31/01/2026
Chinese Spring Festival Travel Rush(中国春运) is like Thanksgiving and Christmas travel combined—but for the entire China, all at the same.
It is the annual period around Chinese New Year when hundreds of millions of people travel to reunite with their families. It will last approx. 40 days (before + after Lunar New Year).
It is the largest annual human migration in the world. Billions of passenger trips happen by rail, or road, or air combined. Some major cities, like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, will temporarily empty out. Meanwhile small hometowns will suddenly become overcrowded.
Chinese New Year = obligatory family reunion. Missing it can be socially and emotionally costly. Tens of millions work far from home. Many return to hometowns only once a year. Everyone travels in the same narrow window. Unlike Western staggered vacations.
It’s not tourism—it’s duty for Chinese people.
For many Chinese people, Spring Festival is about returning to where you belong, not where you live. No matter how far you go in life, Chinese New Year is when you go back to your roots.
Imagine if every people in your countries had to go home for Christmas or your new year, on the same day, no matter where they lived—and skipping it wasn’t really an option.
That’s Chinese Spring Festival Travel.
This year Spring Festival Travel will start from Feb 2nd to March 13th. It will last 40 days in total. Wish every Chinese will have a safe trip to home and a nice new year with their families and friends.
Happy Chinese Lunar New Year to you ahead.
