Traveling during Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) is the ultimate China travel challenge. It's the world's largest human migration — trains sell out, hotels spike, attractions either close or overflow, and many restaurants shut down for 3-7 days. This guide covers how to navigate it without your trip collapsing.
Spring Festival creates a 7-15 day period where normal travel rules don't apply — transport, hotels, restaurants, and attractions all operate on different schedules.
Hunker down in one major city (Shanghai or Beijing) rather than trying to move between cities
Book everything 4-6 weeks ahead — last-minute doesn't exist during Spring Festival
Expect reduced service everywhere and plan accordingly
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