National Day Golden Week 2026
National Day Golden Week is China’s biggest autumn break. In 2026 it runs from Thursday October 1 to Wednesday October 7 — seven consecutive days off. Two make-up workdays (Sep 20 and Oct 10) are traded to build the break.
China long weekends in 2026
National Day Golden Week
7 daysOct 1 – 7
Work Sun Sep 20 and Sat Oct 10 in exchange.
Interactive Leave & Bridge Days Planner
Select your country, year, and annual leave budget to calculate the highest-ROI vacation strategies. Bridge mid-week holidays into continuous mega-breaks.
14 Bridge Strategies Found
Mid-Autumn Festival
Sep 25 – Oct 7•Total Vacation: 13 days
Take 3 days of annual leave on Sep 28 – 30 to connect Mid-Autumn Festival into a 13-day continuous break.
National Day Golden Week
Oct 1 – 11•Total Vacation: 11 days
Take 3 days of annual leave on Oct 8 – 10 to connect National Day Golden Week into a 11-day continuous break.
Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
Feb 15 – Mar 1•Total Vacation: 15 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Feb 24 – 28 to connect Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) into a 15-day continuous break.
Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
Feb 7 – 23•Total Vacation: 17 days
Take 6 days of annual leave on Feb 9 – 14 to connect Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) into a 17-day continuous break.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Sep 25 – Oct 11•Total Vacation: 17 days
Take 6 days of annual leave on Sep 28 – 30, Oct 8 – 10 to connect Mid-Autumn Festival into a 17-day continuous break.
Labour Day
Apr 25 – May 5•Total Vacation: 11 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Apr 27 – 30 to connect Labour Day into a 11-day continuous break.
New Year's Day
Dec 27, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026•Total Vacation: 8 days
Take 3 days of annual leave on Dec 29 – 31 to connect New Year's Day into a 8-day continuous break.
Labour Day
May 1 – 10•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on May 6 – 9 to connect Labour Day into a 10-day continuous break.
Qingming Festival
Apr 4 – 12•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Apr 7 – 10 to connect Qingming Festival into a 9-day continuous break.
Dragon Boat Festival
Jun 13 – 21•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 4 days of annual leave on Jun 15 – 18 to connect Dragon Boat Festival into a 9-day continuous break.
Qingming Festival
Mar 28 – Apr 6•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Mar 30 – Apr 3 to connect Qingming Festival into a 10-day continuous break.
Dragon Boat Festival
Jun 19 – 28•Total Vacation: 10 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Jun 22 – 26 to connect Dragon Boat Festival into a 10-day continuous break.
New Year's Day
Jan 1 – 11•Total Vacation: 11 days
Take 6 days of annual leave on Jan 4 – 9 to connect New Year's Day into a 11-day continuous break.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Sep 19 – 27•Total Vacation: 9 days
Take 5 days of annual leave on Sep 20 – 24 to connect Mid-Autumn Festival into a 9-day continuous break.
Compliance Notice: Leave planning recommendations are calculated for vacation optimization. Taking annual leave is subject to your employment contract, employer approval, and local labor legislation.
How make-up workdays build Golden Week
China’s National Day holiday is officially three days (Oct 1–3), but the State Council extends it into a seven-day break by borrowing adjacent weekends. In 2026 you work Saturday September 20 and Saturday October 10 — two weekend days traded in advance — so the break runs continuously from Thursday October 1 through Wednesday October 7.
The Mid-Autumn Festival (Sep 25–27) is a separate three-day break six days earlier — it is not part of Golden Week. See the China make-up workdays 2026 page for the full exchange table and the China public holidays 2026 page for every date.
Official sources & data
- China's public holidays for 2026 (State Council)Visit sourceThe State Council of the PRC
- China 2026 Public Holiday ScheduleVisit sourceChina Briefing
Frequently asked questions
When is Golden Week 2026 in China?
National Day Golden Week 2026 runs Thursday October 1 through Wednesday October 7 — seven consecutive days off.
How long is China’s Golden Week in 2026?
Seven days: October 1–7, 2026. It is the second-longest break of the year after the 9-day Spring Festival in February.
What are the make-up workdays for Golden Week 2026?
Saturday September 20 and Saturday October 10, 2026. You work those two weekend days to pay back the extended National Day break.
Is the Mid-Autumn Festival part of Golden Week 2026?
No. Mid-Autumn Festival is a separate three-day break on September 25–27, six days before Golden Week starts on October 1.
Where can I download the China 2026 holiday calendar?
Our China 2026 public holidays page and the holiday calendar downloads hub offer ICS and CSV files based on the State Council’s official arrangement.