Ended 5 OctTrade show · Automotive · 18th edition
Shenzhen International Auto Show 2026 (18th)
深圳国际汽车展览会（汽车嘉年华） 2026
Consumer auto show and car carnival over the National Day holiday: new-car launches and car buying plus entertainment and leisure activities.
AI illustration- Dates
- 1–5 Oct Thu–Mon · 5 days
- Venue
- Futian CEC Futian
- Visitors
- 400k 2025 edition
- Entry
- Ticketed or register on site
- Open to
- Everyone trade & public, every day
What is Shenzhen International Auto Show?
The Shenzhen International Auto Show is the city's big consumer car show, held every year during the National Day "Golden Week" holiday at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center in Futian. It is run by the team behind the Greater Bay Area Auto Show (formerly the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao show, which the organizers bill as one of China's three major annual car shows) under the iAS (Innovative Auto Show) brand, which also stages car shows in Suzhou, Tianjin, Changsha, Kunming and several other cities. The organizers pitch the October show as that event's sister show and the biggest car show in Shenzhen in the second half of the year, with more emphasis on getting people to buy cars and on turning the halls into a holiday carnival.
This is not a trade fair. Anyone can buy a ticket, and most visitors are Shenzhen families and would-be car buyers comparing models side by side. At the 2025 edition the organizers counted more than 80 brands showing over 800 models, from pure EVs and plug-in hybrids to petrol cars. BYD took a whole hall for its own brands (BYD, Denza and Fangchengbao), Huawei's HIMA alliance showed AITO, Stelato and Shangjie models, and Tesla, Volvo, Voyah, Avatr, iCAR, Jetour, GAC AION, Changan Mazda and Dongfeng Honda also had stands. Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot made its first Shenzhen appearance there.
Buying is a big part of it. Brands run show-only discounts, and the organizers line up city and district purchase subsidies and trade-in schemes. Over the five days in 2025 they reported about 400,000 visits and 18,740 cars ordered, worth close to ¥4 billion. Around the cars there is plenty to keep non-buyers busy: an art exhibition (the "Son of the Earth" light-art show in 2025), racing simulators, lucky draws and themed cafés. For 2026 the theme is a "WHY NOT" energy park with arcade games, a pop-culture space, food and pickleball, according to local press.
For a foreigner living in Shenzhen, it is the easiest way to see the whole Chinese car market in one afternoon. Brands that are household names here but barely known abroad, such as BYD's premium lines, Huawei-backed EVs and Chery's iCAR, sit next to the familiar foreign marques. Early-bird tickets are cheap (¥9.9 for a limited batch in 2026), and Futian's metro connections make it an easy trip. It is also useful if you are actually shopping for a car and want to compare prices and incentives in one place.
Why go
- See most of the Chinese EV market in one place: BYD, Denza, Fangchengbao, Huawei's HIMA brands, Voyah, Avatr and more, next to Tesla, Volvo and the Japanese joint ventures
- Compare prices and collect show-only discounts and local purchase subsidies if you're buying a car
- Regional debuts and launches: in 2025 the Volvo XC70 had its South China debut and Jetour launched the X70L
- A family day out over Golden Week, with art shows, simulators, games and food around the cars
- Cheap entry, with a limited ¥9.9 early-bird ticket in 2026 and free entry for small children and over-65s
Our take
Avoid the opening day, which the organizers say is the most crowded, and arrive at the 10:00 opening. Tickets are single-entry and scanned at the gate, so buy through an official channel; the organizers warn about scalped and fake tickets. Take metro Lines 1 or 4 to Convention & Exhibition Center, exit C.
Go if you're
- Shenzhen residents shopping for a new car or EV
- Families looking for a Golden Week day out
- Car enthusiasts and expats curious about Chinese EV brands
- Motoring media and content creators
Who exhibits
Some of the companies at the 2025 edition, from the organiser's exhibitor list and press.
Forums, awards & what else is on
- New-car launches and South China debuts from domestic and foreign brands
- Show-only purchase discounts combined with city/district subsidies and trade-in schemes
- Art tie-ins: the "Son of the Earth" light-art exhibition in 2025
- Games, racing simulators, lucky draws and themed food areas; a "WHY NOT" energy park is planned for 2026
- Runs alongside: Held jointly with the Intelligent Connected & Future Mobility Auto Expo (智能网联及未来出行汽车博览会) under the same ticket
This year's edition
Open to the public, ticketed. Hours: 1–5 Oct, 10:00–18:00. Children under 1.4 m and seniors 65+ (with ID) enter free; children must be accompanied. Tickets via the WeChat mini-program "深圳国际车展票务", Damai, Maoyan, Meituan, Ctrip, Douyin or the on-site ticket office.
