China Golden Week 2026 at a Glance
- Dates: October 1–7, 2026 (7 consecutive days off)
- Occasion: National Day (Guóqìng Jié / 国庆节)
- Official Statutory Holidays: October 1, 2, and 3 (3 days)
- Adjusted Rest Days: October 4, 5, 6, and 7 (4 bridge days)
- Adjusted Working Days (Makeup Days): Sunday, September 20, 2026 and Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Official Status: Confirmed by the State Council of the People's Republic of China
Every autumn, China observes one of its longest public vacation periods: the October Golden Week. Centered on China's National Day on October 1, the holiday grants workers, students, and public institutions seven straight days away from regular schedules.
Understanding how the calendar works in practice requires looking at more than just the October 1–7 break. China's holiday system pairs official public holidays with shifted weekend rest days and compensatory working weekend days, officially known as tiáoxiū (调休). Whether you live in China, collaborate with colleagues in the country, or are reviewing public calendars on our China Public Holidays Hub, here is the official 2026 schedule and how it functions.
Key Dates & Quick Answers
When is China Golden Week 2026?
China Golden Week 2026 starts on Thursday, October 1, 2026, and concludes on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Regular business hours resume nationwide on Thursday, October 8.
Is China Golden Week 2026 officially confirmed?
Yes. The 2026 holiday calendar has been officially published by the General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The schedule establishes both the 7-day vacation block and the corresponding weekend makeup workdays.
Is October 1, 2026 a holiday in China?
Yes. October 1 is National Day in China, commemorating the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. It is an official statutory public holiday nationwide.
Is National Day the same as Golden Week?
National Day is specifically October 1. Golden Week refers to the entire seven-day continuous holiday period (October 1–7) created around National Day by combining the statutory holidays with adjusted weekend rest days.
Why is Golden Week 7 days if only October 1–3 are statutory holidays?
By national regulation, China designates three statutory paid holiday days for National Day (October 1–3). The government adds the adjacent weekend and shifts two other weekend days to create an unbroken seven-day holiday block, allowing citizens extended time to travel and visit family.
What are China's 2026 makeup workdays for Golden Week?
To compensate for the weekdays off during the 7-day holiday, two weekend days become official workdays: Sunday, September 20, 2026, and Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Complete Holiday & Workday Schedule
Here is the single reference schedule for the 2026 National Day holiday season, showing every day from the first adjusted working day through to post-holiday resumption:
| Date | Day of the Week | Official Designation | Practical Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2026 | Sunday | Adjusted Working Day (调休) | Official working day nationwide |
| September 21–24, 2026 | Monday–Thursday | Regular Weekdays | Standard working days |
| September 25–27, 2026 | Friday–Sunday | Mid-Autumn Festival Holiday | Three-day holiday weekend |
| September 28–30, 2026 | Monday–Wednesday | Regular Weekdays | Standard working days |
| October 1, 2026 | Thursday | National Day (Statutory Holiday) | Golden Week Day 1 (Official Holiday) |
| October 2, 2026 | Friday | National Day Holiday (Statutory) | Golden Week Day 2 (Official Holiday) |
| October 3, 2026 | Saturday | National Day Holiday (Statutory) | Golden Week Day 3 (Official Holiday) |
| October 4, 2026 | Sunday | Regular Weekend Rest Day | Golden Week Day 4 (Rest Day) |
| October 5, 2026 | Monday | Adjusted Rest Day (Transferred Weekend) | Golden Week Day 5 (Rest Day) |
| October 6, 2026 | Tuesday | Adjusted Rest Day (Offset by Sep 20) | Golden Week Day 6 (Rest Day) |
| October 7, 2026 | Wednesday | Adjusted Rest Day (Offset by Oct 10) | Golden Week Day 7 (Rest Day) |
| October 8, 2026 | Thursday | Regular Weekday | Offices and businesses reopen |
| October 9, 2026 | Friday | Regular Weekday | Standard working day |
| October 10, 2026 | Saturday | Adjusted Working Day (调休) | Official working day nationwide |
| October 11, 2026 | Sunday | Regular Weekend Rest Day | Standard Sunday rest day |
Statutory Public Holidays vs. Adjusted Days Off
One of the most important aspects of China's holiday system is that not all seven days of Golden Week share the same administrative classification.
Under national regulations governing holidays, China's National Day comprises three statutory public holidays: October 1, 2, and 3. These three days are legally protected public holidays nationwide.
The remaining four days of Golden Week (October 4 through October 7) are adjusted rest days. They are assembled by combining the natural Sunday rest day on October 4 with transferred weekend days from elsewhere on the calendar. This structure creates a seven-day break without increasing the total number of statutory paid vacation days allocated by the government.
How Makeup Workdays Work in China
To create a long, continuous holiday block without reducing annual working hours, China uses an official calendar swapping mechanism known as tiáoxiū (调休), or "adjusted rest."
Because workers receive Tuesday, October 6, and Wednesday, October 7 off, those two business days must be balanced by working on designated weekend days adjacent to the holiday:
- Sunday, September 20, 2026: Serves as the makeup workday that offsets the rest day granted on Tuesday, October 6.
- Saturday, October 10, 2026: Serves as the makeup workday that offsets the rest day granted on Wednesday, October 7.
