Chinese New Year 2027: when to order goods from China to beat the shutdown

Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, 6 February – 11 days earlier than in 2026. Around the holiday, Chinese factories shut down for 2–4 weeks. Before the break, freight rates go up and free space runs out. Do you want your goods in Poland in February or March? Place your production order by mid-November 2026. Your goods should be ready for pickup by around 10–20 January 2027 at the latest, depending on the mode of transport. Below, we set out the deadlines separately for rail, sea and air freight.

In brief:

• Holiday: 6 February 2027. Days off in China – provisionally around 5–12 February.
• Factory shutdown and slow restart: from the second half of January to around mid-March.
• Production order: by mid-November 2026.
• Sea freight booking: by mid-December 2026.
• Goods ready for pickup: sea freight – around 10–15 January, rail freight – around 20 January, air freight – around 25 January 2027.

All dates are approximate. We give you the exact date of the next departure in our quote.

When is Chinese New Year 2027?

Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday in China. Its date follows the lunar calendar, not the Gregorian calendar we use every day. That is why the holiday falls on a different day each year – always between 21 January and 20 February. In 2027, the first day of the new year is Saturday, 6 February.

Each year has its own Chinese zodiac sign – one of 12 animals. 2027 is the start of the Year of the Fire Goat. The previous one, the Year of the Fire Horse, began on 17 February 2026. During the celebrations, people in China get together with their families, give each other red envelopes with money and set off fireworks.

The Chinese government announces the official days off, usually in early November. It published the 2026 holiday schedule on 4 November 2025. Provisional calendars show a break from 5 to 12 February 2027. The celebrations last 15 days and end with the Lantern Festival, which falls on 20 February in 2027. Many factories do not return to full operation until that day.

What this means for your goods: the break starts 11 days earlier than in 2026. If you plan your deliveries based on the 2026 calendar, move every deadline 11 days earlier.

Chinese New Year in the coming years:

• 2027 – 6 February (Saturday), Year of the Goat
• 2028 – 26 January (Wednesday), Year of the Monkey
• 2029 – 13 February (Tuesday), Year of the Rooster
• 2030 – 3 February (Sunday), Year of the Dog

How does Chinese New Year affect transport from China?

Before the holiday, hundreds of millions of people in China travel home to celebrate with their families. It is the largest annual migration in the world. Factory workers often leave 1–2 weeks before the holiday and come back a few weeks after it. The break affects the entire supply chain, and for importers it means a risk of delivery delays. To reduce that risk, you should know the three periods.

1. Before the holiday (mid-December to the end of January). Suppliers rush to complete orders, and importers ship goods from China to build up stock. Demand for containers and transport space grows, and ports get congested. Sea and air freight rates usually start rising as early as mid-December.
2. During the break (around 5–12 February, in practice longer). Most factories and offices are closed. You cannot collect goods from your supplier, and export documents wait until staff come back. The production shutdown usually lasts 2–4 weeks.
3. After the holiday (from around 13 February to mid-March). Factories return to work gradually. According to industry estimates, they run at 40–60% capacity in the first week and reach full capacity after about 4 weeks. They deal with backlogged orders first. Shipping lines (ocean carriers) cancel some sailings because there is less cargo to ship.

Rail freight from China during Chinese New Year

Rail freight from China keeps running during the holiday, but there are fewer departures than usual. We normally ship containers from four terminals: Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongqing and Zhengzhou. There are 2–3 departures a week. Your goods must reach the terminal about 7 days before departure – this is the cut-off, the last date the cargo is accepted. The journey to Małaszewicze takes about 14–22 days.

So the hardest part is not the journey itself but getting the goods from the factory to the terminal before the break. In the last days before the holiday, trucking in China is harder to arrange because drivers go home too. That is why you should plan the pickup from the factory well in advance – you will find the dates in the calendar below. Route and transit time details: rail freight from China.

Sea freight from China before the holiday

Sea freight from China to Poland takes the longest: 35–45 days port to port and about 45–50 days door to door. There are weekly sailings, and your goods must be at the port 3–5 days before departure. Before Chinese New Year, free space runs out earlier than usual. Your container may then be moved to a later sailing – this is called container rolling.

That is why you should book sea freight at least 3–4 weeks before the holiday, ideally in December. After the holiday, shipping lines cancel some sailings (known as blank sailing) – read more in What is blank sailing?. Ports, transit times and costs: sea freight from China.

Air freight from China before the break

Air freight takes 3–7 working days airport to airport and about 7–10 working days door to door. It is a good option when your goods will be ready at the last minute or when you urgently need only part of them. However, the weeks before the holiday are peak season for air freight from China: rates go up and space gets scarce. Details: air freight from China.

Importer's calendar: when to order goods before Chinese New Year 2027?

In freight forwarding, planning deliveries around the holiday period in China starts as early as autumn. We have calculated the dates below as estimates – based on our transit times and industry forecasts for 2027. We give you the exact date of the next departure and the cut-off in our quote for your cargo.

