How to Get to / Around Guangzhou 2023/2024

Get to/away from Guangzhou

Guangzhou is one of the top popular tourist cities in China, here we will show you how to get to / away from the most-chosen gateway cities and other famous destinations in China for reference.

By Air

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (广州白云国际机场; CAN) is the second busiest and largest airport in Southern China, right after the Hong Kong Airport, about 34 km (21 mi) driving distance north from central Guangzhou. The airport is the base for China Southern Airlines. And there are two connected terminals serving for all international and domestic airlines, which are Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

Visitors from international destinations includes Amsterdam, Auckland, Bangkok, Brisbane, Busan, Cairo, Doha, Dubai, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Irkutsk, Istanbul, Jakarta, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles, Macau, Melbourne, Moscow, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Nairobi, Paris, Perth, Phuket Island, San Francisco, Sabah, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Toronto, Tokyo and Vancouver can take an international flights to Guangzhou, however, which need a transfer for flying to Guangzhou from Chicago, Frankfurt, Kuwait, Mauritius, etc.

Besides, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport connects most airports in most cities in China with more than 210 routes, including Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guilin, Chengdu, Chongqing, Lhasa, Zhangjiajie, Hangzhou, Huangshan, Shenyang, Luoyang, Nanjing, Qingdao, Xiamen, Xining, Sanya, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Harbin, Dalian, Tianjin, Jinan, Guiyang, Wuhan, Changsha, Hohhot, Nanning, Taiyuan, Lanzhou, Urumqi, Yichang, etc. , so visitors can transit easily during your tour in the whole China!

Baiyun Airport Address: No.888, East Jichang Avenue, Huadu District, Guangzhou (广州市花都区机场大道东888号)

Learn More about Flights to Guangzhou (CAN) - Schedules, Duration, Frequency 2023 >>

From Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou City Center

By Guangzhou Metro:

Take Metro Line 3 and transfer to Metro Line 2 at Jiahewanggang Station, you can head into the central Guangzhou city where offers most attractions and accommodations, which usually takes about 1 hour at a cost of ¥8.

By Guangzhou Airport Shuttle Bus:

Airport Express Line 5 can take passengers to Haizhu Plaza at the downtown, and it usually needs about 1.5 hours at a cost of around ¥24. Besides, about 10 Airport Express lines are offered to send passengers to Guangzhou city to find your hotel. The ticket prices range from ¥10-55.

By Guangzhou Airport Taxi:

You can also take taxi to the central Guangzhou, which will cost about ¥120-140 for about 40-60 minutes according to the practical traffic situation. Once walking out from arrival hall, many taxis will be at your service.

Learn More about How to Get from Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou City Center >>

144-hour Visa Free Transit via Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Since May 1, 2019, Guangdong Province has been implementing 144-hour visa-free period for nationals from 53 countries. The qualified travelers can enter Guangdong via its three airports - Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport, and exit via the province’s 32 ports.

Learn more about Guangzhou 144-hour Visa Free Transit >>

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Guangzhou Airport

Map of Domestic Flights to Guangzhou

Guangzhou Airport to Downtown Map

By Train

Guangzhou operates normal trains and high speed trains with most cities (regions) in China, including high speed train from / to Beijing (8-10 hours), Shanghai (7-8.5 hours), Hong Kong (1 hour), Shenzhen (0.5 hour), Chengdu (9-10 hours), Chongqing (7-8 hours), Guilin (2.5-3 hours), Xian (7.5-9 hours), Guiyang (4-5.5 hours), etc., therefore, travelers can reach this city of flowers from most places in China by trains!

There are all 7 train stations in Guangzhou City, among which three major train stations are under service for people to and from, which are Guangzhou Railway station, Guangzhou South Railway station and Guangzhou North Railway Station.

Guangzhou Railway Station

Guangzhou Railway Station (广州站) is one of the biggest in the country, also the oldest station in Guangzhou which serves routes that go to / from most of China cities with a relatively slow speed, more stopping stations, cheap ticket fees. Some high speed train C trains between Guangzhou and Shenzhen stop at this station. Metro lines 2 and 5 have a connection stop here. You can reach the city center by Line 2 for about 25 minutes. And it usually takes about 15-20 minutes by taxi.

Address: No.159, West Huanshi Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou (广州市越秀区环市西路159号)

Guangzhou East Railway Station

Guangzhou East Railway Station (广州东站) serves routes to some cities in Guangdong Province and other places in mainland China, like Shenzhen, Shantou, Dongguan, Meizhou, and so on. Also, the famous Guangzhou Hong Kong Through Trains use this station as terminal station. Metro Line 1 and Line 3 are available to transfer to other places in Guangzhou, and from here, travelers can take Metro Line 1 and transfer to Line 6 at Dongshankou Station to reach city center for about 25 minutes.

