How to book things in Nanjing

1. Attraction reservations (real-name, with passport)

Major sights admit visitors by name. Even free ones need a timed reservation, made with the same ID you'll carry on the day. For foreign visitors that means your passport.

1. In WeChat, tap the search bar and type the attraction's official name (Chinese works best, e.g. 中山陵, 南京博物院, 侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆). Pick the result marked as the official mini-program or account.
2. Find the reservation button (预约), choose a date and time slot.
3. Add each visitor: set ID type to Passport (护照), enter name exactly as printed, passport number and a phone number. Each person needs their own entry.
4. Submit and screenshot the confirmation. Cancel in the same place if your plans change.
5. On the day, bring the original passport. At some sites passport holders verify at a staffed window rather than the automatic gates.

Tip: WeChat can translate a whole mini-program page. Look for the “…” menu at the top right. Popular dates (holidays, weekends in spring and autumn) can fill up days in advance.

2. Train tickets: 12306 or Trip.com

Nanjing has two main stations: Nanjing South (南京南站), the big high-speed hub, and Nanjing Station (南京站) by Xuanwu Lake. Always check which one is on your ticket.

Option A: China Railway 12306 (official)

1. Go to the English site 12306.cn/en or install the official “Railway 12306” app (switch language to English in settings).
2. Register with your passport details, an email address, username and password, then activate the account from the email.
3. Complete identity verification. If it doesn't pass automatically, upload photos of your passport photo page, or verify at a station ticket counter.
4. Search route and date, pick a train and seat class (second class 二等座 is the standard choice), add yourself as passenger and pay.
5. No paper ticket needed: enter the station and pass the gates with the same passport. Foreign passports may need the staffed lane.

Option B: Trip.com and similar agencies

English-language agencies sell the same railway seats and accept foreign cards; you still enter with your passport. Compare the final price, as service options vary.

3. Taxis and ride-hailing: DiDi

1. In Alipay: open Alipay, search “DiDi” (or find it under transport), open the DiDi mini-program and allow location access. Payment goes through your Alipay card.
2. Or in WeChat: Me → Pay and Services → look for the ride-hailing / Mobility tile (powered by DiDi). Menu names vary by app version.
3. Or the DiDi app (“DiDi China”), which has an English interface and accepts foreign phone numbers.
4. Enter your destination. Copy-pasting the Chinese name or address of your hotel/sight gives the most accurate result.
5. Check the plate number before getting in; the trip is charged automatically at the end.

Street taxis are also common. Show the driver your destination in Chinese and pay by scanning the QR code or with cash. Keep the taxi card handy.

4. Restaurant queues: Dianping / Meituan

Dianping (大众点评) is China's restaurant review and booking platform (part of Meituan). Popular Nanjing restaurants often run virtual queues.

1. Install the Dianping app or open its mini-program inside WeChat.
2. Search the restaurant by Chinese name and choose the right branch.
3. Tap 排队取号 / 在线取号 (take a queue number), choose party size and confirm.
4. Watch your position update in the app and head over when it's close.
5. No app? Many restaurants have a QR code or a ticket machine at the door: scan with WeChat to get a number, or ask staff: 请问要排队吗？ (Is there a queue?).

Some features work best with a Chinese (+86) phone number. Pay in the restaurant via WeChat Pay or Alipay.

Frequently asked questions