and indomitable spirit. Under her leadership, the team has continuously optimized and updated the system, enhancing its architecture, network, service functions, and user experience. Their relentless efforts and significant achievements have earned global admiration. 

With the widespread application of smart sensors and the rapid development of information technology, the amount of data generated and stored is experiencing explosive growth, leading humanity into the era of big data. 

The 12306 ticketing system is the largest in the world in terms of transaction volume. Meanwhile, there is also much data generated from related services such as onboard and in-station Wi-Fi, advertising, online meal booking, as well as data regarding railway passenger flow, public opinion, weather, and capacity of other modes of transport plus their prices. It is a treasure trove of big data, as every action on the system is recorded automatically. Shan’s team has decided to make the best use of this massive data to continuously improve train schedules and seat utilization rates. 

Over the past decade, the 12306 system has evolved from being solely a ticketing network to one that offers a full range of services, having greatly improved the travel experience for passengers. From electronic tickets and facial recognition for ticket checking to monthly passes and online meal ordering, all services provided by the system aim to enhance the overall efficiency of the network and ultimately deliver intelligent and convenient services to passengers. 

Across China’s entire railway network, from bustling cities served by high-speed trains to the countryside traversed by slower routes, the customer service hotline 12306 is always available. This dedicated team professionally addresses any issue or difficulty passengers may encounter. 

“Vague and nebulous is the beginning of all things, but not their end.” Standing in the History Museum of the Institute of Railway Science and Technology, the author was struck by a cultural cornerstone engraved with a profound quote from Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931). 

Shi Zhanjun, editor-in-chief of People’s Literature, recommended Wang’s book, saying it is a vibrant and compelling work that blends captivating stories with profound insights. His exploration of the secrets behind the 12306 ticketing system offers readers an intriguing journey into a world that is both mysterious and inspiring. “Through his writing, we gain a deeper understanding of the immense challenges involved in technological innovation, as well as the remarkable breakthroughs that have had a tangible, positive impact on people’s lives.”