Harbin Ice and Snow World 2026–27: Opening Date, Tickets and What to Pack

What Harbin Ice and Snow World is

Harbin Ice and Snow World (哈尔滨冰雪大世界) is the giant winter park of ice palaces, ice slides and snow sculptures that most people picture when they think of Harbin’s winter. It is built from scratch every season on the north bank of the Songhua River, on the west side of Sun Island in Songbei District, using blocks of river ice and machine-made snow. By day the buildings look like frosted glass. After dark they light up in colour, which is when most visitors want to be there.

The coming season will be the 28th edition, for winter 2026–27. This guide covers what is officially known now, what last season looked like, and how to prepare for one of the coldest sightseeing days you will ever have.

When will the 2026–27 season open?

As of 8 October 2026, the opening date of the 28th Ice and Snow World has not been announced. Here is what the official record shows:

Preparation started early. On 15 January 2026, while the 27th edition was still open, workers began cutting and storing ice from the frozen Songhua River for the 28th edition. The Heilongjiang Department of Culture and Tourism reported that the blocks are cut to about 1.6 m × 0.8 m × at least 0.5 m and stored under insulated covers through spring, summer and autumn, so that construction can start earlier and the park can open sooner.
Last season opened on 17 December 2025 at 10:00, according to CCTV News via Beijing Daily and the provincial tourism department.
Last year’s first official details came in autumn. The 27th edition was officially announced on 10 October 2025 at a winter tourism promotion event, with a limited pre-sale of tickets for late-December dates, according to Heilongjiang Daily.

So a mid-to-late December 2026 opening is a reasonable working assumption, but it is not confirmed. If you are booking flights, choose refundable fares or arrive after Christmas, and check the official channels before you fly.

What last season looked like

The 27th edition gives a good idea of scale. According to the CCTV report, it covered 1.2 million square metres, the largest so far, and used about 400,000 cubic metres of ice and snow. Its theme was “Ice and Snow, Fairy-Tale World”. Highlights included:

The super ice slide and the snowflake Ferris wheel, both returning favourites
A main ice tower and a gate modelled on Harbin’s old railway station
Ice versions of famous Chinese buildings, such as Wuhan’s Yellow Crane Tower and a Fujian earth building
Parades, an outdoor stage, a 5,000-square-metre air-dome hall, light shows and AI interactive features
Events such as the opening ceremony of the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, an ice sculpture competition and a New Year’s Eve concert

The 28th edition will have its own design, but you can expect the same mix of giant ice architecture, slides and evening shows.

Tickets and prices

The official website (ice.hrbicesnow.com) still shows last season’s price list:

Standard adult ticket: 328 yuan
Concession ticket: 240 yuan, for groups such as children over 6 or taller than 1.2 m, full-time students aged 24 or under, people with disabilities and Harbin residents, each with original documents checked at the gate
Free entry for some groups, including children 1.2 m or shorter or aged 6 and under (with a paying adult) and people aged 65 and over, with original ID. Most free visitors had to reserve a free ticket in advance through the park’s WeChat shop.

Two more things from last season are worth knowing:

Opening-week discount: standard adult tickets were 298 yuan from 17 to 23 December 2025, then 328 yuan from 24 December (CCTV).
Late-season changes: in February 2026 a warm spell above zero forced the park to close on 20–21 February. It reopened on 22 February with the adult ticket cut to 228 yuan and concessions to 168 yuan, according to the park’s official notice. Late-season visits are cheaper but carry a melt risk.

Prices for 2026–27 have not been published. Treat the figures above as a guide only.

How foreigners buy tickets

The provincial tourism department published a guide for foreign visitors in December 2024:

In China: buy with your passport (or foreign permanent resident ID) on the park’s official WeChat account, Trip.com, Douyin or Meituan.
Before you arrive: the park supports overseas purchase through the Trip.com app.
At the gate: self-service ticket machines in the ticket hall let you choose a language and your ID type, and the guide says they accept foreign-currency payment, so you do not need cash in yuan.