Address: No.1 Dongzhan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou (广州市天河区东站路1号)

Guangzhou South Railway Station

Guangzhou South Railway Station (广州南站) is the largest and busiest high speed train station in southern China. It serves the high-speed nonstop or less-stop trains from Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Changsha, Wuhan, etc. The South Station is a little far from the downtown, about 15 kilometers away, however, Metro Line 2 is available here for your convenient and cost-efficient transfer to other areas in this city. And usually, it takes about 50 minutes to the city center. Besides, if you go by car, it usually takes about 1 hour.

Address: Shibi Village, Zhongcun Town, Fanyu District, Guangzhou (广州市番禺区钟村镇南站北路)

Guangzhou Railway Station

Guangzhou East Station

Guangzhou South Station

Learn More about Guangzhou Train Schedules:

All Guangzhou Bullet Trains

China Cities Beyond Guangdong Province:

Within Guangdong Province:

By Long-Distance Bus

There are over 10 distance bus stations in Guangzhou City, which launches long-distance buses to most cities within Guangdong Province, like Shenzhen (about 2-2.5 hours), Zhuhai (about 2 hours), Zhongshan (about 1.5 hours), Foshan (about 2 hours), Shunde (about 1 hour), etc., Hong Kong (about 4-4.5 hours) and other destinations in China including Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, etc.

By Ship

Ferry service is available between Guangzhou and several cities. There are two major piers. Panyu Lianhuashan Port connects Guangzhou with Hong Kong (about 2 hours & 20 minutes) and Hong Kong Airport Port (about 1 hour and 50 minutes). Panyu Nansha Port connects Guangzhou with Hong Kong Airport Port, and the trip takes 70-90 minutes.

Hong Kong to Guangzhou

A lot of passengers travel to Guangzhou from Hong Kong, and there you can go by flights, high speed trains, Through Trains, distance coaches, ferries, etc.

By Air

Usually, there are two daily flights, one in the early morning and another at night, not very late. The flight takes about 1 hour.

By Bullet Train

About daily 34 high speed G trains from Hong Kong offers the best convenient and budget transfer to Guangzhou. You can easily choose one during about 08:00-22:50 according to your schedule. All bullet trains use Hong Kong West Kowloon Station in HK and Guangzhou South Station in Guangzhou, and whole riding needs only about 47 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Train tickets cost about ¥215 for a Second Class Seat, ¥323 for a Second Class Seat and ¥452 for a business Class Seat (Premium Class Seat).

Please Check Detailed Hong Kong to Guangzhou Train Schedule >>

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By Guangzhou Kowloon Through Train

Guangzhou Kowloon Through Train connects the two places with about 2 hours’ riding. 12 pairs of trains are running between Kowloon Station and Guangzhou East Station. The earliest one from Kowloon departs at around 07:30 and the last one departs at 20:00. Tickets cost about ¥179 for a First Class Seat and ¥213 for a Premium Class Seat.

Learn More about Hong Kong Guangzhou Through Trains >>

By Coach

Hong Kong offers extremely many distance coaches to Guangzhou every day. You can get on the coach from many major places in Hong Kong, and most coaches depart from Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong International Airport, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok and Prince Edward MTR Station from morning till night to the downtown area of Guangzhou. Also, some coaches are available from Kowloon, Hong Kong Disneyland, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Ocean Park, etc. Taking a coach usually takes about 3-5 hours and the tickets range from around ¥100-250 based on routes, departures, arrivals and types of vehicle.

By Ferry

From Hong Kong, visitors can take a ferry to Guangzhou Lianhuashan Port (莲花山港) and Nansha Port (南沙港) in Panyu District.

Departure Port	Arrival Port	Departure Time	Duration	Tickets (¥)
Hong Kong International Airport (香港海天码头)	Lianhuashan Port	10:30; 15:20; 18:50	1 hour & 50 minutes	230-240
Hong Kong International Airport (香港海天码头)	Nansha Port	10:30; 15:20	1 hour & 10 minutes	230-240
Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal (香港中港城)	Lianhuashan Port	07:45; 11:30; 13:30; 18:10	2 hours & 20 minutes	180
Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal (香港中港城)	Nansha Port	07:45; 11:30; 13:30; 16:15	1.5 hours	180

(Note: 1. Only people who enter Hong Kong via Hong Kong International Airport can book the ferry route from Hong Kong International Airport Ferry Port (香港海天码头) to Guangzhou. 2. The above information of time, departures, arrivals and tickets is only for your reference, which may be slightly changed accordingly. Please contact us for the newest info.)

