Before You Book
Cancellation & Changes
Clear terms. Fair policies. No surprises. Read this before you book.
Clear terms. Fair policies. No surprises. Read this before you book.
Luxury train journeys involve substantial advance payments to railway operators, hotels and permit authorities. The cancellation policy reflects these largely non-recoverable costs. You are strongly advised to purchase comprehensive travel insurance that includes cancellation cover.
| Cancellation Notice | Refund |
|---|---|
| Before paying balance (deposit only) | Deposit not refundable if you cancel voluntarily |
| More than 30 days before departure | 40% of total fare refunded |
| 15-30 days before departure | 40% refunded (60% retained) |
| 1-14 days before departure | 20% refunded (80% retained) |
| Day of departure / no-show | No refund |
Each train's cancellation ladder is set by its own operator, not by China Expresses; as a curator we only summarise the operators' published schedules below (retained percentages of the fare, compiled October 2026). The clause in your signed contract is authoritative:
| Train | Typical cancellation ladder | Free name change |
|---|---|---|
| New Orient Express | Varies by sailing — reference tier in the table above; confirm per departure | Up to 3 days before departure |
| White Cloud Express | Deposit non-refundable; balance due 30 days out; then 50% / 85% / 100% | Up to 3 days before departure |
| Panda Express Chengdu | Deposit non-refundable; balance due 30 days out; then 50% / 70% / 85% | Up to 3 days before departure |
| Anyi Express (Xinjiang sailings) | Deposit non-refundable; balance due 30 days out; then 50% / 85% / 100% | Up to 3 days before departure |
| Lindou Express | Deposit non-refundable plus a RMB 15,000-per-berth handling loss; then 60% / 80% / 100% | Ask at booking |
| Silk Road Express & Hulunbuir Express | 31+ days free cancellation; then 30% / 50% / 100% | Ask at booking |
| Xiangxiang | Deposit non-refundable; balance due 30 days out; then 60% / 80% / 100% | Up to 5 days before departure |
| Starlight Lancang & special departures | 10% / 20% / 50% / 100%; special sailings run a stricter deposit-plus-balance schedule | Up to 4 working days |
| All other trains & sailings | Set per sailing; confirm at booking | Varies |
Change a traveller name free of charge up to 3 days before departure. No administration fee.
Transfer your booking to a later departure where the operator permits and availability exists. May be subject to price differences between departure dates.
If the operator cancels due to insufficient bookings, weather, government restrictions, or force majeure:
Your policy must cover: medical expenses and evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, personal liability, baggage loss or damage. You must provide evidence before departure.
Our commitment: We never profit from cancellation fees. We always advocate for the maximum possible refund within the operator's terms. Any refund payable by the operator is passed to you in full.