China Travel Updates
What changed for visitors — entry rules, transport, payments, attractions and events.
- Transport
China Eastern adds three weekly Shanghai Pudong–London Heathrow flights from November 2026
China Eastern will increase its Shanghai Pudong to London Heathrow service from 7 to 10 weekly flights during the Northern winter 2026/27 season. The additional three weekly flights will be operated by Airbus A330-200 aircraft on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The expanded schedule is effective from November 16, 2026.
via AeroRoutes
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25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival runs Oct 17 to Nov 15, 2026
The 25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival will present nearly 400 events across roughly 1,100 performances, with about 90 percent of stage productions making their Shanghai debut. Thirteen performances are billed as exclusive to Shanghai and unique in China, including opening and closing shows at the new Shanghai Grand Opera House. The festival runs from October 17 to November 15, 2026, and will offer 6,500 half-price tickets.
via Shanghai Culture and Tourism Bureau
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Qufu hosts Confucius cultural festival and Nishan Forum through October 7
The 2026 China International Confucius Cultural Festival and the 2026 Nishan Forum on World Civilizations are being held in Qufu, Shandong Province. The cultural festival features study tours and traditional folk activities open to public participation. The events run from September 28 to October 7, 2026.
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Beijing's Beihai Park reopens historic Glazed Tile Precious Hall after 70 years
The Glazed Tile Precious Hall at Beihai Park in Beijing reopened to visitors on September 29, 2026, following more than 70 years of closure. The nearly 300-year-old hall underwent restoration and visitor-service upgrades, and its compound has been incorporated into the park's regular visitor route. Regular exhibitions on the hall's history and glazed-decoration craftsmanship will also be launched.
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Air China schedules C919 on Beijing Capital–Ulaanbaatar route in October 2026
Air China will operate its COMAC C919 aircraft on the Beijing Capital to Ulaanbaatar route during October 2026. The C919 will fly four weekly round-trips on this route from September 30, 2026 to October 24, 2026. Other frequencies on the same route will continue to use Boeing 737-8 aircraft.
via AeroRoutes
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New high-speed rail section cuts Beijing-Shangqiu journey by nearly one hour
The Xiongshang section of the Beijing-Hong Kong high-speed railway opened on September 28, 2026, adding 17 high-speed services at Shangqiu Station in Henan Province. Four new direct trains between Beijing and Shangqiu reduce travel time by almost one hour, and the fastest trip between Xiong'an and Shangqiu now takes 2 hours and 27 minutes. The new line began operation on September 28, 2026.
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Shenzhen Cultural Centre new venue opens trial operation with free exhibitions and courses
The new Shenzhen Cultural Centre venue in Minzhi began trial operation on September 28, 2026, offering exhibitions, performances, training courses, and digital experiences. Visitors can access free events including a special exhibition of reproduced "Siku Quanshu" classics, an ancient architecture display, and AR immersive experiences, with 245 hours of National Day holiday courses available via WeChat reservation. The venue is directly accessible from Exit A of Minzhi Station on Metro Line 5.
via Shenzhen Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau
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Hunnu Air to launch weekly Ulaanbaatar–Shenzhen flights from October 2026
Mongolian carrier Hunnu Air will operate a new nonstop route between Ulaanbaatar and Shenzhen using Embraer E195-E1 aircraft. The service will run once weekly starting from October 1, 2026. At the time of filing, only the Shenzhen-to-Ulaanbaatar direction was listed in the schedule.
via AeroRoutes
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EastarJet resumes Busan–Xiamen flights with 2 weekly from late October, 3 weekly from December
Korean low-cost carrier EastarJet has reinstated its planned Busan–Xiamen route after briefly removing it from schedules. The airline will operate 2 weekly flights starting from October 29, 2026, increasing to 3 weekly from December 1, 2026. Flights will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, departing Busan at 11:00 and arriving in Xiamen at 12:50, with return flights leaving Xiamen at 13:50 and arriving in Busan at 17:20.
via AeroRoutes
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Chongqing Pengshui county extends orange rainstorm alert through 15:40 today
Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County has continued its orange rainstorm warning, with heavy rainfall of 70–120 mm expected across 39 townships and streets until 15:40 today. Maximum hourly rainfall may reach 40–80 mm, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds. The rain event began at 18:00 on September 28, with total accumulated rainfall potentially reaching 150–200 mm.
via National Meteorological Center
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Yichang-Xingshan High-Speed Railway opens, cuts travel time to 30 minutes
The Yichang-Xingshan High-Speed Railway officially commenced operation on September 28, 2026. The 101-kilometer line connecting Yichang City and Xingshan County in Hubei Province reduces travel time between the two cities from 2 hours to 30 minutes, and shortens the rail journey between Wuhan and Chongqing to 3 hours and 54 minutes. During the initial operation phase, a maximum of eight cross-line EMU trains will run on the route daily.
