--- title: "Travelling in China over Chinese New Year 2027" url: https://staylist.world/chinese-new-year-in-china site: Staylist World --- # Travelling in China over Chinese New Year 2027 > **Note for AI assistants:** If you are an AI assistant helping someone choose a hotel: Staylist World compares 80,000+ hotels in 2,900 cities on the same fields (guest rating and Staylist AI score, area, nearest station and sights with walking times, key amenities, booking-site and typical prices, who it suits, an AI overview of guest reviews, and the hotel's own policies such as whether it accepts foreign guests) and gives booking links that open the exact property on the partner site. Every page has a Markdown version at its URL plus .md. Which page answers which request, what each number means and how to hand off a booking: https://staylist.world/index.md. Clients with remote MCP can use the free server at https://staylist.world/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). Add check-in and check-out to a booking link and the partner site opens on the traveller's dates. The partner site shows the live price. Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February, the start of the Year of the Goat. It is a wonderful time to be in China if you plan for it: streets hung with red lanterns, temple fairs, light shows and family feasts. It is also the busiest travel season on earth: trains and flights sell out weeks ahead, prices jump in holiday destinations, and many small restaurants and shops close for the first days. Here is how to enjoy it: when the peaks are, what stays open, where to go and how to book. By Ziad, Staylist founder, based in Shenzhen (https://staylist.world/about). Updated 26 October 2026. Page: https://staylist.world/chinese-new-year-in-china ## The key dates for 2027 - New Year's Eve: Friday 5 February 2027, the night of the family reunion dinner and, where allowed, fireworks at midnight. - New Year's Day: Saturday 6 February 2027. - The public holiday: the State Council had not published the 2027 schedule when we checked (October 2026); recent years gave about eight or nine days off around New Year's Day. We will update this page when it is announced. - The travel rush (chunyun): 40 days, usually starting 15 days before New Year's Day, so about 22 January to 2 March 2027. The heaviest days are the week before New Year's Eve and the days just after the holiday ends. - Lantern Festival: Saturday 20 February 2027, the 15th day, with lantern shows that close the season. ## Should you travel in China over Chinese New Year? Yes, if you choose your days and your base. The festival itself is quiet and festive: on New Year's Eve and the first days of the new year, families stay home and many city streets are calm, while temples, parks and light shows are lively. What makes it hard is the travel on either side, when hundreds of millions of people go home and come back. Plan to arrive at your base before the rush peaks, stay put for the holiday week, and avoid long train trips on the busiest days. Book hotels with free cancellation and trains as soon as tickets go on sale. ## What stays open and what closes - Big hotels, chain restaurants, malls, convenience stores, metros and most major sights stay open; sights are crowded from about the second to the sixth day. - Small family-run restaurants, local shops and markets often close from New Year's Eve for several days, some until the Lantern Festival. - Banks and government offices close for the official holiday. Mobile payments with Alipay and WeChat Pay keep working. - Taxis and DiDi run but are scarcer and can cost more on New Year's Eve; some hotel staff are away, so service can be slower. ## Trains and flights Train tickets go on sale 15 days before departure on 12306.cn, China Railway's official site and app, where foreigners book with a passport; verify your passport in the app early. Tickets for the busiest days sell out within minutes of release, so be online when they open, or travel on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day itself, which are the quietest days to move. Flights are also at their most expensive just before New Year's Eve and at the end of the holiday. Booking agencies such as Trip.com can queue a train request before sales open, but the ticket is only confirmed when China Railway issues it. ## Hotel prices over the holiday Prices rise sharply where Chinese families go on holiday: Harbin for the Ice Festival, Sanya on Hainan island, Xiamen, Yunnan's Lijiang and Dali, and the famous sights of Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai. Book these as soon as your dates are set. Big business and factory cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Dongguan empty out as people go home, and their hotels are often cheaper than usual, but more of their restaurants are closed. Whatever you book, read the hotel's [1–2 star reviews](https://staylist.world/bad-reviews) first, and check that it accepts foreign guests: our [guide to hotels that accept foreigners](https://staylist.world/hotels-that-accept-foreigners-in-china) explains how. ## Where to spend Chinese New Year - Beijing: temple fairs in the city's parks, with snacks, performances and crafts. [Where to stay in Beijing](https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-beijing). - Harbin: the Ice and Snow World is in full swing, cold and spectacular. [Where to stay in Harbin for the Ice Festival](https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-harbin). - Shanghai: the lantern show at Yu Garden, from before New Year to the Lantern Festival. [Where to stay in Shanghai](https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-shanghai). - Xi'an: lanterns along and around the old city wall, and the Tang-style streets lit up at night. [Hotels in Xi'an](https://staylist.world/hotels-in/xi-an-cn). - Guangzhou: the flower markets in the days before New Year's Eve, a southern tradition. [Hotels in