Travelling in the busiest movement week of the year
Lunar New Year affects mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia — and they are not alike at all in terms of which apps work. This explains the differences and how to prepare.
早わかり
- The date moves every year with the lunar calendar, and each country's public holiday period is different. Check the holiday calendar of the country you are visiting before planning.
- In mainland China, many apps and services you use daily may not be reachable. Plan in advance how you will stay in touch and which maps you will use.
- Domestic transport sells out fast in this period. Book ahead through official channels and keep tickets on the device offline.
| Where | What the period is usually like | What to prepare |
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よくある質問
What date is Lunar New Year this year?+
The date moves every year with the lunar calendar, and the public holiday period that follows is announced by each country separately and is not the same. We do not state dates here — check the official holiday announcement for the country you are visiting.
Does an eSIM work in mainland China?+
Yes, when your device supports eSIM and the plan you buy covers mainland China. One extra thing to check: handsets sold in some markets do not include the eSIM function. Check device support before buying and read the coverage details on the plan page.
Will the apps I use every day work?+
It depends where you are. In Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia the environment is close to what you are used to. In mainland China a number of services may be unreachable and that list can change, so prepare fallbacks rather than assuming everything will behave as at home.
Country plans or a regional plan?+
If the trip crosses several places in the region, a regional plan is usually more convenient because you do not switch profiles. But always check the covered list on the plan page first, because mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan may be listed separately.
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