In 2026, Chinese New Year officially begins on Tuesday, February 17, ushering in the year of the Horse. While the public holiday typically lasts about a week, the operational impact stretches far beyond the official dates.
Chinese New Year can be compared to Christmas in Europe or the US – a period when most businesses slow down or close entirely. Although the official holiday lasts only about a week, the practical impact often stretches across several weeks. This is due to industrial activity, transportation capacity, and logistics operations gradually wind down before the holiday and recover slowly afterward.
When Do Factories Close for Chinese New Year?
Factories across China don’t shut down overnight. Instead, production slows gradually:
• 1–2 weeks before CNY: Workers, especially blue-collar staff, begin traveling home, reducing factory output.
• During the holiday week: Most factories are fully closed.
• 1–2 weeks after: Operations restart slowly as employees return and production ramps up.
“Domestic transport in China drops sharply, to under around 10% of normal, because workers go home and operations pause.” (....)