Originally Posted by
moondog
The term "kiosk" might not be the best English translation, but "火车售票处" is what we're trying to describe. It matters not if they are hole in the places, as long as they have the ability to sell and issue tickets on official stock. Are they allowed to print tickets purchased on Ctrip? Your PEK experience suggests no, but I'm encouraged by the fact that a random kiosk in Nanning (most certainly a hole in the wall) could.
I guess that all these places who are selling tickets and that have the ability to print them are official outlets. I have never found one where I could get my tickets (in Shanghai and Nanjing). The fact that some people have been able in a few places makes me believe that they "can" but generally they "won't" because they don't want to or are not supposed to.