Days & opening hours
Hours are the organiser's. Last entry is usually 30 minutes before closing, and the last day often closes early.
How to get in
- Get a ticketBuy tickets in advance via the WeChat mini-program 深圳国际车展票务 or Douyin, Damai, Maoyan, Meituan, Ctrip; a limited ¥9.9 early-bird batch in 2026
- Bring IDMost Shenzhen shows scan tickets against your ID. Foreigners: bring your passport.
Flying in? The visitor guide
What international buyers ask us most, in one place.
Many passports get 30 days visa-free, and 55 nationalities can use 240-hour visa-free transit via Shenzhen when flying on to a third country. Check your eligibility before booking.
Link a Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly — booths, taxis and canteens rarely take cards. Keep ¥500 cash for samples.
Get a roaming eSIM: Google, WhatsApp and Gmail don't work on hotel or venue Wi-Fi. Suppliers will ask for your WeChat, not your email.
Pre-register, bring your passport to collect the badge, and pack 200 business cards. Photograph each card next to the booth number — you'll forget by day two.
Hall English is patchy outside the big brands. A freelance interpreter costs ¥800–1,500 a day; book a week ahead for big fairs.
Don't carry 40 kg home. SF Express and DHL counters sit in the main lobbies and will ship samples door to door from about ¥200.
Walk to a dozen business hotels in the CBD, and to the rooftop bars afterwards.
- Enter from the metro level, not the street — the badge desks are underground.
- Lunch: skip the hall canteens and walk 5 min to the malls around Shopping Park.
Good to know
When is Shenzhen International Auto Show 2026?
Thu 1 Oct – Mon 5 Oct 2026. Doors open at 10am; the last day closes at 6pm.
Where is Shenzhen International Auto Show held?
Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center (深圳会展中心), 111 Fuhua 3rd Rd, Futian District. Take metro Line 1/4 to Convention & Exhibition Center station.
Is Shenzhen International Auto Show free to visit?
Passes are Ticketed booked ahead and Tickets on sale at the on-site ticket centre; Meituan and Ctrip buyers must swap for a ticket there, others scan in at the gates at the door.
Is the Shenzhen Auto Show open to the public?
Yes. It is a ticketed consumer show open to anyone. Children under 1.4 m and seniors over 65 with ID get in free, and children must be accompanied by an adult.
Which car brands show up?
In 2025 there were more than 80 brands, including BYD, Denza, Fangchengbao, AITO, Stelato, Tesla, Volvo, Voyah, Avatr, iCAR, Jetour, GAC AION, Changan Mazda and Dongfeng Honda.
Can I buy a car at the show?
Yes. Dealers take orders on the spot and brands run show-only offers, often on top of local subsidies. The organizers reported 18,740 cars ordered during the 2025 show.
Can I leave and come back?
No. Tickets are valid for one entry only.
How is it different from the Greater Bay Area Auto Show?
Both are run by the same organizers. The Greater Bay Area show is the organizers' flagship; the October Shenzhen show is its sister event and puts more weight on car buying and holiday entertainment.
Can foreign or Hong Kong media get a press pass?
Hong Kong, Macau and foreign journalists can apply on site with ID, a work ID or bylined articles, at the media centre (Room 206) on 30 September and 1 October.
Sources
Researched from the organiser's own pages, last checked 2026-09-26. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- Official site · sz.szautoshow.com ↗
- official site: 2026 show overview, organizers, iAS background ↗
- official site: 2026 ticketing rules, hours, transport ↗
- official site: media accreditation notice ↗
- official site: 2025 wrap-up (80+ brands, 800+ models, 400,000 visits, 18,740 orders, BYD Hall 4, HIMA) ↗
- official site: 2025 opening report (brands and models shown, Tesla Optimus) ↗
- official site: 2026 ¥9.9 early-bird ticket announcement ↗
- trade press (ifeng, 2026): WHY NOT energy park activities ↗
More trade shows in Shenzhen
Full 2026–27 calendar →More in Automotive