For a few weeks every winter, trains fill to capacity, highways clog for miles, and airports run at full tilt across China. The Lunar New Year travel period (known domestically as "Chunyun") is not just a holiday exodus. It is the biggest recurring human migration anywhere on the planet. What begins as a cultural tradition, returning home to share New Year's Eve dinner with family, has evolved into a logistical phenomenon that doubles as a real-time indicator of consumer confidence and transport resilience. So here's everything you need to know about China's Lunar New Year travel rush, also known as "Chunyun".
How long does the travel surge last?
The 2026 travel season began on February 2 and runs for 40 days in total. The official Spring Festival holiday (the core celebration window) takes place from February 15 to 23. This year's break is one day longer than usual, giving travellers more flexibility and boosting both domestic and overseas trips.
How big is it this year?
Officials expect around 9.5 billion domestic journeys over the 40-day period, setting a new high and surpassing last year's roughly 9.02 billion. The headline figure has grown sharply in recent years after authorities broadened the way trips are counted, incorporating road travel on major expressways into the national total. Even accounting for that methodological change, the sheer scale underlines how central Lunar New Year mobility remains to the country's economy.
How are people moving?
Rail remains one of the backbone systems of the migration. Within just over a week of the launch, more than 1 billion passenger trips had already been logged on the railway network. Air travel is also accelerating. Tens of millions of passengers are expected to fly during the 40-day window, with early figures pointing to strong first-week demand. Roads, however, carry the bulk of travellers, particularly families making shorter regional trips by car. The result is a nationwide stress test for infrastructure, from high-speed rail hubs to rural highways.
Where are travellers heading?
Within China, demand has split between two extremes. On one side is the tropical coastline of Hainan, long marketed as the country's winter sun escape. On the other is the snow-covered landscape of Changbai Mountain, which continues to attract skiers and winter sports enthusiasts. Outbound tourism is also gaining momentum. Warmer destinations such as Thailand and Australia are seeing renewed interest, while Russia has drawn attention following the introduction of visa-free access for Chinese tourists late last year. In contrast, travel to Japan has softened amid diplomatic tensions.
What makes 2026 different?
Two policy shifts stand out. First, the extended holiday has added an extra day to the official break, encouraging longer trips and boosting overseas bookings. Second, China has widened its visa-free entry programme to cover more than 45 countries. Travellers from several European nations, as well as New Zealand and Australia, can now stay for up to 30 days without a visa, a decision aimed at strengthening inbound tourism as outbound flows rebound.