Holidays in China 2026: when to go and when to book

Holidays in China decide what your trip will be like. During the big travel waves, train tickets sell out weeks in advance, and hotel prices multiply several times over. Some dates are best avoided, some are manageable, and in two cases the holidays actually work in your favor.

The 2026 calendar has already been published: the State Council of the PRC released it on November 4, 2025 (China Briefing, 09/2026). Spring Festival runs from February 15 to 23, National Day from October 1 to 7. These are the two most expensive and crowded weeks of the year.

The breakdown below is organized by suitability for travel, not by cultural significance. You will see where you will overpay twice as much, and where you will find unexpectedly empty Beijing and Shanghai.

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Holidays in China 2026: a travel calendar

💡 In short:

• Spring Festival (February 15-23) and Golden Week (October 1-7) are the most crowded and expensive periods of the year.
• Three holidays are manageable: Qingming, Labor Day, and Mid-Autumn Festival.
• Dates and travel conditions: 09/2026, verified against the China Briefing calendar and Auswärtiges Amt.

Important: lunar calendar dates (Spring Festival, Duanwu, Zhongqiu) shift every year. Before booking, check the official announcement from the State Council of the PRC (China Briefing, 09/2026).

Two periods to avoid

Spring Festival: February 15-23

Chunjie is considered the main holiday of the year in China. Families travel across the entire country to get home, and this wave is called Chunyun. It starts a couple of weeks before the New Year and subsides a couple of weeks after.

What this means for you: high-speed train tickets sell out immediately after sales open, roughly 15 days before departure. Traveling between cities without buying in advance during these days is nearly impossible. Plane tickets get more expensive, and hotels in Beijing and Shanghai raise prices several times over.

What is good about it: Beijing and Shanghai empty out of locals, and the city centers become quiet. If you are willing to put up with the crush at train stations and airports, you can get shots in the megacities that are impossible at any other time.

For a first trip, this period is still not suitable: the logistics are simply too difficult.

Golden Week: October 1-7

October 1 is celebrated as the founding day of the PRC. The holiday is extended with days off, creating a seven-day Golden Week. In 2026, National Day runs from October 1 to 7.

Unlike Chunyun, during these days people do not go home but travel around the country on vacation. Attractions are overcrowded, and the Forbidden City draws record queues. On the Badaling wall, visitors literally move step by step. Hotels in Guilin, Zhangjiajie, and Huangshan raise prices several times over.

Tip: if your dates are flexible, shift your trip a week before or after. September and November in China have pleasant weather, and you will get the same experience without the tourist markup. It is convenient to compare accommodation in advance on Trip.com.

Three borderline periods

Qingming: April 4-6

Qingming is dedicated to remembering the deceased. Many people travel to family graves, but the wave is noticeably smaller than during Chunyun or Golden Week. Train tickets to popular mountain destinations sell out faster than usual, and hotel prices rise moderately.

Tip: in Beijing and Shanghai there will be no serious problems. For a trip to Xi'an or Guilin, book in advance (China Briefing, 09/2026).

Labor Day: May 1-5

Labor Day in China has been stretched over several days and has turned into a "mini Golden Week." Travel density is lower than in February and October, but Shanghai, Beijing, and Xi'an are noticeably busy. Hotel prices rise more moderately than during Golden Week.

Tip: this period works for you if you have time to spare. For a short multi-day tour, it is inconvenient.

Mid-Autumn Festival: September 25-27

The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated with mooncakes. It is more of a family holiday than a tourist one, so the wave is smaller than during other short holidays. Tip: for a traveler it is almost unnoticeable. If your trip overlaps with these dates, there is no need to change your plans.

What happens during holidays: a checklist

Trains. The most convenient way to get around China is by high-speed train. During Chunyun and Golden Week, tickets sell out in the first days of sales. For a foreigner without a Chinese account, it is easier to buy them through international services: train tickets on Trip.com. Sales usually open about 15 days before departure.

Hotels. Booking.com and Trip.com show noticeably higher prices during holidays. Compare the price with a regular weekday: most often the markup is tied to the date, not to the quality of the hotel. Book in advance, ideally several weeks ahead.