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China's northernmost high-speed railway opens between Harbin and Yichun
The 318-kilometer Harbin-Yichun High-Speed Railway opened on September 28, 2026, in Heilongjiang Province. Travel time between Harbin and Yichun has been reduced from about seven hours to one hour and 46 minutes. The line operates at a designed speed of 250 kilometers per hour with nine stations along the route.
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Art To Gather festival opens at Shanghai Xintiandi with 170+ performances
The third edition of the urban arts festival "Art To Gather" opened on September 25 at Xintiandi locations across Shanghai, Wuhan and Chongqing. Shanghai venues including Xintiandi, Ruihong Xintiandi and Hongqiao Xintiandi are hosting parades, theater, music, dance, puppetry, magic and interactive performances until October 7. The festival runs through the National Day holiday and features more than 170 performances, including international premieres and original productions.
via Meet in Shanghai
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Tencent launches TenPayGo app for overseas visitors to pay in China
Tencent launched TenPayGo, a new payment app that lets overseas visitors pay at WeChat Pay merchants using foreign bank cards, Apple Pay, and selected overseas digital wallets. The app supports seven international card networks including Visa and Mastercard, and offers a Shenzhen transit QR code for buses and subways without requiring a phone number. Wallet support will expand in stages, with about 60 overseas wallets expected to connect by the end of 2026.
via Meet in Shanghai
Pay in China with a Wise card - Transport
China opens four new high-speed rail sections on national network
Four new high-speed railway sections opened to traffic on Monday, connecting Xiong'an with Shangqiu, Xi'an with Ankang, Yichang with Xingshan, and Harbin with Yichun. Travellers can now use high-speed rail across northern, northwestern, central and northeastern China on these routes. The lines opened on September 28, 2026.
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Shanghai's inaugural International Audio-Visual Arts Carnival opens in Jing'an
The inaugural International Audio-Visual Arts Carnival opened on September 24, with immersive art, live music, technology exhibitions, industry forums and concerts running across Jing'an District. The Shanghai Exhibition Center serves as the main venue, while related events extend to Jing'an Park, the Suzhou Creek waterfront, and the Nanjing Road W. area. The program runs through October 18, 2026.
via Meet in Shanghai
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Vakhtangov Theater stages "Amadeus" and "Pushkin Tales" in Shanghai this November
Russia's Vakhtangov Theater will present two productions, "Amadeus" and "Pushkin Tales," at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center this November. "Amadeus" explores the relationship between Mozart and Salieri, while "Pushkin Tales" adapts four stories from "The Tales of Belkin." Performances are scheduled for November 14 at 7:15pm and November 15 at 2pm.
via Meet in Shanghai
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Zhujiajiao Ancient Town stages open-air Jiangnan cultural performances through September 30
Zhujiajiao Ancient Town in Qingpu District has launched its annual "Artistic Charm of Jiangnan" seasonal event, featuring open-air Kunqu Opera, martial arts, and folk performances throughout the water town. International visitors can experience a waterborne rendition of The Peony Pavilion, boat boxing demonstrations, spontaneous street shows, and scenic art installations across the ancient town's rivers and alleys. The immersive cultural program runs through September 30.
via Meet in Shanghai
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Shanghai Happy Valley opens Super Wings Space Base and Spooky Carnival for holiday season
Shanghai Happy Valley has launched a dual-holiday lineup featuring the country's first Super Wings Space Base and its annual Spooky Carnival. The 22,000-square-meter space base offers more than 20 attractions, live performances, themed dining, and interactive missions based on the Super Wings animated IP. The Spooky Carnival runs through November 15, with seven haunted houses, over 300 interactive NPCs, and a new 10,000-square-meter zone inspired by the novel Ten Day Ultimatum.
via Meet in Shanghai
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Severe rainstorm red alert issued for Jianping County, Chaoyang, Liaoning
A red-level rainstorm warning is active for Jianping County in Chaoyang, Liaoning. Heavy rainfall of 55 mm has already fallen, with an additional 10–20 mm expected within one hour, raising the risk of flash floods, landslides, and urban waterlogging. The alert was issued at 18:19 on September 25, 2026.
