Here is what happens during Chinese New Year. Every working migrant in China tries to go home at the same time. Trains sell out in seconds on release day. Highway rest stops overflow. Major cities lose 20 to 30% of their population in the week before the holiday. Local restaurants close. Shops close. If you are in China during this period without a plan, it is a difficult experience. If you have a plan, it can be one of the most culturally vivid things you see in China.
Key Takeaways
- 2026 date: February 17 (Year of the Horse).
- Chunyun period: approximately February 2 to March 4.
- Train tickets: sell out in minutes on release day. Booking guide.
- Local restaurants: mostly closed for 1 to 2 weeks.
- Best strategy: arrive before February 14. Stay in one city. Leave after February 22.
- Temple fairs: genuinely worth attending. The best cultural experience of the holiday.
The Scale of Chunyun
Chunyun (春运) is the 40-day Spring Festival migration period. It begins 15 days before Chinese New Year and ends 25 days after. The {ext(‘https://www.ndrc.gov.cn’, ‘National Development and Reform Commission’)} estimates around 9 billion trips during this period. That includes trains, flights, coaches, and personal vehicles. The result for foreign travelers: trains on popular routes sell out within seconds of going on sale. Flights are available but cost two to three times normal prices in the two weeks before the holiday.
Train Booking: The Exact Process
Tickets go on sale 15 days before the travel date at 8:00 AM Beijing time. For travel on February 17, that is 8:00 AM on February 2. For travel on February 23, that is February 8.
| Route Type | Availability | What to Do |
| Major city to major city (outbound) | Sells out in seconds on popular routes | 8:00 AM exactly. App open. Payment ready. |
| Major city to smaller hometown | Extremely scarce | Book immediately or fly |
| Smaller city back to major city | Often available | Reverse migration. Seats exist. |
| Return tickets (after holiday) | Very scarce on peak return days | Book return at same time as outbound |
What Is Open and Closed
Open
- Tourist attractions (most stay open)
- Hotel restaurants
- Chain restaurants: KFC, McDonald’s, Starbucks, major noodle chains
- Convenience stores: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson
- Shopping malls
- Temple fairs (庙会) in parks across major cities
Closed or limited
- Most small local restaurants (owners go home for the holiday)
- Many local shops and services
- Some banks and government offices
- Many street food vendors
Temple Fairs: The Reason to Go
Temple fairs (庙会) are the best reason to be in China during Chinese New Year. They are open-air markets set up in parks during the Spring Festival period. Food stalls. Performance stages. Lantern displays. Craft vendors. In Beijing, the main ones are at Ditan Park, Longtan Park, and the Temple of Earth. In Xi’an, the city wall area runs a large event. These are genuinely atmospheric and worth going to.
The Strategy That Works
The travelers who have good Chinese New Year experiences all do the same thing. They pick one city. They arrive before the peak (before February 14). They stay through the holiday. They go to temple fairs. They eat at hotel restaurants and chain options. They leave after February 22.
The travelers who have bad experiences try to travel between cities during the holiday week. They compete with hundreds of millions of people for the same seats on the same trains. Do not do that. For comparison with Golden Week, which has similar logistics: Golden Week guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the full seasonal guide, see Best Time to Visit China. For high-speed rail booking, see China High-Speed Rail Guide.