Comparison

China Train Booking vs ShinkansenView

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

China Train Booking

Book high-speed train tickets in China and use electronic tickets to board directly with your ID. Access real-time schedules, book last-minute tickets, and get human customer support for all your travel needs.

Highlights
  • Electronic ticket boarding with ID
  • Real-time train schedules and availability
  • Book tickets up to 1 hour before departure
  • Select preferred seats
  • Human customer service for refunds and exchanges
  • Station maps and layouts
  • Secure payment options
Features
Read full description

China Train Booking supports the use of electronic tickets for high-speed rail travel. You do not need to collect paper tickets before departure. Simply use your ID document to board the train easily and quickly. Since the electronic ticket system was implemented on 12306, it has saved 2,000 tons of paper annually, reduced approximately 6 million tons of wastewater discharge each year, and cut carbon emissions by 80,000 tons of CO₂ equivalent. In addition, electronic tickets save you more than 30 minutes of ticket collection time. Why use China Train Booking? Easily check real-time train schedules and ticket availability online. Tickets can be booked as fast as 1 hour before departure. Freely select your preferred high-speed train seat. We specialize in train ticket booking—any issues with refunds, exchanges, rescheduling, or train cancellations can be easily resolved by contacting us, with purely human customer service providing quick responses. You can view station maps and layouts to easily find your way. Receive booking status notifications within the app. Over 90% positive rating. China Train Booking app is launched by the internationally renowned travel company chinahighlights, known for its excellent travel and ticketing services. Our one-on-one, fully human customer service team will quickly answer all your questions and provide practical advice based on your specific situation, whether it’s related to ticketing or travel inquiries. Among hundreds of traveler reviews, we have received over 90% five-star ratings. More than 60% of our customers are repeat visitors. What to expect with the app: ● Check real-time train schedules and ticket availability online. ● Overcome language barriers and avoid wasting time queuing at train stations. ● Book tickets quickly, as fast as 1 hour before departure. ● Enjoy one-on-one customer service with instant chat via our app, as well as support through WeChat, hotline, and email to assist you with any emergencies. ● Secure your seat online quickly without waiting to buy tickets at the station only to find tickets sold out. ● Receive multiple travel options and one-on-one assistance to help you adjust your itinerary reasonably. ● Freely choose your preferred seat, such as a window seat or an aisle seat. ● Take high-speed trains without needing to collect paper tickets. ● Cancel tickets within 24 hours before departure. ● Payments are securely protected by PayPal, international credit cards, WeChat, or Alipay. ● No credit card fees or any hidden charges. ● Get transfer information, station layouts, maps, and other assistance through in-app guides. What our users say about us: “I have used this app for years and they have made it very seamless to use for non-Chinese speakers to use. Easy to make purchase and excellent communication if needed. Now with e-tickets I no longer need to wait in line to get a paper ticket.” - trazanka from US. “Travelling for the first time to China, I wasn’t sure how to book the train tickets. This app has made the whole process so easy! It’s very easy to use, the staff is very helpful and responded quickly! If trains aren’t available, they offer alternatives straight away. The staff also provides lots of general advice and translated notes in English and Chinese. The service provided by the app and staff is superb! Highly recommended! ” - Thomas83H from Britain “Not only did they notify me of train cancellations due to typhoons, they also rebooked for next day by grabbing last two tickets. Communication is perfect and fast. Thank you. You make buying tickets so easy.” - Eyepiktureu from US. “Amazing and incredible service, it helped you in EVERYTHING, tickets, seating, gives you directions, examples, Etc. The staff is very kind and always has an eye on you, which is very important in a country where do not understand a word!!!! Thank you for all your help, a 5 star service.!!! Keep on doing it!!!” - Maniac300769 from Mexico

About

ShinkansenView

Features
Read full description

Know the "now" of the Shinkansen on a map! ShinkansenView displays approximate train positions based on standard timetables. Tap a train to see its timetable. Perfect for travelers and railway fans! [Main Features] - Near real-time map display: Check Shinkansen trains across Japan in near real time, color-coded by type. - Detailed train info: Tap an icon for train name, number, current status, next station, etc. - Real-time timetable: View all stops and scheduled times to see where the train is running or stopping now. - Multilingual support: Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Korean, with easy in-app switching. - Route filter: Choose lines like Tokaido, Sanyo, Tohoku, Hokuriku, etc. - Customizable time: Set any date/time to simulate past or future operations. - Easy operation: Intuitive interface; search trains from a list and see their location on the map instantly. [Recommended For] - Shinkansen trip or business travel planners - Railway fans wanting more than basic transfer info - Overseas visitors curious about Japan’s rail system - Families who want to enjoy Shinkansen with kids Experience a more convenient, more exciting Shinkansen journey with ShinkansenView! Download now and feel the dynamism of Japan’s main artery! *Note: Position/timetable data is calculated from public timetables and may differ from actual operation. Delay info not supported.*

Screenshots

China Train Booking4 screens
ShinkansenView3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: China Train Booking at 15.6 against ShinkansenView's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

China Train Booking ships an update every 2 weeks, ShinkansenView monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 13, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
China Train Booking versus ShinkansenView: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChina Train BookingShinkansenView
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (95 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings95 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size94 MB17 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperChina International Travel Service Guilin Co., Ltd.YUUSUKE HARASAWA

Bugs and requests

China Train Booking

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • App crashes when uploading passenger photos
  • Crashes on iPhone 17 Air with iOS 26.1
  • Payment submission timeout errors
  • Calendar display showing incorrect dates
  • 404 errors when attempting cancellations
Show 7 more
  • Booking form cannot be completed on final page
  • App freezes during seat selection
  • Inconsistent ticket display across time zones
  • Payment processing failures with debit cards
  • Blank pages and slow performance
  • Redirection to unrelated apps during cancellation
  • Lost booking history after reinstalling app

Requested features

9 requests
  • Support for Alipay and WeChat Pay payment methods
  • Dark mode for better visibility
  • Improved text contrast and larger fonts
  • Support for multi-leg journey connections
  • Offline ticket access
Show 4 more
  • Better seat position guarantees
  • Real-time booking confirmation instead of delayed processing
  • Account login to view booking history across devices
  • Direct payment processing without delays

ShinkansenView

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

China Train Booking

No in-app purchases

None

ShinkansenView

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is China Train Booking free?
China Train Booking is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ShinkansenView free?
ShinkansenView is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do China Train Booking or ShinkansenView have ads?
Neither China Train Booking nor ShinkansenView shows ads.
Which is updated more often, China Train Booking or ShinkansenView?
China Train Booking ships an update every 2 weeks, and ShinkansenView monthly. Most recently, China Train Booking was updated on August 13, 2026 and ShinkansenView on September 19, 2026.

Other comparisons