China Travel Prep
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Guangdong
Guangzhou arrival guide
Prepare for a large metro city with Cantonese food, business districts, and easy Greater Bay Area rail links.
Use this guide, then check your own details
Prepare the hotel information you will need on arrival.
The arrival check creates a driver card only from Chinese details you confirm; otherwise it gives you a verification checklist.
Before you fly
Save these before arrival
- Check which rail station your onward ticket uses; South and East are not interchangeable.
- Save hotel and district names in Chinese.
- Install a map app that works inside China before you go.
Arrival points
- Guangzhou Baiyun Airport (CAN)
- Guangzhou South Railway Station
- Guangzhou East Railway Station
Stay zones
- Tianhe / Zhujiang New Town
- Yuexiu
- Haizhu near the river
First movement
Airport or station to lodging
Use metro or DiDi from central stations. From Baiyun, a car is simplest with luggage or a late arrival.
First day anchor
Keep the first day simple
Zhujiang New Town, the riverfront, and one Cantonese meal nearby.
Getting around
Local transport basics
- The metro is large and efficient; it reaches both rail stations.
- Pay for the metro with an Alipay/WeChat transit QR or a single-journey ticket; both are easy once your wallet works.
- DiDi is easy for Baiyun Airport runs with luggage.
Common mistakes
What first-timers get caught out by
- Assuming Guangzhou South and Guangzhou East stations are interchangeable — they are far apart.
- Underestimating Baiyun Airport's distance from the center.
- Use the official taxi queue or DiDi — never accept a ride from someone who approaches you inside the terminal.