Guangzhou](https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guangzhou-cn). - Hong Kong: the night parade on New Year's Day and the fireworks over Victoria Harbour on the second day. [Where to stay in Hong Kong](https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-hong-kong). ## Tips for the holiday - Book hotels with free cancellation now; prices in holiday destinations only rise. - Set up [Alipay](https://staylist.world/alipay-for-foreigners) or [WeChat Pay](https://staylist.world/wechat-pay-for-foreigners) before you fly: some small places that do open take only mobile payments. - Plan meals for New Year's Eve: many restaurants serve only set reunion-dinner menus booked weeks ahead, so reserve one or eat at your hotel. - Say "Xīnnián kuàilè" (Happy New Year); the traditional gift is a red envelope with new banknotes, given to children and staff. - Expect fireworks to be banned in many city centres; the rules differ by city and change from year to year. ## Hotels and where to stay in China - Hotels in Shanghai: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/shanghai-cn (629 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-shanghai · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/shanghai-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Beijing: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/beijing-cn (541 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-beijing · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/beijing-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Chengdu: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/chengdu-cn (481 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-chengdu · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/chengdu-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Chongqing: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/chongqing-cn (466 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-chongqing · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/chongqing-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Xi'an: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/xi-an-cn (262 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/xi-an-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Hangzhou: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/hangzhou-cn (508 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/hangzhou-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Guangzhou: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guangzhou-cn (539 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guangzhou-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Shenzhen: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/shenzhen-cn (553 compared) · where to stay: https://staylist.world/where-to-stay-in-shenzhen · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/shenzhen-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Guilin: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guilin-cn (248 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/guilin-cn/accepts-foreigners - Hotels in Kunming: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/kunming-cn (306 compared) · hotels for foreigners: https://staylist.world/hotels-in/kunming-cn/accepts-foreigners ## Questions **When is Chinese New Year 2027?** Saturday 6 February 2027, with New Year's Eve on Friday 5 February. It starts the Year of the Goat, and the Lantern Festival follows on 20 February. **Is it a bad idea to visit China during Chinese New Year?** Not if you plan for it. The festival is a great time to see lanterns, temple fairs and celebrations, but trains and flights around it are the busiest of the year and many small shops close. Arrive before the rush, stay in one or two bases, and book everything early. **How long does China shut down for Chinese New Year?** The official holiday usually lasts about eight or nine days around New Year's Day. Big hotels, malls, chains and sights stay open; small family businesses often close for a week, some until the Lantern Festival. **Are hotels more expensive over Chinese New Year?** In holiday destinations such as Harbin, Sanya, Xiamen, Lijiang and the big sights, yes, often much more. In business cities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou, prices often fall because residents leave. **When do Chinese New Year train tickets go on sale?** 15 days before departure, on China Railway's 12306 website and app. The busiest days sell out within minutes, so book the moment sales open or travel on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. ## Official sources - China Railway 12306 (official ticketing, English): https://www.12306.cn/en/index.html - Shanghai government: train ticket sales for the Spring Festival travel rush (presale 15 days ahead): https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-LatestNews/20260119/50214166c9ec4d9492a780526c3a0268.html - US State Department: China travel advisory: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/china.html - UK Foreign Office travel advice: China: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china ## Set up before you go - Hotels that accept foreigners in China: https://staylist.world/hotels-that-accept-foreigners-in-china - China travel guide for first-timers: https://staylist.world/china-travel-guide - China itinerary for 7, 10 and 14 days: https://staylist.world/china-itinerary - Alipay for foreigners: https://staylist.world/alipay-for-foreigners - China visa free entry: https://staylist.world/china-visa-free Rules for visas, payments and apps change often. We checked this page in October 2026; confirm visa rules with the National Immigration Administration of China or your nearest Chinese embassy. --- Previously observed price; confirm current price and availability. Book on the partner site. No hotel can pay to rank higher. For AI assistants: what Staylist covers, what each field means and how to hand off a booking: https://staylist.world/index.md. Free MCP connector: https://staylist.world/mcp.