China Autumn 2026 Travel Calendar: Mid-Autumn Festival and Golden Week
The official 2026 calendar puts Mid-Autumn Festival on 25–27 September and National Day on 1–7 October. Plan around the rail, hotel and attraction peaks instead of treating every September day alike.
Autumn is one of the easiest seasons to travel across China, but the last week of September and first week of October are a different planning problem. The official 2026 holiday notice places Mid-Autumn Festival on 25–27 September and National Day on 1–7 October. The notice also lists adjusted working weekends on 20 September and 10 October.
The dates come from the official 2026 holiday schedule. They describe public-sector arrangements, not a promise that every attraction or private business will close or open in the same way.
What the calendar means for visitors
Mid-Autumn Festival is a three-day peak. National Day, often called Golden Week, is a seven-day peak with heavy domestic demand for flights, high-speed rail, hotels and major attractions. The busiest travel can spill into the weekends immediately before and after the formal holiday.
If your dates are flexible, travel before 25 September or after the first week of October. If the holiday is the reason for your trip, choose one region and book transport and accommodation early rather than trying to cross the country every other day.
A booking order that reduces stress
Start with the international arrival and departure city. Then reserve the long rail legs, especially on routes linking Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guangzhou and popular scenic areas. The 12306 English FAQ explains account, identity and ticketing basics; sale windows and availability are operational details to recheck in the official system.
Next, book accommodation with a clear foreign-guest registration process. Finally, reserve timed-entry attractions. A train seat is not useful if the only available Forbidden City or mountain slot is on another day.
Where to go during a peak
The classic Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai circuit is possible, but expect queues and higher prices. A slower route can use one major city plus nearby day trips, or a smaller city with strong rail access. Suzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Qingdao and Chengdu all offer different experiences, but local crowd levels still vary by attraction and weather.
Do not assume a rural or “hidden” destination will be empty. Domestic travelers also follow social-media recommendations, and a single scenic site can sell out even when the surrounding town feels quiet.
Practical holiday backups
Keep a flexible meal and museum list, download maps and tickets, and save hotel addresses in Chinese. Allow extra time for station security, airport transfers and attraction entry. If a long-distance train sells out, compare an early or late departure, a different station, or a route with one sensible connection rather than a risky same-day chain.
China Travel Pulse is a planning resource, not a ticketing service. Holiday schedules, opening hours and transport operations can change; confirm each booking with the operator close to travel.
Official sources
Last reviewed: 31 August 2026.