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Hong Kong to Guangzhou Bullet Train

Hong Kong to Guangzhou Ferry

Guangzhou Nansha Port

Shenzhen to Guangzhou

Shenzhen and Guangzhou are very close, both in Guangdong Province, it takes only about 2 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours by driving for about 127-135 kilometers.

By Air

There is no flight between Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The most chosen ways of public transportation are high speed trains and distance coaches.

By Bullet Train

Over 200 daily bullet trains serve from different train stations in Shenzhen to Guangzhou stations. The fastest trains run only about 29 minutes between Shenzhen North to Guangzhou South, and the slowest ones take about 1.5 hours. You can select one particularly easy between around 06:10-23:15. Tickets are about ¥75-200 according to different types of seats.

Please check detailed Shenzhen to Guangzhou Train Schedule >>

By Coach

Coaches are available in many stations in Shenzhen, like Futian, Longgang, Huanggang Port, etc. Those distance coaches can reach Guangzhou downtown, train stations, and usually take about 2-2.5 hours. Tickets usually range between ¥60-100.

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Shenzhen North Station

Get Around Guangzhou

By Subway

Guangzhou has built an advanced metro system since 1999 which covers most area of Guangzhou city. By the end of 2018, there are together 14 metro lines under operation, including Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, Line 4, Line 5, Line 6, Line 7, Line 8, Line 9, Line 13, Line 14, Line 21, APM Line, and Guangfo Line (Guangzhou – Foshan), which can take you to the city center, almost tourist attractions (like Line 1 to Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Line 2 to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and Yuexiu Park, Line 3 to Canton Tower, etc.), train stations (Line 2 to Guangzhou South and Guangzhou Station, Line 3 North Extension to Guangzhou East, Line 9 to Guangzhou North, etc.), Baiyun Airport, and many other places you want to visit. The ticket charges from ¥2 to ¥12. English and Chinese signs are available in railcars and stations, and the voice broadcast is in English, Cantonese and Mandarin for people. (Updated in November, 2019. Check latest metro lines at official website)

Learn More about Guangzhou Metro >>

Guangzhou Metro Line 9

By Bus

Public Bus is the cheapest way to travel around Guangzhou. For people interested in getting closer to local life style, taking a bus in Guangzhou is a good way. However, which is not so convenient compared to the subways due to the lack of use of English at some stations. However, you can reach most attractions and other places and travel in a slower pace. Bus fare usually charges ¥2 for one person. For foreign visitors, you are highly suggested to prepare some ¥1 coins and paper money of ¥1 as there is no ticket sellers on the bus. Most bus routes run from around 6 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m. and most buses are air-conditioned. Besides, the Young Trams run between Canton Tower and Wanshengwei is also a nice choice to experience the modern tramcar to visit the Canton Tower.

Guangzhou Public Buses

By Taxi

Taking a taxi is relatively faster and more convenient for foreign visitors, however, it is also the most expensive way! Implemented in the middle May in 2018, the price for taking a taxi in Guangzhou is ¥12 for the first 3 kilometers, ¥2.6 for each subsequent kilometer. And taking a night taxi (23:00-05:00) will be changed 30% more of your subsequent distance fee. Practical fees are based on detailed traffic situation.

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Guangzhou Taxi

Travel with China Discovery

If you want to get rid of hustle of and long waiting for public transportation, you can choose our private transfer service for traveling in and around Guangzhou. Our professional local guide and driver will escort you from your hotel, train station, airport to all attractions with comfortable private car with speed and convenience and let you catch the highlights of every site and this city, so you can get really relaxed on the way and focus on what you are interested. Please contact us directly to tell your needs if you are interested!

How to Plan Your Guangzhou Tour in China?

For most regular travelers to Guangzhou, they spend 2-4 days to enjoy the best highlights of the culture, history, food, architectures and development of this City of Flowers, including Chen Clan Academy Hall, Yuexiu Park, Canton Tower, Temple of Six Banyan Trees, Museum Of The Mausoleum of The Nanyue King, dim sums, etc. You can also spend 1 more day to have fun at Chimelong Safari Park with you family. If you are considering a personal trip to Guangzhou but do not want to do the detailed planning of every transportation, hotel and connection of each attraction, you can feel free to contact our travel expert for professional advices and recommendations, and we will help you sincerely with your Guangzhou tour planning according to your interests, needs and budget!

Top Attractions in & around Guangzhou

Recommended Guangzhou Tours

Top 3 Guangzhou tours chosen by most customers to explore Guangzhou in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.

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Hong Kong / Guangzhou / Guilin

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