On these two dates, most government departments, schools, public institutions, and corporate offices operate on standard weekday schedules. Because these shifts are officially designated workdays, employees do not treat them as weekend overtime; they are regular scheduled shifts. When planning project milestones or personal time off, you can calculate balanced work weeks using our Leave Maximizer Tool.
Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day in 2026
In some years, such as 2025, China's lunar Mid-Autumn Festival falls immediately adjacent to early October, merging the two occasions into a single eight-day "Super Golden Week."
In 2026, the two holidays are celebrated separately:
- Mid-Autumn Festival: Observed from Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, 2026. This provides a three-day weekend without requiring compensatory makeup workdays.
- Interim Workdays: Monday, September 28, Tuesday, September 29, and Wednesday, September 30, 2026, are regular full working days.
- National Day Golden Week: Begins the following morning on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
Because there is a three-day working window between the two breaks, daily activities, office work, and logistics continue normally during the final days of September before the October break begins.
What Opens and Closes During Golden Week
Because Golden Week is China's peak domestic travel and leisure week, different parts of the economy follow different operating schedules. The country does not shut down uniformly.
What Is Generally Closed
- Government Administration: Local municipal administrative centers, tax offices, public notary desks, and visa service centers generally pause routine public-counter services from October 1 to October 7.
- Corporate Offices & Schools: Most primary schools, high schools, universities, and corporate business offices are closed during the seven-day holiday.
- Financial Exchanges: Mainland securities exchanges (such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange) close from October 1 through October 7. Notably, they do not open for trading on the Saturday or Sunday makeup workdays.
What Stays Open
- Retail, Dining & Hospitality: Shopping malls, department stores, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and hotels remain fully open, frequently running extended operating hours to cater to holiday shoppers.
- Tourist Attractions: Museums, historical monuments, national parks, and theme parks stay open daily, operating at peak holiday capacity.
- Transport & Transit: Airports, domestic airlines, subways, city buses, and high-speed rail networks operate at maximum schedules.
- Banking Services: While commercial bank corporate desks and central clearing pause, essential personal banking remains available. Many prominent branches maintain rotation staff for basic teller services, and automated teller machines (ATMs), online banking, and mobile payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay) operate normally 24/7. Check with specific branch locations for exact counter hours.
Travel Crowds, Trains, and Expressway Tolls
Golden Week is one of China's most active travel periods of the year, alongside the Lunar New Year Spring Festival. Hundreds of millions of passenger trips take place as families travel across provinces.
High-Speed Rail Bookings
Train travel during Golden Week experiences intense demand, particularly on routes connecting major hubs like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Xi'an. High-speed rail tickets via the official 12306 railway platform generally open for booking 15 days in advance. If you intend to travel during the holiday, planning reservations the moment the booking window opens is strongly recommended.
Expressway Toll Exemption
Under China's national holiday policy, passenger vehicles with seven seats or fewer can travel on toll expressways free of charge during major public holidays. For Golden Week 2026, the toll-free period runs from 00:00 on October 1 to 24:00 on October 7. This makes road travel convenient, though drivers should anticipate heavy traffic and congestion on major intercity expressways on the first and final days of the holiday.
Sources & Methodology
Holiday dates and makeup workdays are verified against official notifications issued by the General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Transport policies and toll exemptions reflect standard regulations promulgated by the Ministry of Transport and China Railway. Individual enterprise schedules and administrative desk hours may vary locally.
Written by Sahin Choudhury
Founder & independent publisher at HolidayExplore. Researching public calendars, banking schedules, and workplace holiday rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Golden Week in China?
Golden Week is a seven-day continuous national holiday period in China centered on National Day on October 1. It was established to allow workers extended rest, facilitate family reunions, and encourage domestic tourism.
How long is Golden Week in China in 2026?
Golden Week lasts for 7 consecutive days, starting on Thursday, October 1, 2026, and ending on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
Is China Golden Week 2026 confirmed?
Yes. The 2026 holiday dates have been officially published by the General Office of China's State Council, confirming October 1–7 as days off and setting September 20 and October 10 as makeup workdays.
What are the two Golden Weeks in China?
China has two official seven-day Golden Weeks each year: Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) in January or February, and National Day in early October. Some people also refer to the May Labour Day break as a holiday week, though it typically spans five days.
Why does China have makeup workdays during holidays?
China uses makeup workdays (tiáoxiū) to bridge single holiday dates with adjacent weekends. This creates a longer uninterrupted vacation period for citizens without reducing the total number of working days in the annual calendar.
Which days are working days during Golden Week 2026?
There are no working days inside the October 1–7 holiday week itself. However, two nearby weekend days are designated as official working days: Sunday, September 20, and Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Are tourist attractions and shops open during Golden Week?
Yes. Tourism, retail, dining, and hospitality businesses remain open throughout Golden Week, often with extended operating hours. Tourist destinations and transit hubs operate at peak holiday capacity.
Is Golden Week a good time to visit China?
While early October offers pleasant autumn weather across much of China, Golden Week is one of the busiest domestic travel periods of the year. Travelers should expect large crowds at major attractions, higher hotel rates, and heavy competition for train tickets.