Trains after Chinese New Year holidays

[Guest realmayo]

Chinese New Year is on Feb 8. It appears that Feb 7-13 are public holidays. I see one website advising that tickets may be hard to find for a period ending as late as 3 March. Does this sound right or is that a bit excessive? And these days, outside of busy periods, is it usually possible to rock up and buy a sleeper ticket on a long-distance train for that same day of travel or one day later?

[Leihuangdi]

The dates sound about right for the 春运 period.

I think it's quite hard to get a sleeper ticket on the day in general. If you're going against the 春运 return direction (as in away from big cities rather than going towards them) you might be able to get hard seats.

I tried to buy sleeper tickets from Guangzhou to Guilin around July once and they were all gone soon after they were released. In the end my mom had to pull some 关系 to get me sleeper tickets...But then i've been told if you wait online at 12306 and refresh your way to the release time, it is not at all difficult to get one in advance.

[889]

The official travel period runs three weeks before and three weeks after CNY, but for some not quite logical reason never seems as hectic after as before. If you're in a bind or just want to firm up your plans, remember that air tickets are often more easily available than rail tickets and sometimes not expensive; plus, you don't have to wait until 60 days before departure to buy them.

[Guest realmayo]

Thanks. I want to try the BA London to Chengdu route, cheap at the moment with GBP 480 for the return.

 

Also how busy and touristy is China for the May 1 holiday? May 1 is a Sunday; the public holidays are the Apr 30-May 2 i.e. Sat-Mon. Will things be significantly busier the week starting 2 May versus the following week?

[somethingfunny]

Depends what you want to do.  I was in Beijing last May 1st holiday and the whole place was a write off.

 

Although I'm starting to get the feeling that it's probably just a write-off all year round now.