Public holidays in China

Public holidays in China consist of two categories: those that fall on fixed dates according to the Gregorian calendar (such as New Year’s Day and National Day) and those based on the lunar or traditional calendar, which vary from year to year (such as the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival). While most holidays are observed nationwide, a "compensatory leave" system is often used to bridge weekends with statutory holidays, creating longer breaks; this is balanced by "make-up workdays," where days that would otherwise be weekends (Saturdays or Sundays) are designated as working days.

For local Chinese, this means a concentration of travel; for foreign tourists, it means that competition for transport, accommodation, and access to popular attractions can suddenly intensify during certain periods. The three most high-pressure periods are:

• Spring Festival: The largest annual human migration, characterized by a combination of family visits and tourism, lasting approximately 9 days.

• Labour Day: A 5-day consecutive holiday, marked by a concentrated surge in short- and medium-distance travel.

• National Day Golden Week: October 1–7; the second-largest travel peak of the year, coinciding with the autumn peak tourism season.

If your travel dates are flexible, try to avoid these three periods. If you cannot avoid them, the following checklist and strategies are designed for you.

The dates below are based on the currently announced holiday schedule for 2027. This national-level framework does not necessarily reflect the specific operating hours of individual attractions, museums, or businesses; please verify the latest, real-time information for your specific destinations before you set off.

1. New Year's Day（元旦）：The holiday will run from Friday, January 1, to Sunday, January 3—a total of 3 days—with no compensatory workdays. Work will resume as usual on Monday, January 4.

2. Spring Festival（春节）: The holiday begins on February 5 (Lunar New Year’s Eve, Friday), allowing for a total of 9 consecutive days off, through February 13 (Saturday).

3. Qingming Festival（清明节）: A 3-day holiday from April 3 (Saturday) to April 5 (Monday); no compensatory workdays.

4. Labor Day（劳动节）: The holiday is expected to run from Friday, April 30, to Tuesday, May 4—a total of 5 days, with one day of compensatory leave included.

   This period serves as a primary window for short- and medium-distance travel during the May Day holiday; the intensity of travel activity over these five consecutive days should not be underestimated.

5. Dragon Boat Festival（端午节）: A one-day holiday on June 9 (Wednesday); no compensatory workday adjustments.

   

6. Mid-Autumn Festival（中秋节）: A one-day holiday on September 15 (Wednesday); no compensatory workday adjustments.

7. National Day（国庆节）: A 7-day holiday from Friday, October 1, to Thursday, October 7 (including 2 adjusted working days).

   Since the first day of the National Day holiday falls on a Friday, it is convenient for locals to "bridge" the break with their annual leave to extend their time off—a factor likely to further boost the desire for travel.

The practical hurdles to traveling in China often have less to do with knowing the holiday dates, and more to do with ensuring that your payment methods, internet access, and travel documents are all sorted out in advance. It is recommended that you address the following three areas before your departure.

1. Payment: Link your Alipay or WeChat Pay account in advance.

In China, QR code payments are the primary method for everyday transactions. Foreign visitors can now complete identity verification using their passports—without needing to open a Chinese bank account—and link bank cards issued outside of China (such as Visa, Mastercard, or JCB) to use within Alipay or WeChat Pay.

2. Connectivity: A travel eSIM is the more convenient option

Mobile network coverage in China is excellent; however, using a local physical SIM card connects you to the domestic network, meaning international services—such as Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube—cannot be accessed directly. A travel eSIM is a great alternative: simply scan a QR code upon arrival to activate it and start using it immediately.

3. Visas and Transit

As of 2026, China has implemented unilateral visa-free entry for 50 countries and a 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy for 57 countries. Before your departure, be sure to verify—via official channels such as the National Immigration Administration or a Chinese embassy or consulate in your country—whether your passport qualifies, and check the applicable ports of entry and permitted areas of travel.

Book the long-distance transport and essential accommodation before the public rush. Keep the first and last days of the holiday route simple. Choose one major sight per day rather than placing several ticketed attractions on opposite sides of a city.

Consider travelling early in the morning, staying an extra night in one base, or using a less famous entrance and a nearby destination. A smaller museum, a neighbourhood walk or a rural route can be more rewarding when the national landmarks are full.

Avoid moving hotels every night during a major holiday. The time saved by a cheaper room can disappear in station queues, traffic and luggage transfers. If your dates cannot move, ask for a route that changes cities less often and uses rail at times with more alternatives.

Our when-to-go guide, destination pages and tailor-made planners can help compare a holiday route with the same trip one week earlier or later. Dates are part of the itinerary, not a detail to add after every ticket has been bought.