Planning & Tips

In 2026 the calendar hands travelers something rare: Mid-Autumn falls on September 25–27 and National Day runs October 1–7, with only three working days (September 28–30) in between. Take those three days off and you get a 13-day stretch from September 25 to October 7 — a window that fits a serious China trip in one shot.

China's high-speed rail is the backbone of Golden Week travel — and during Mid-Autumn (September 25–27) and National Day (October 1–7, 2026), the popular routes sell out in hours. The difference between a smooth festival trip and a chaotic one is almost entirely decided by how you handle train tickets.

Picture this: you want to wander Beijing's hutongs at your own pace, spend an extra hour at the Xi'an Terracotta Warriors if you feel like it, and eat where the locals eat — but you also don't want to spend your trip panicking over train platforms, hotel check-ins and taxi directions in a language you don't speak.

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In December 2025, Chinese-American creator Sherry Zhu (Zhu Xuirui / 朱溪瑞) posted a one-minute video on TikTok with a line that detonated across the platform: "If you're seeing this video, you're Chinese. I know it sounds scary, but resistance is now pointless." The clip crossed 3 million views in days; hashtags #Chinamaxxing, #BecomingChinese and #VeryChinese then spread like wildfire across TikTok and Instagram. By early August 2026, cumulative views on Chinamaxxing-related hashtags had surged p

On 2 August 2026, China National Radio's Global Information Broadcast aired a segment that was quickly syndicated across Chinese media: Irish travel creator Travis Lyons (full name Travis Leon Price) ziplined across a giant sinkhole in Chongqing and rode "water go-karts" through emerald-green canyons in Henan. He called the experience "just like a real-life video game," and described the China journey from "future cities to mountain-and-water secrets" as "an adventure." Within hours, the clip ha

For International Travelers:

For International Travelers:

For International Travelers:

Published: June 26, 2026 | By ChinaTravelPlus

On July 1, South Korea's Ministry of Justice formally announced that the visa application fee exemption for group tourists from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Cambodia would be extended from its original June 30 expiry to December 31, 2026.

ChinaTravelPlus | July 2026

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By: ChinaTravelPlus (CTP) Research Desk · August 6, 2026

A transit QR code is a digital barcode generated by your phone that replaces every physical ticket, transport card, and coin you would otherwise need to ride China's public transport. You simply:

ChinaTravelPlus | July 6, 2026