Words by Ruqin · September 16, 2026
Beijing’s early-October weather is usually excellent for sightseeing. Unfortunately, it also coincides with one of China’s busiest travel periods.
The National Day holiday runs from October 1 to October 7. Major attractions remain open unless a separate official notice says otherwise, but tickets, trains, hotels, roads, and popular restaurants face heavy demand.
The simplest advice is to avoid these seven days if your dates are flexible. If your trip is already booked, do not panic. Beijing is still manageable, but you need confirmed tickets, fewer daily stops, and more patience than usual.
What Golden Week Means in Beijing
National Day falls on October 1. The extended holiday is commonly called Golden Week because millions of people travel, visit family, or take short holidays.
In 2026, October 1 is a Thursday. The official holiday continues through Wednesday, October 7 . Sunday, September 20, and Saturday, October 10, are adjusted working days.
Crowding will not feel the same everywhere. Tian’anmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, Universal Beijing Resort, railway stations, and famous shopping streets can become extremely busy. An ordinary residential street several subway stops away may still feel quite normal.
Recent travelers disagree about whether Golden Week is unbearable. That difference is understandable. Someone walking through a neighborhood will have a very different experience from someone waiting for a Great Wall cable car.
Decide Whether You Can Change Your Dates
If you have not booked your journey, arrive after October 7. Even moving the most important sightseeing days to October 8 or 9 can make the trip easier.
If you are already in Beijing before the holiday, place your priority attractions before October 1. Use Golden Week for parks, neighborhoods, food, and less complicated city walks.
Leaving Beijing during the holiday does not always solve the problem. Airports and railway stations are also busy, while popular destinations across China face the same domestic travel surge.
Reserve Transport Earlier Than Usual
Transport is the first part of the trip to secure. Do not book a hotel and attraction tickets while leaving the intercity train undecided.
A New Railway Reservation Option for 2026
Railway 12306 introduced an advance reservation service for the 2026 National Day travel period. Passengers can submit reservation requests from 60 to 17 days before departure.
The system processes these requests roughly 20 to 16 days before departure. If a ticket is allocated, payment must be completed before 11:00 p.m. on the same day. Unpaid reservations are cancelled.
This service does not replace ordinary ticket sales. The regular 15-day advance-sale period remains in place.
A reservation request is not the same as a confirmed ticket. Check the result, complete payment promptly, and make sure your passport details match the booking.
Avoid Tight Connections
Allow more time at Beijing Capital Airport, Beijing Daxing Airport, and the main railway stations. Security queues, taxi waiting areas, and subway entrances can all become congested.
Do not plan to leave the Forbidden City in the afternoon and catch an early-evening train from Beijing South or Beijing West. Beijing’s distances are large even on an ordinary day.
Book Major Attractions as Soon as Their Windows Open
Golden Week is not suitable for deciding each morning what to visit. Many headline attractions use real-name, date-specific, or timed admission.
Prioritize bookings in this order:
- Intercity trains or flights
- Forbidden City
- Tian’anmen Square
- Great Wall tickets and transport
- National Museum or other major museums
- Popular performances and restaurants
- Flexible parks and neighborhood walks
Use the same passport information for every reservation. Carry the original passport rather than relying on a photograph.
Do not assume that a travel agency, hotel, or tour automatically guarantees entrance to the Forbidden City. Ask whether the attraction ticket is confirmed, not merely requested.
The Most Difficult Places During Golden Week
Forbidden City and Tian’anmen Square
These are among Beijing’s most sensitive and tightly managed visitor areas. Expect additional walking, security checks, controlled entrances, and large groups.
Give the Forbidden City most of a day. Combining it with the National Museum, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace is unrealistic during the holiday.
Tian’anmen access arrangements can change for ceremonies and crowd control. Check the official notice for your date, even if you already hold a reservation.
The Great Wall
The Great Wall is open during Golden Week, but sections with narrow paths and cable-car bottlenecks can become uncomfortable.
Badaling has convenient transport and strong visitor facilities, but it normally attracts very large numbers. Mutianyu can also become busy, especially around shuttle buses, cable cars, and the toboggan.
If the Great Wall is essential, choose the earliest practical departure and reserve the full transport chain. Do not book only the entrance ticket while leaving the bus, car, cable car, and return journey undecided.
A more distant section is not automatically easy. Jinshanling requires a longer journey, and holiday expressway traffic may remove much of its advantage.
Universal Beijing Resort
Universal is designed for large visitor numbers, but Golden Week still brings long waits and strong demand for dated tickets.
Arrive before opening and choose a small number of priority attractions. Trying to complete every ride may turn the day into a queue-management exercise.
Better Golden Week Choices Inside Beijing
If you cannot secure the major tickets, do not spend the whole day refreshing booking pages. Beijing has many places where visitors can spread out.
