China’s annual Spring Festival travel rush, a 40-day period commonly referred to as the world’s largest annual human migration, kicked off on Monday ahead of an extended Lunar New Year holiday.
This year’s Lunar New Year, ushering in the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac, falls on February 17 and will be accompanied by an extra-long nine-day public holiday in China, running from February 15 to 23.
It’s hoped a longer holiday (last year’s break was eight days long) might prompt Chinese consumers to boost consumption by spending more on travel, meals and more this festival period.
China expects a record 9.50 billion passenger trips to be made during the 40-day spring festival holiday travel period, higher than the 9.02 billion domestic trips last year, a state planning official said on Thursday.
Here are some glimpses of Lunar New Year celebrations across China.
A vendor selling Spring Festival ornaments works at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersArtists perform traditional folk acrobatics at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersPeople interact with folk artists performing lion dance at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersCostumers buy apples at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersA folk performer breathes fire during a performance ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations in a village in Huai’an, in China’s eastern Jiangsu Province on February 7, 2026. —AFPA folk artist performs at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersA vendor selling Spring Festival ornaments attends to a customer at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersFolk artists perform lion dance at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersFolk artists perform at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersPeople visit an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —ReutersFolk artists perform at an outdoor market ahead of the Lunar New Year, in Beijing, China February 10, 2026. —Reuters
