Beijing is still at a critical stage of curbing the spread of COVID-19. As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, can we travel outside Beijing to spend the holiday? Here is what you need to know.

Can we leave Beijing during the Dragon Boat Festival?

1. Three types of people are forbidden from leaving Beijing:

•People confirmed of contracted COVID-19, people suspected of contracting it, their close contacts, asymptomatic virus carriers and people with fever.

•Those who have visited Xinfadi Market or have had close contact with market staff since May 30th.

•People living in medium and high-risk neighborhoods.

2. Do not travel outside Beijing unless necessary.

Other residents should not leave the city unless absolutely necessary. Those who have to leave should first have nucleic acid tests showing negative results for the past seven days. 

Traffic Control measures

1. Road Traffic

•People who commute between Beijing and Hebei as shown on big data may enter/exit Beijing by touching their ID cards against the scanner;

•Others must have nucleic acid tests showing negative results for the past seven days before leaving the city;

•Inter-provincial travel to or from Beijing via taxis and hitch rides are suspended.

2. Railway

Travelers must have nucleic acid tests showing negative results for the past seven days before getting aboard the train and leaving Beijing.

3. Civil Aviation

People who leave Beijing must meet the following three conditions:

•Meeting the COVID-19 prevention and control requirements of the local government of the destination;

•Having a green code on Health Kit (Jian Kang Bao) indicating “No Abnormal Conditions";

•Having “negative nucleic acid test results for the past seven days”.

4. Ticket Changing and Refund

People who purchased air or train tickets before 24:00, June 16th may reschedule their trips or cancel their tickets without charge.

Requirements for sightseeing and accommodation:

1. Requirements for trips to tourist attractions

•Both Beijing residents and tourists to the city should make advance appointment for visits to Beijing' s parks and scenic areas and stay at countryside B&Bs.

•People from medium- and high-risk areas or overseas arrivals who have come to Beijing within the past 14 days and those involved in the markets where people confirmed of contracting COVID-19 were found shall not visit Beijing' s tourist sites.

•Outdoor tourist sites will open to the public, but with a ceiling of 30% of their daily visitor capacity, while indoor tourist sites will remain closed.

2. Requirements for hotel and B&B stays

•People from medium- and high-risk areas or overseas arrivals who have come to Beijing within the past 14 days and those involved in the markets where people confirmed of contracting COVID-19 were found shall not stay in hotels and B&Bs.

•People from low-risk areas can check into hotels and countryside B&Bs with a health code showing “No Abnormal Conditions” on Health Kit (Jian Kang Bao).

•Hotels will not provide group dining services such as wedding reception.

•Swimming pools and indoor gyms in hotels will remain closed.

•Countryside B&Bs and folk family inns in medium- and high-risk places which do not meet epidemic control requirements should suspend their operation.

3. Group Travel

•Inter-provincial travel and the “flight booking + hotel reservation” service of travel agencies will remain on hold.

•Travel agencies in Beijing can only provide the “Beijing tour for Beijing residents” service.

•Residents from medium and high-risk neighborhoods are not allowed to join group travel.

4. Public Facilities

•Cultural venues such as performance centers, entertainment venues and Internet cafes will remain closed pending further notice.

•Indoor public facilities such as libraries, museums and art galleries at city and district levels are open, but advance appointment is required, with staggered entrance and a limit of 30% of visitor capacity.

•Offline major cultural and tourist events to be held during the Dragon Boat Festival will be cancelled.

Please keep this in mind:

Beijing' s COVID-19 response is now at a critical stage. For the sake of health and safety of yourself and others, do not leave Beijing during the Dragon Boat Festival unless absolutely necessary.

For those who have to leave Beijing, please make sure you have with you documents required for travel either by self-driving, train, or plane, and learn about COVID-19 control practices of your destination in advance, and comply with them when you reach your destination.