Originally Posted by jiejie

Generally, tickets go on sale 10 days before departure. Bullet train seats on daytime trains are not too difficult to get on fairly short notice due to capacity...as long as it's not a Chinese holiday period. And not around the time of the Qingdao Beer Festival in August. Passport needed to buy (or copy of photo page, or passport number). With 9 bullet trains a day, I would think your chances of getting a seat on a train 1-3 days out are pretty good, though it might not be the departure you want. If you'll be in Beijing for a few days to visit, either try yourself (or have your hotel) get for you on the first day or so that you arrive.