• by the end of October 2026 – Ask your supplier about their break dates and available production capacity. Work out how much stock you need for February, March and April.
• by mid-November 2026 – Place your order and pay the deposit if the goods are to leave China before the break. Production usually takes several weeks.
• by mid-December 2026 – Book sea freight – rates usually rise from mid-December. Also send us your cargo details for a rail freight quote.
• around 10–15 January 2027 – Goods ready for pickup – the last safe date for sea freight.
• around 20 January 2027 – Goods ready for pickup – the last safe date for rail freight. Pay your supplier by now at the latest.
• around 25 January 2027 – Goods ready for pickup – the last reasonable date for air freight.
• 5–12 February 2027 (provisional) – Holiday break in China. Factories and offices are closed, and rail freight runs less often.
• 20 February 2027 – Lantern Festival. Factories gradually return to work.
• around mid-March 2027 – Production at most factories is back to normal.

When will your goods arrive in Poland?

If your goods leave China at the end of January 2027:

• by rail freight, they will reach Małaszewicze in February and your address usually a few days later – after customs clearance and road delivery;
• by sea freight, they will reach Gdańsk or Gdynia in March;
• by air freight, they will usually be in Poland before the holiday.

If you only place your order in January, production will usually start after the Lantern Festival, and the goods will be ready at the end of March or in April. They will then reach Poland approximately:

• by rail freight – in April or May;
• by sea freight – in May or June.

How to prepare your imports from China for the holiday break?

What to do now:

1. Get the break dates confirmed in writing. Each factory sets its own break, so stay in regular contact with your supplier. Ask when they stop production, when they return to work and when your goods will be ready for pickup.
2. Order with a buffer. Work out how much stock you will sell or use from February to April. An order placed in January will usually only go into production after the break.
3. Book transport early. Send us your cargo details in December: the goods, weight or volume, the Incoterms rule (it defines who is responsible for which leg of the transport) and the ready date. You can calculate the volume in m³ (CBM) with our CBM calculator.
4. Settle payments before the break. Suppliers usually release goods only once the money is in their account, and their office is closed during the holiday. Read more: how to send payments to Chinese companies.
5. Arrange a quality inspection. Before the holiday, factories work under time pressure, and after it some of the workers on the production lines are new. A pre-shipment inspection helps you catch defects before the goods leave China. We arrange inspections on request.
6. Use a warehouse in China. If your goods are ready just before the break, we will collect them from your supplier and store them in a warehouse in China until the next departure. We can also combine goods from several suppliers into one shipment there. Read more: consolidation of goods in China.
7. Remember the holidays in Poland and Europe. Between Christmas and Epiphany (6 January), many companies work at a slower pace. Make your order and transport decisions before 20 December.
8. Have a plan B. If your goods miss the sea freight deadline, part of them can go by rail, and the most urgent part by air. We will compare the costs and transit times for you.

Chinese factories also stop during Golden Week in early October, though for a shorter time. Read more: Golden Week in China.

How much does transport from China cost before Chinese New Year?

Rates usually rise before the holiday, most of all for sea and air freight. Higher prices appear from mid-December and start to fall 1–2 weeks after the holiday. For comparison, here are indicative rates from September 2026 (net, excluding customs duty and VAT):

• Rail – 40′ HC container to Małaszewicze: USD 4,500–7,500 · approx. 14–22 days terminal to terminal
• Rail – less than container load (LCL): USD 150–200/m³ · as above
• Sea – 40′ HC container: USD 3,500–5,000 · 35–45 days port to port
• Sea – less than container load (LCL): USD 120–230/m³ · 5–10 days longer than a full container
• Air – shipment of 100–300 kg: USD 4.50–6.00/kg (up to USD 8–10/kg in peak season) · 3–7 working days airport to airport

40′ HC (High Cube) is a 40-foot container in the high version. LCL (less than container load) is cargo that shares a container with goods from other companies – you pay for the m³ you use.

On top of that come customs clearance, local charges and delivery to your address. You pay customs duty and VAT separately, at the rates that apply to your goods. Only the offer for your specific cargo is binding.

Frequently asked questions

When is Chinese New Year 2027?

On Saturday, 6 February 2027. Days off in China are provisionally around 5–12 February. The Chinese government usually announces the official holiday calendar in early November.

How long is the break at Chinese factories?

Officially about a week, but the real shutdown usually lasts 2–4 weeks. Factories slow down from the second half of January and get back to full capacity around mid-March.

Does rail freight from China run during Chinese New Year?

Yes, but there are fewer departures than usual. Collecting goods from the factory and getting them to the terminal is harder just before the break. We will give you the date of the next departure in our quote.

When should I ship goods by sea before Chinese New Year 2027?

As a guide, your goods should be ready for pickup by around 10–15 January 2027. It is best to book by mid-December 2026. With a sailing at the end of January, your goods will reach Poland in March.

Do transport prices go up before Chinese New Year?

Usually, yes. Sea and air freight rates rise from mid-December, and free space runs out. Prices drop after the holiday, but shipping lines cancel some sailings.

What if my goods are ready just before the break?

We can collect them from your supplier and store them in a warehouse in China until the next departure. You can send the most urgent part by air freight.

Planning a delivery before Chinese New Year?

Send us your cargo details: the goods, weight or volume, the Incoterms rule and the ready date at your supplier. We will prepare a tailored quote with the date of the next departure.

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