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Chinese New Year 2027: Travel Dates & Tips

Published 2026-10-24 · Updated 2026-10-24 · Essentials

Written by China On Arrival Editorial Desk · Research basis: Editor research, fact-checked

TL;DR

A: Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, February 6 (Year of the Fire Goat), with New Year's Eve on February 5 and the Lantern Festival closing the season on February 20. The official public-holiday window (expect roughly Feb 5-13, pending the State Council notice due around November 2026) is the single biggest travel rush in the world: book trains the day the 15-day window opens in late January.

What’s the short answer?

Chinese New Year 2027 = Saturday, February 6 (Year of the Fire Goat); New Year’s Eve = Friday, February 5; Lantern Festival = Saturday, February 20. Those lunar dates are fixed. The public-holiday length is set each year by the State Council — expect a window roughly February 5-13 based on recent patterns (2026 ran 9 days), with the official announcement due around November 2026.

The two questions to ask yourself

Do you want to be IN China during CNY, or OUT of the way of it? Both are valid:

  • In it: temples and fairgrounds at their most atmospheric, cities briefly empty on New Year’s Day, fireworks in the streets (where legal). Costs: family restaurants close on Eve and Day 1-2, long-distance trains are booked solid by the rush, and intercity tickets can be unobtainable walk-up.
  • Out of its way: the fortnight around CNY is peak domestic travel — 9 billion trips move in 40 days. If your dates are flexible, arrive after the Lantern Festival (Feb 20, 2027) and everything is cheaper and quieter until May.

How the ticket rush actually works

Train tickets open 15 days before departure on 12306 — so for a February 5-6 journey, the booking war starts around January 21-22. The Spring Festival rush (chunyun) is the one time China’s immense frequency doesn’t save you: holiday routes sell out in minutes. The countermeasures: book the window-opening morning; use 12306’s official waiting list; or lock flights and hotels months ahead. If plans change, know the rules — refunds inside 48 hours cost 10%, inside 24 hours 20%, and Spring Festival changes carry a uniform 20% refund fee.

What’s open and what’s closed

Majors stay open: the Forbidden City, Terracotta Army and big museums run through the holiday (book ahead — domestic visitor numbers spike). Closed or ghost-town: many family-run restaurants shut for Eve through Day 2; small vendors take the week off; banks and government offices run holiday schedules. Packed: temples on Day 1, temple fairs in Beijing, and every scenic area that rates a mention. One admin note if you’re staying anywhere that isn’t a hotel: police registration is still your responsibility within 24 hours.

Before you fly

Link your payment apps before boarding (the arrival checklist sequences it), and re-check the official holiday dates when the State Council notice lands — this page’s window estimate gets replaced with confirmed dates then.

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Common questions

Do I need to register with police if I am not staying in a hotel?

Yes — Article 39 of China's Exit and Entry Administration Law gives you 24 hours after check-in to register any non-hotel stay (apartment, homestay, a friend's place); hotels register you automatically at the desk. Since September 21, 2026 the registration can be done online nationwide via the NIA 12367 app, its WeChat/Alipay mini programs, or s.nia.gov.cn, by you or your host, with the same legal effect as visiting a police station. Source: NIA Announcement No. 7 of 2026.

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