Attractions. Most sites are open during holidays but overcrowded.

Restaurants and shops. During Chunyun, many small establishments close for several days: staff leave for their home provinces. Hotels and international restaurants stay open. During Golden Week, cafes are open but packed.

City transport. The metro, buses, and Didi operate as usual during holidays. During peak hours, Didi prices rise slightly due to dynamic pricing.

How to choose the right time for your type of trip

First trip

Avoid Golden Week and Chunyun. The best window in 2026: from mid-March to late April, when trees are blooming and you can fit in Qingming. A second option: the second half of September or the period after Golden Week.

May in China is good weather-wise, but Labor Day requires time to spare. It is convenient to pick attraction tickets and tours in advance on GetYourGuide.

Second trip: empty megacities

Spring Festival is your chance here. Beijing and Shanghai become surprisingly empty during these days because locals leave. The condition: stay in one megacity, do not plan train transfers, and accept that some small shops are closed. This option is worth considering on a repeat visit to the country.

Business trip with a fixed date

If your meeting falls on a holiday week, book your hotel and tickets in advance, ideally several weeks ahead. Do not stretch your business trip into sightseeing during Golden Week: the markup and queues are not worth it.

What is already known about 2027

Those planning further ahead get an honest partial answer. Spring Festival 2027 falls in the first ten days of February. This day is fixed by the lunar calendar, so it can be calculated in advance. Labor Day on May 1 and National Day on October 1 are similarly fixed (China Briefing, 09/2026).

Important: what is not fixed is the structure of the days off themselves. How many days of rest will be given, which weekends will be made working days, and how far the wave will stretch is decided by the State Council every year, usually in November or December. As of September 2026, there is no announcement for 2027 yet.

Practical takeaway: for a trip in February 2027, avoid roughly two weeks around the beginning of the month. The wave starts well before the New Year itself and does not subside immediately. Do not book anything non-refundable in advance.

Where to check current information

The official holiday calendar is published by the State Council of the PRC, usually in the autumn for the following year. Current safety and entry recommendations are provided by the German Federal Foreign Office. Entry rules and customs limits are described by ADAC. Travel statistics during Chunyun are published by China's Ministry of Transport.

For tickets and real-time availability, check Trip.com.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

When are hotel prices highest in China?

During Golden Week from October 1 to 7 and Spring Festival from February 15 to 23. On these days, hotels in tourist areas and megacities raise prices several times over, and train and attraction tickets sell out weeks in advance. Shift your trip by a week, and prices return to normal.

Is it worth going to China for Chinese New Year?

Not for a first visit. Chunyun is called the largest human migration in the world, and tickets and hotels get expensive fast. But if you have already been to the country and stay in Beijing or Shanghai, you will get rare quiet in the city center.

Do I need to book the Forbidden City in advance?

Yes. The Forbidden City in Beijing has operated on online booking with a daily limit for several years now. On regular days, slots are available a few days ahead, but during Golden Week they sell out long before the date. Book on the official Palace Museum website, otherwise all you will see is the outer wall.

What closes during Chunyun?

Small cafes, family-run shops, and some markets close for several days because staff leave for their home provinces. Hotels, large shopping malls, and international restaurants stay open. Check the opening hours of a specific place in advance if it matters for your route.

When is the best time to visit China in 2026?

The optimal window: from mid-March to late April, or from mid-September to mid-October, but without Golden Week. During these periods the weather is pleasant, and prices and queues are normal. May also works, but Labor Day requires time to spare.

In short: what is worth booking

China is easy to plan if you know the holidays in advance. A couple of minutes with the calendar saves you money and stress on your trip.

• If you are going for the first time: look at the period from mid-March to late April, the second half of September, or the time after Golden Week.
• If your dates are fixed and fall on a holiday: book hotels and trains several weeks ahead.
• If you have already been to the country: Spring Festival in Beijing or Shanghai gives you empty streets.

It is convenient to compare hotels, trains, and tickets in advance on Trip.com.