Bring the same passport to the gate. For phone payments in general, see our Alipay and WeChat Pay guide.

Getting there

The park’s address is the west side of Sun Island, Songbei District. The official website gives these reference distances: about 12 km (roughly 25 minutes) from Harbin railway station, 13 km from Harbin West station and 39 km (about 50 minutes) from Harbin Taiping International Airport.

Metro: take Line 2 to Harbin Ice and Snow World station (哈尔滨冰雪大世界). Line 2 runs from Harbin railway station and from the Central Street area. From Harbin East, take Line 1 and change to Line 2 at Museum. From Harbin West, take Line 3 and change at Zhujiang Road. The official site lists first and last metro trains as 06:00 and 21:30 “for reference only”, so check before a late night.
Bus: the official site lists more than 20 bus routes, plus Airport Bus Line 4, and says extra special routes are added during the operating season.
Taxi: show the driver the Chinese name, 哈尔滨冰雪大世界. A ride-hailing app such as DiDi is handy in the cold.

There is a large car park with one-way traffic around the park.

When to go during the day

Many visitors arrive in the mid-afternoon, see the sculptures in daylight, warm up indoors, and stay for the lights after dark. That gives you both versions of the park in one ticket. Queues for the big slide can be long, so ride it early. Weekends, New Year and the Chinese New Year holiday are the busiest times. Weekdays are generally calmer than weekends.

What to pack for Harbin’s cold

Winter in Harbin is seriously cold. When ice was being cut on the Songhua in mid-January 2026, the official report described temperatures of more than 20 degrees below zero. Evenings in the park can feel colder because you are standing still on ice. Pack:

Thermal base layers (top and bottom), a fleece mid-layer and a long down coat with a hood
A hat that covers your ears, a scarf or neck gaiter, and a face mask for wind
Two pairs of gloves: thin touchscreen liners and thick mittens over them
Insulated, waterproof boots with grippy soles, and thick wool socks
Stick-on heat packs (sold in Chinese convenience stores) for pockets and boots
A power bank kept in an inside pocket, because phone batteries drain fast in the cold
Lip balm and moisturiser against dry, freezing air

Take breaks in the heated halls and cafés. If your fingers or toes go numb and white, go inside and warm up gradually. Our autumn and winter packing list has more ideas.

Make it a Harbin winter trip

Ice and Snow World is an evening activity, so plan days around it:

Walk the Russian-era buildings of Central Street, which is on Metro Line 2.
Eat Harbin-style guobaorou, the crispy sweet-and-sour pork the city is proud of.
Read our Harbin early winter tips and our Heilongjiang winter itinerary for ski days and snow villages.

Heilongjiang is one of the provinces in China’s 240-hour visa-free transit scheme for eligible nationalities (check the permitted area for your entry port), and many travellers can now enter visa-free for 30 days. See our 30-day visa-free list.

FAQ

When does Harbin Ice and Snow World open in 2026?

The 28th edition’s opening date had not been announced as of 8 October 2026. Last season opened on 17 December 2025, and ice for this season was stored from January 2026 so building could start earlier.

How much is a ticket?

2026–27 prices are not out yet. Last season the standard adult ticket was 328 yuan and the concession ticket 240 yuan, with a 298-yuan opening-week price and a reduced late-season price.

Can foreigners buy tickets online?

Yes. Foreigners can buy with a passport on the official WeChat account, Trip.com, Douyin or Meituan, and from abroad through Trip.com. Self-service machines at the park also accept foreign-currency payment.

What is the best time of day to visit?

Mid-afternoon to evening lets you see the ice in daylight and then lit up at night.

How do I get there by metro?

Take Harbin Metro Line 2 to Harbin Ice and Snow World station.

Lovely China was founded in 2025 to help English-speaking travellers and expats plan calmer, better-informed trips in China. Spotted an outdated detail? Email [email protected].

Cover photo: 闫恩铭 / Enming Yan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Ice and snow sculptures lit up at night in Harbin Ice and Snow World.