Many Chinese resorts light their runs in the evening, typically from about 18:30 to 21:30 or 22:00. Which ones offer night skiing, what it costs, what to wear, and who it suits.
Night skiing in China (夜场 yèchǎng, or 夜滑 yèhuá) means floodlit runs after the day session, before the slopes close for grooming. In 2025-26 the big Chongli resorts ran night sessions from about 17:30 or 18:30 to 21:30, Nanshan near Beijing ran until 22:00, and in Altay, Jiangjunshan lit runs from 20:30 to 23:00 because the region keeps a later daily schedule. Lit runs are mostly beginner and intermediate trails, and the floodlights are bright enough that you do not need a headlamp.
Our resort data marks 10 resorts with night skiing as a feature. Jiangjunshan in Altay is not among them in that file, but our Altay guide records night sessions there in December 2025, so we include it below. Where we could not confirm hours, the table says so; check the resort's official channels before you go.
| Resort | Region | Hours (2025-26) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genting Secret Garden, Chongli | Hebei | 18:30 to 21:30 | Separate night ticket; day-plus-night ticket also sold in 2024-25 |
| Wanlong, Chongli | Hebei | 18:30 to 21:30 | Night ticket 179 yuan in 2024-25 |
| Fulong, Chongli | Hebei | 17:30 to 21:30 | Next to Chongli town |
| Nanshan, Miyun (Beijing) | Beijing | 18:30 to 22:00 | The best-known Beijing night session |
| Jundushan, Changping (Beijing) | Beijing | Check locally | About 30 km from central Beijing |
| Huaibei, Huairou (Beijing) | Beijing | Check locally | Near the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall |
| Badaling, Yanqing (Beijing) | Beijing | Check locally | Beginner-friendly hill |
| Yuyang, Pinggu (Beijing) | Beijing | Check locally | Family-friendly |
| Songhua Lake, Jilin | Jilin | Check locally | Northeast night option |
| Baiyun, Urumqi | Xinjiang | Check locally | A smaller hill near the city |
| Jiangjunshan, Altay | Xinjiang | 20:30 to 23:00 (Dec 2025) | Three lit runs, plus a sunset party at the summit |
Indoor halls (see our indoor ski halls guide) are open in the evening too, but the snow is different and they are not what Chinese skiers mean by 夜场.
Most resorts sell a separate night ticket. The 2024-25 Chongli night-ticket prices in our data are 165 yuan at Genting (about $25) and 179 yuan at Wanlong (about $27). Genting also sold a day-plus-night ticket for 484 yuan that season. We could not confirm night prices for Fulong, Nanshan or Jiangjunshan, so treat any figure you see in chat groups as a guide rather than a quote, and check the resort's official mini-program for 2026-27 prices.
Pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card. Foreign-card payments above 200 yuan can attract a 3% fee; at 165 or 179 yuan, a single night ticket is already under that threshold, so in most cases there is no fee to avoid. Carrying some cash as a backup is still sensible.
It gets markedly colder after dark, especially in January. In Altay the 20:30 to 23:00 session sits in the coldest part of the evening, and Altay city's January average low is about -21°C. Dress in layers: a thermal base, a fleece or light down mid layer, ski jacket and pants, a neck gaiter or balaclava, a beanie or liner under the helmet, mitts (warmer than gloves) and hand warmers. Goggles with a clear or low-light lens are better than dark sun lenses. You will stand still on the chairlift, so add a layer you can open on the runs.
Night skiing fits how Chinese ski trips work. Many people head up from Beijing after work on Friday, ski an evening session, sleep near the slopes, ski all day Saturday, and fit in another evening before going home. The lit runs are usually easier than the daytime terrain, which makes them family-friendly and forgiving for the large number of beginners who took up the sport around the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Resorts also use night sessions to spread visitors away from the morning peak.
Expect a calmer atmosphere than the daytime rush, fewer children in lessons and more adult groups. Most lit runs are blue or green, so a competent intermediate can rack up many short runs. Genting and Wanlong have wider networks of lit trails than the smaller hills. The snow is usually firm, and it gets groomed after the night session closes. Resorts may close lit runs or stop lifts in strong wind or extreme cold, and they usually post a notice on their official WeChat channels.
Night sessions in Chongli finish around 21:30. Trains from Taizicheng back to Beijing generally leave before a full night session ends, so check the last departure on 12306 and plan to stay overnight if you want the whole session. From the Beijing city hills, ride-hailing with DiDi works for the late return, but expect waits and surge pricing at closing time. Self-driving requires a Chinese driving licence; China does not recognise foreign licences or International Driving Permits. On icy access roads late at night, a taxi or hotel shuttle is the safer choice.
Stay on lit runs and respect closed boundaries; floodlights hide the shape of ungroomed terrain. Lift staff may not speak English, so keep your pass ready. Photography services are common on Chinese slopes and will set up on the run to take your photo; smile if you want it, move past quickly if you do not. Helmets are not always required, but we strongly recommend wearing one, especially at night when visibility is lower; most rental desks have them.
If you ski a Chongli weekend, the night session on Friday or Saturday is the easiest extra skiing for the lowest cost, especially when discounts apply early or late in the season. If you are skiing a Beijing city hill, the night session lets you ski after work without taking a day off, which is rare outside China. Beginners find the lit runs low-pressure. If you are an advanced skier looking for challenge, night skiing is not for you; ski the day sessions in Altay or the northeast instead. For visa and payment set-up, see our China travel essentials page.