Chinese New Year is not a nationwide shutdown. It is a nationwide movement of people. The trip-planning problem is therefore less about whether China functions and more about where capacity becomes scarce and which local opening hours stop being predictable.
Go for the atmosphere; simplify for the logistics. Base yourself in one large city, secure your arrival and departure before building the daily plan, and treat independently operated restaurants as choices to confirm—not promises.
What stays open—and what becomes uncertain
Transport and hotels
Trains, flights, metros and hotels continue operating. The risk is sold-out capacity, crowd controls and less recovery room after a delay.
Major attractions and malls
Many operate through the holiday, sometimes with special programming, shortened hours, timed entry or daily quotas.
Independent shops and food
Family-run businesses may close so staff can return home. The first festival days usually deserve the strongest backup plan.
The transport problem is bigger than one day
Do not plan only around Lunar New Year’s Day. The wider Spring Festival travel season includes people leaving major cities before the holiday and returning afterward. Exact patterns vary by route, so a single nationwide “avoid this train” rule would be misleading.
- International arrival: land in the city where you will stay, rather than adding an immediate domestic connection.
- Intercity rail: choose the exact station and departure before reserving a non-refundable attraction in the next city.
- Airport transfer: save the metro, official taxi queue and ride-hailing pickup point; demand can make one option slower than expected.
- Return day: keep the last night in the international departure city.
A trip shape that works
Use one major base
Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu or Guangzhou gives you deeper hotel, transport and commercial capacity than a chain of smaller stops.
Add local day choices
Prepare an indoor attraction, an outdoor neighbourhood route and a low-reservation day. Choose based on the live notice and crowd level.
Stay near useful transport
A central metro connection is more valuable than a prettier room on the edge of the city when service demand is high.
Confirm food daily
Use current map listings, hotel staff or the restaurant’s account/phone before travelling across town for one independent venue.
Who should choose different dates?
Change dates if this is your first independent China trip and your must-haves are a fast five-city route, same-day train decisions, specific small restaurants, or uncrowded versions of the Forbidden City and other headline sights. The festival can be culturally rewarding, but it is not the best period for maximum logistical freedom.
Do not copy the 2026 arrangement into 2027. China’s State Council publishes each year’s official days off and make-up workdays separately. CathayGuide will update the annual calendar when the next notice is released.
Frequently asked questions
Can tourists travel in China during Chinese New Year?
Yes, but a spontaneous multi-city itinerary is a poor fit. Intercity transport demand is intense and small-business hours are less predictable. A pre-booked trip based in one major city is much easier to operate.
Does everything close during Chinese New Year?
No. Major transport networks, many attractions, hotels, malls and chain restaurants continue operating, though hours and reservation rules can change. Small family-run shops and restaurants have the highest closure risk, especially in the first days of the festival.
When is Chinese New Year in 2026?
The official 2026 Spring Festival holiday ran from 15 to 23 February, with 14 and 28 February designated as working Saturdays. Future years must be checked against the State Council notice for that year.
Reviewed 22 July 2026. Opening patterns are category guidance, not guarantees for an individual venue.
- OFFICIALState Council 2026 holiday notice — statutory dates and working weekends.
- OFFICIALState Council Information Office Spring Festival briefing — market supply and holiday consumption/tourism preparations; used to avoid the false claim that everything closes.