Together, 买 (buy) + 票 (ticket) literally means “to buy a ticket,” making it very easy to remember and understand.
While “buying a ticket” seems like a simple transaction, in China, it's tied to significant cultural experiences, particularly related to travel. The most dramatic example is the annual 春运 (Chūn Yùn), the Spring Festival travel rush. This is the largest annual human migration on Earth, where hundreds of millions of people travel home for the Lunar New Year. For decades, the process of buying a train ticket (买火车票) for Chunyun was a national ordeal. It involved waiting in colossal lines for hours or even days, often in the cold, with no guarantee of success. This shared struggle became a defining experience for generations, a symbol of the immense scale of Chinese society and the deep cultural importance of family reunion. In the West, booking holiday travel can be stressful, but there isn't a single, collective event that captures the national consciousness like Chunyun ticket-buying once did. It was a test of patience, resourcefulness, and sometimes, connections. Today, this experience has been transformed by technology. Apps like the official 12306 for trains, Ctrip (携程 xiéchéng), and Meituan (美团 měituán) have moved the process online. The battle has shifted from physical queues to a high-speed digital scramble the second tickets are released. This change reflects China's rapid modernization, yet the underlying challenge of massive demand during peak times remains a core part of the modern Chinese experience.
买票 is a neutral term used in all contexts, from informal chats to formal announcements.
This is now the most common method. You'll use 买票 when talking about using apps or websites.
You still use 买票 when buying tickets at a physical location.