China Public Holidays 2026
The official schedule, the three Golden Weeks, and a 10-second check for whether your trip dates land in the middle of China's biggest travel rushes.
The full 2026 holiday schedule
Seven breaks, straight from the official State Council notice (国办发明电〔2025〕7号, published November 4, 2025). The official notice is here: gov.cn Gazette 2025, issue 32.
| Holiday | Dates off | Days | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day 元旦 | Thu Jan 1 – Sat Jan 3 | 3 | Jan 4 (Sun) is a make-up workday |
| Spring Festival 春节 | Sun Feb 15 – Mon Feb 23 | 9 | Golden Week — Feb 14 & Feb 28 (Sat) are make-up workdays |
| Qingming Festival 清明节 | Sat Apr 4 – Mon Apr 6 | 3 | No weekend swapping needed |
| Labor Day 劳动节 | Fri May 1 – Tue May 5 | 5 | Golden Week — May 9 (Sat) is a make-up workday |
| Dragon Boat Festival 端午节 | Fri Jun 19 – Sun Jun 21 | 3 | Natural 3-day weekend, no swapping |
| Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 | Fri Sep 25 – Sun Sep 27 | 3 | Separate from National Day in 2026 |
| National Day 国庆节 | Thu Oct 1 – Wed Oct 7 | 7 | Golden Week — Sep 20 (Sun) & Oct 10 (Sat) are make-up workdays |
For the day-by-day detail, per-holiday travel advice, and what actually closes, see the full China public holidays 2026 guide.
The three Golden Weeks in 2026
Spring Festival Golden Week
Feb 15 – 23 · 9 daysThe year's biggest travel rush. Cities empty as hundreds of millions travel home; trains, flights and hotels are at their most expensive and most sold-out. Tourist sites that stay open get packed from day 3 onward.
Labor Day Golden Week
May 1 – 5 · 5 daysThe first big domestic-tourism weekend of the year. Expect peak pricing and long queues at major sights; book transport and hotels weeks ahead.
National Day Golden Week
Oct 1 – 7 · 7 daysThe classic 'Golden Week'. The single busiest sightseeing week of the year — great atmosphere, heavy crowds everywhere worth seeing.
The practical rule: for any of these three windows, book trains and hotels as early as the booking windows allow — this is when China travels. For everything else on the calendar, prices and crowds are meaningfully calmer.
The six make-up workdays (调休) — the part that surprises everyone
To build those long breaks, six weekends in 2026 become ordinary workdays. Travelers rarely feel them, but they explain the odd sight of a busy office tower on a Saturday:
| Make-up workday | Why |
|---|---|
| Sun, Jan 4 | Extends New Year's Day to Jan 1–3 |
| Sat, Feb 14 | Extends Spring Festival to start Feb 15 |
| Sat, Feb 28 | Extends Spring Festival to end Feb 23 |
| Sat, May 9 | Extends Labor Day to May 1–5 |
| Sun, Sep 20 | Extends National Day to start Oct 1 |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Extends National Day to end Oct 7 |
Museums, malls, metros, and trains run normally on these days. Banks and government offices keep workday hours — that's the one place a swapped Saturday can catch you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does China have in 2026?
Seven festivals produce 13 statutory holiday days under the current national rules: New Year's Day, Spring Festival, Qingming, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day. With weekend adjustments (调休), the official notice stitches these into seven breaks totaling 33 days off — including three Golden Weeks of 5–9 days.
What are China's 'Golden Weeks'?
The multi-day breaks around Chinese New Year (Feb 15–23 in 2026), Labor Day (May 1–5), and National Day (Oct 1–7), when the whole country travels at once. They're the peak of peak season: the heaviest crowds, the highest hotel and train prices, and the fastest ticket sell-outs. The date checker at the top of this page tells you instantly whether your trip dates land in one.
Is Chinese New Year a good time to visit China?
It depends what you want. It's the best time for atmosphere — lanterns, temple fairs, and the year's most important cultural event. It's the worst time for logistics: for about two weeks around Feb 15–23, transport is overloaded, many small family-run restaurants close for the week, and popular sights run at maximum density. Big-city expat hubs like Shanghai keep more open than smaller cities.
Do restaurants and attractions close during Chinese holidays?
Malls, major museums, and chain restaurants generally stay open — holidays are when they do their biggest business. What closes: many small family-run eateries and shops, typically for Chinese New Year week (owners travel home), and some family businesses take a few days around other festivals. Always have a backup for meals during Feb 15–23.
What are the 'adjusted working days' and do they affect tourists?
To create long breaks, the government swaps weekends: six Saturdays or Sundays in 2026 become regular workdays (Jan 4, Feb 14, Feb 28, May 9, Sep 20, Oct 10). Tourists barely notice — trains, metros, attractions, and restaurants run normally. Business travelers should note banks and government offices follow the swapped calendar, so a Saturday visit for paperwork may find counters closed.
When will China announce the 2027 holiday schedule?
Probably November 2026, if the recent pattern holds — the 2026 notice (国办发明电〔2025〕7号) was published on November 4, 2025. Our China public holidays 2027 page already covers what can be planned ahead, and we update it the day the official notice lands.