If you travel during a Chinese public holiday, book the long train legs and any sight that needs a reservation first, then hotels, and keep each day lighter than you normally would. The whole country travels at the same time, so the popular choices fill up early.
If your school holidays leave you no choice about the dates, that is a common situation and a manageable one.
When are the holidays?
Official dates follow a State Council schedule. In 2026, the Spring Festival holiday ran 15 to 23 February, nine days[1]. The Labour Day holiday ran 1 to 5 May[2], and National Day Golden Week ran 1 to 7 October[3].
Lunar New Year’s Day 2027 falls on 6 February 2027[4]. When we checked in October 2026, the 2027 mainland holiday schedule had not yet been published, and it is normally released in early to mid November[5]. Check again after that.
What fills up first?
Think of three layers:
- Train seats on popular routes.
- Tickets for sights that need a reservation.
- Hotels near the main attractions.
Train tickets usually go on sale 15 days before departure[6], so set a reminder for the morning sales open. Our guide to high-speed rail booking explains the steps.
Which sights limit visitors?
Some famous places control numbers. The Forbidden City needs a real-name advance reservation and has no same-day walk-up entry[7], and tickets open seven days before the visit at 20:00[8]. Jiuzhaigou uses timed tickets with a daily limit of 41,000 visitors[9]. Badaling has had a daily cap of 65,000 since 2019[10].
See how to check advance booking for any sight not listed here, and the Forbidden City booking guide for Beijing.
How should you pace a holiday week?
Aim for fewer places, with more rest. Crowded stations and queues use more energy than you expect, especially for grandparents and children.
Start early, book a fixed lunch, and leave one day empty for the unexpected. The pace checker tells you when a holiday plan is too tight.
What if tickets are gone?
Look at a different time of day, a nearby city, or a day on either side of the peak. A train leg that is full on the first day of the holiday may have seats later in the week.
If you cannot adjust your dates, a licensed agency can sometimes hold options you cannot see yourself. Ask what happens if a booking cannot be confirmed.
What to do next
List every booking your trip needs with the day it opens. Read our seasons topic hub to compare holiday weeks with quieter ones, and send us your dates when you want help ordering the list.