Kiosks have two meanings in our train vernacular:
1. automated machines at train stations that print tickets
2. off site ticket offices and travel agencies that are licensed to sell/print tickets

As has been discussed up thread, there have been sightings of #1 that don't require PRC ID cards, but they are still not commonplace.

#2 is my SOP because it is far preferable to going to the train station early.

Greetings from XMN. I took a train here from WUS. I rather enjoyed the train experience as the countryside was interesting (to me) so I liked watching it zip by.

I purchased my tickets on ctrip so I had the reservation # and all that. But when I tried to pickup at an off site ticket office, I was not able to because my (Canadian) passport was not in their system. I was told that once I had picked up a ticket at the train station, I'll be able to pickup other tickets later on. So I just picked up all my tickets at the WUS train station.

Ticket pickup at WUS was more than easy largely because WUS is a "small" station. i.e. It's not busy and when I was there, there was no lineup at the ticket booth. All I did was give the lady the passports and the res numbers. I paid the 5 CNY fee per ticket and that was that. Total time to pickup 12 tickets was less than 5 min.

Obviously if I tried this at the Beijing or Shanghai train station things would be different. But if you can make it to a small station somewhere, I suspect your processing time will be negligible just like mine was.

Sure. Small stations can be okay, but not always.

In cases when booking several days in advance is not necessary, I recommend plopping 火车售票处 into your desired map app, and going to the closest one.

Not always slower at bigger stations. Sometimes you just need to know where is the best counter to go to at that station. Small stations often only have one counter open so you have no choice and the line can be long. Some small stations have very few trains so if you go when no trains are scheduled for a couple of hours then they'll no one else there.
Big or small, I never had to wait long to get my tickets bought online ( I take about 10 trains per year). And if you are really pressed for time, nothing wrong with cutting the line.

My experience too - I once picked up my ticket at Beijing South without standing in line (at the ticketing window near the subway exit), and I once spent 45 min picking up at Jinan West.

" . . . nothing wrong with cutting the line."

It's bad enough when a local person does that. But when a foreigner tries to cut in line it reeks of seeking privilege.

My advice is just to patiently wait your turn. And make sure nobody tries to crowd in front of you.

Obviously, I don't mean to do it casually, this is when you are running late. And when cutting the line, I usually ask the first 2-3 person in line if it's ok.

I'm surprised you're blind as to how wrong it is. You're just taking advantage of Chinese people's unwillingness to make a fuss, especially towards a foreigner.

Next time, wait in line like the rest of us.

Foreigner Yells at Person Cutting in Line In putonghua, wuhan dialect and dongbei dialect.

Ok so it's better to miss your train or flight rather than cut the line? Sorry but I won't take your bad advice.

In fact, many young Chinese people are nice enough to allow others, Chinese or not, in a real rush to jump the queue just to pick up tickets. If in a real rush, just kindly ask them, but to be safe and as a courtesy to others in line, allow plenty of time to wait in the train station.

I am planning to travel by train from Chengdu South or Chengdu East station to Leshan station and back. I also plan to travel from Xian North station to Luoyang Longmen station and back. Do I need to buy these train tickets ahead of time, or can I buy them at the station, on the day I am travelling.

If I buy them online, from ctrip or similar website, can I pick the tickets up from them the Chengdu Shuangliu Airport train station, when I arrive?

Thanks!!

You can pick up tickets from any station.
Chengdu to Leshan has a lot of trains but looking at tomorrow, I see that half the train are sold out. Probably more on the same day. Depends if you are flexible on travel time. Xian-Luoyang is ok.

Yes, you can pick up tickets you order on ctrip at any station window. There's a 5RMB fee per ticket when you pick up tickets in a different city than the departure city, though.

You can also buy tickets at the small ticket offices scattered throughout all Chinese cities. There's a 5RMB fee at these small offices, too, regardless of departure point. But unlike station ticket offices, almost never any lines. Bring your passport!

Those places are great; to those unfamiliar/unable to read Chinese, look for 火车票代售处.