Useful alternatives include:
- The Second Ring Road moat and Ming City Wall Relics Park
- West Xinglong Street and the quieter streets south of Qianmen
- Liangma River and the Solana area
- Caochang and nearby southern Beijing hutongs
- Liulichang and Yangmeizhu Xiejie
- Longtan Lake Park
- Olympic Forest Park
- The outer areas of Shichahai, away from the busiest lakeside bars
Nanluoguxiang, Qianmen’s central pedestrian street, and the main Shichahai waterfront can still become crowded. Walking two or three streets away often changes the atmosphere.
A city walk works best when it covers one compact area. Crossing Beijing repeatedly wastes time and pushes you through the busiest subway interchanges.
Use the Subway, but Expect Pressure Points
The subway is usually more predictable than road transport during Golden Week. It avoids expressway congestion and the difficulty of finding a taxi beside a major attraction.
However, stations near Tian’anmen, Wangfujing, Qianmen, Nanluoguxiang, Olympic Park, and railway terminals may be crowded. Temporary entrance controls or station closures are also possible around major events.
Check your route before leaving. Keep a second station or exit in mind, and avoid carrying large luggage through central interchanges.
For a Great Wall trip or airport transfer, a car may still be practical. Leave earlier than the map estimate suggests because holiday traffic can change quickly.
Plan One Major Sight per Day
A Golden Week itinerary needs more breathing room than an ordinary Beijing plan.
| Time | Sensible approach |
|---|---|
| Early morning | Travel to the day’s reserved major attraction |
| Late morning | Complete the main visit without adding a distant sight |
| Lunch | Eat early or late to avoid the main meal rush |
| Afternoon | Walk through a nearby park, street, or neighborhood |
| Evening | Stay near your hotel or use a direct subway route |
For example, combine the Forbidden City with Jingshan rather than the Summer Palace. Pair the Temple of Heaven with Qianmen or the southern hutongs, not with Mutianyu.
The Summer Palace can occupy half a day because of its size and internal walking. During Golden Week, transport queues and crowded lakeside routes may extend the visit.
Meals Require Some Planning
Restaurants remain open, but famous roast-duck restaurants and popular mall branches can have long waits. Reserve when possible, especially for dinner.
Eat breakfast before reaching the attraction. Carry water and a small snack because dining options inside or beside major sights may be crowded.
Lunch at 11:00 a.m. or after 1:30 p.m. is often easier than arriving at noon. For dinner, a neighborhood restaurant near your hotel may be calmer than returning to Wangfujing or Qianmen.
A Realistic Three-Day Golden Week Plan
Day One: One Confirmed Imperial Sight
Visit the Forbidden City if you have confirmed admission. Add Jingshan only if everyone still has enough energy.
Do not add the Summer Palace simply because the afternoon appears free on the map. The journey, security procedures, and walking will make the day rushed.
Day Two: Temple of Heaven and Southern Beijing
Begin early at the Temple of Heaven. Continue to Caochang, West Xinglong Street, or Liulichang after lunch.
This route keeps the day within southern and central Beijing. It also provides several opportunities to shorten the walk.
Day Three: Great Wall or a City Alternative
Choose Mutianyu or Badaling only if the tickets and transport are settled. Leave early and keep the evening flexible.
If the expected crowds do not suit your mobility or patience, remain in Beijing. A riverside walk, a large park, and an unhurried meal may be more enjoyable than spending hours in cable-car and shuttle queues.
What to Carry
Take the original passport connected to your reservations. Also carry a power bank that meets current transport requirements, a charging cable, water, tissues, and any essential medicine.
Wear comfortable shoes. Even when admission is timed, visitors may stand through security checks and walk considerable distances between gates, subway exits, and taxi points.
October mornings can feel cool, while afternoons may be mild. A light jacket over removable layers is more useful than one heavy coat.
Ruqin’s Practical Advice
If your dates are flexible, avoid Beijing from October 1 to 8. The city is more comfortable after the holiday, and tickets and transport become easier to manage.
If your trip is fixed, stay in Beijing rather than constantly moving between cities. Secure transport and one priority attraction per day, then fill the remaining time with nearby parks and neighborhoods.
Golden Week does not make every part of Beijing impossible. It makes poor planning more expensive and tiring. Slow the itinerary, start early, and accept that seeing less may give you a better trip.
More Beijing Travel Guides
Beijing in October: Weather, Events, Travel Tips & What to See
How to Book Tickets in Beijing: Top Attractions & Shows
How to Get Around Beijing: Subway, Bus, Bike & Walking Tips
Where to Stay in Beijing: Maps, Best Areas, Hotels & Travel Tips
Avoid Crowds: When Not to Visit the Forbidden City
10 Common Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Trip to Beijing
5-Day Beijing Itinerary for First-Time Visitors: Explore Beijing in Depth
