China Public Holidays 2026: Dates and Crowd Calendar
China's official 2026 calendar includes a nine-day Spring Festival break, a five-day Labor Day break and seven days for National Day. Use the adjusted-workday table and crowd calendar before booking trains, hotels and attractions.
China's official 2026 calendar includes a nine-day Spring Festival break, five days for Labor Day and seven days for National Day. The most important detail for visitors is that some Saturdays and Sundays become official working days.
Crowds also extend beyond the printed holiday dates. Spring Festival produces a much longer transport rush, and the July-August school season can keep trains and major attractions busy for weeks.
Official China public holidays for 2026
| Holiday | Official break | Adjusted working days |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 1–3 January | Sunday 4 January |
| Spring Festival | 15–23 February | Saturday 14 February and Saturday 28 February |
| Qingming Festival | 4–6 April | None listed |
| Labor Day | 1–5 May | Saturday 9 May |
| Dragon Boat Festival | 19–21 June | None listed |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | 25–27 September | None listed |
| National Day | 1–7 October | Sunday 20 September and Saturday 10 October |
These dates come from the State Council's official 2026 public-holiday calendar.
An adjusted working day is not an extra holiday. Government offices, schools and many businesses may follow a weekday schedule on that Saturday or Sunday. Attractions and transport operators publish their own hours, so check the specific service.
Crowd calendar at a glance
| Period | Expected pressure | Planning response |
|---|---|---|
| Before and after Spring Festival | Very high for long-distance transport | Avoid tight connections and verify small-business opening hours |
| Qingming Festival | Concentrated short-distance traffic | Allow road time around heritage and mountain destinations |
| Labor Day, 1–5 May | Very high national leisure demand | Book trains, hotels and capacity-limited attractions first |
| July and August | Sustained family and student travel | Reserve popular long-distance routes and indoor attractions early |
| National Day, 1–7 October | Very high nationwide demand | Reduce hotel changes and use timed reservations where available |
| Ordinary midweek dates | Usually lower, not guaranteed | Check local events, exhibitions and school calendars |
Spring Festival
Spring Festival movement begins before the official break and continues after it. Stations may be busy while business districts appear quiet. Independent restaurants and small shops can reduce hours, while temples, fairs and historic districts attract holiday visitors.
Confirm transport first, then hotels. Avoid assuming that a third-party train request is a confirmed seat. Keep a second route or an extra night available if the journey is important.
Labor Day
The five-day break from 1 to 5 May is one of the most competitive periods for intercity leisure travel. High-speed trains, famous museums, mountain sites, theme parks and centrally located hotels can fill early.
For a first trip, staying longer in one city is usually more resilient than changing hotels every day. Reserve the fixed-capacity attraction before filling the itinerary with flexible activities.
Summer travel season
Summer is not one national holiday, but July and August create sustained demand from families, students and tourists. The Shanghai government report on the 2026 national railway summer season covers the official 1 July to 31 August operating period.
Heat, rain, typhoons and flooding can make a fully prepaid itinerary fragile. Keep recovery time around long train journeys and weather-sensitive attractions.
National Day Golden Week
The 1–7 October break brings nationwide leisure demand. The adjusted working days—Sunday 20 September and Saturday 10 October—are easy for visitors to miss when scheduling appointments or services.
If you travel during Golden Week:
- secure intercity transport and the first hotel early;
- reserve attractions with capacity limits;
- choose early entry slots;
- avoid a same-day transfer followed by a fixed-time ticket;
- keep a neighborhood, park or walking route as a fallback.
Booking trains around holidays
Foreign travelers can use a valid passport on the official 12306 English service, subject to identity verification and the current sales window. The official 12306 ticketing FAQ is the reference for purchasing, changing and refunding tickets.
Before a peak sales date:
- verify the account and every passenger;
- confirm the exact departure station;
- check nearby stations and sensible route alternatives;
- understand whether a waitlist or third-party request is confirmed;
- keep the passport used for purchase available.
Our high-speed rail guide explains the wider station and passport workflow.
Hotels and attractions
Check whether the room is immediately confirmed, the cancellation deadline in China time, reception hours and distance from the correct station or attraction entrance. Save the reservation offline.
Many museums and scenic areas use dated or timed admission. A staffed foreign-passport counter cannot override a sold-out capacity limit. Use our attraction booking guide before relying on walk-up entry.
Official sources
- State Council: China's public holidays for 2026
- China Railway 12306 English ticketing FAQ
- Shanghai government: 2026 national railway summer season
Do not infer a later year's dates from the lunar calendar. Wait for the applicable State Council notice.
Last reviewed: 12 August 2026.