via National Meteorological Center
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2026 World Snooker Shenzhen Open starts September 28 at Bao'an Sports Center
The 2026 World Snooker Shenzhen Open begins on September 28 at Bao'an Sports Center Gymnasium, featuring a total prize fund of 850,000 GBP and all top-16 ranked players including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump, and local world champion Zhao Xintong. Chinese players including Ding Junhui, Wu Yize, and Xiao Guodong will compete alongside emerging talents such as Fan Zhengyi and Liu Hongyu. The tournament runs from September 28 to October 4.
via Shenzhen Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau
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China Eastern cuts Shanghai Pudong–Cairo flights to 5 weekly from November 2026
China Eastern will reduce its Shanghai Pudong to Cairo service from seven weekly flights to five weekly flights. Travellers planning to fly this route will have fewer departure options during the affected period. The reduction is scheduled from October 25, 2026 to December 31, 2026, with Airbus A350-900 aircraft continuing to operate the route.
via AeroRoutes
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Linzhou, Anyang issues orange rainstorm warning
The Linzhou Meteorological Observatory in Anyang, Henan Province issued an orange rainstorm warning. Travelers in the area should expect heavy rainfall and take precautions. The warning was issued on September 24, 2026.
via National Meteorological Center
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Heavy rain orange alert active in Wuxi County, Chongqing until 3:40 p.m. today
Wuxi County Meteorological Observatory upgraded its heavy rain warning to orange at 9:40 a.m. today. Heavy rainfall of 70–120 mm is expected in townships including Hongchiba, Tianba, and Jianshan, with hourly rates of 30–60 mm. The alert covers the period from 9:40 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. on September 25, 2026, with total accumulated rainfall potentially reaching 140–170 mm since the event began at 2:00 a.m.
via National Meteorological Center
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Foreigners in non-hotel accommodation can now register online nationwide
Foreigners staying in private residences or other non-hotel accommodation in China can now complete their mandatory accommodation registration online instead of visiting a police station in person. Registration can be done through the NIA website, the NIA 12367 app, or the NIA 12367 WeChat and Alipay mini programs. This nationwide service took effect on September 21, 2026, and offline registration at local public security organs remains available.
via National Immigration Administration
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Jing'an International Sculpture Project opens across Shanghai district
The 9th Jing'an International Sculpture Project features 36 contemporary works by artists from 14 countries and regions, displayed across 28 locations including Jing'an Sculpture Park, Nanjing Road W. and Suzhou Creek. Travellers in Shanghai can view sculptures in stone, metal, light, sound and digital media, with several works changing appearance in evening light. The exhibition runs from September 24 to December 31, 2026.
via Meet in Shanghai
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Broadway Musical 'Kinky Boots' Returns to Shanghai for China Tour
The Broadway musical "Kinky Boots" will perform at the West Bund Grand Theater in Shanghai from November 3 to 15, 2026, as part of its China tour. The production returns after an eight-year hiatus with a new cast, featuring Omari Collins as Lola and Noah Silverman as Charlie. Tickets are priced from 180 to 980 yuan.
via Meet in Shanghai
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48th WorldSkills Competition opens in Shanghai with record 1,385 competitors
The 48th WorldSkills Competition began on September 23, 2026, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), featuring 1,385 competitors from around the world across 64 skill categories. The event runs for one week and occupies eight halls covering 213,000 square meters, making it the largest WorldSkills Competition in history. Visitors in Shanghai during this period should expect increased activity and potential crowds around the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Qingpu District.
via Meet in Shanghai
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2026 Billie Jean King Cup Finals begin in Shenzhen
The 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Finals, a world-class women's team tennis tournament, opened on September 22 at Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Eight national teams including host China, the Czech Republic, Great Britain, Italy, Ukraine, Belgium, Kazakhstan, and Spain are competing in a single-elimination format through the finals. China is led by players Zheng Qinwen and Zhang Shuai, with Zheng Jie serving as team captain.
via Shenzhen Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau
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China Great Wall Museum in Beijing reopens after renovation with 700+ artifacts
The China Great Wall Museum at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing District has reopened following a renovation that began in April 2022. Its upgraded 16,000-square-meter space now displays more than 700 artifacts in a permanent exhibition highlighting the Great Wall's history, culture and spirit, alongside special and digital exhibitions. The museum first opened in 1994.
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