Guangzhou Airport to City Centre: Metro, Train, Taxi and Bus
Your terminal determines your route. Terminal 1 has been closed to passengers since 7 May 2026 — metro trains no longer stop at Airport South station — so you will arrive at either T2 or T3. Check your boarding pass before planning ground transport.
Which terminal are you in?
| Terminal | Key airlines | Direct metro access |
|---|---|---|
| T2 | China Southern, Cathay Pacific, Sichuan Airlines | Yes — Metro Line 3, Airport North station |
| T3 | Almost all international flights, Air China, Hainan Airlines | No — use intercity rail or shuttle to Gaozeng metro |
A free 24-hour shuttle bus connects T2 and T3, running about every 5–10 minutes at peak times and taking roughly 20–25 minutes end to end. The ¥5 intercity train between the two airport stations covers the same journey in 6 minutes.
Option 1: Metro Line 3 — cheapest, best from T2
From T2: Follow the bilingual 地铁 / Metro signs down to B1. Board at Airport North station on Line 3 southbound. Key stops for visitors include Guangzhou East Railway Station, Tiyu Xilu (Tianhe CBD), Zhujiang New Town and Canton Tower. The journey to Tianhe takes around 45–60 minutes and costs ¥7–9. Trains run from 06:00 to roughly 23:15 at the airport end, every 2–5 minutes at peak times.
From T3: Take the free shuttle bus from the T3 transport centre to Gaozeng station (about 15 minutes, ¥2), then board Line 3 or Line 9 southbound. The shuttle runs from 06:35 to 22:40 (T3 to Gaozeng direction), every 5 minutes at peak times and every 10 minutes off-peak.
You can pay by single-journey ticket from the station machines, or scan a QR code through the Guangzhou Metro mini-programme in Alipay or WeChat. Tap-to-pay with a foreign card is not universally supported on Guangzhou Metro machines, so have a payment method ready before you queue.
Book hotels, flights & trains across China — all in one place
For onward travel — high-speed rail to Shenzhen, Beijing or beyond — you can compare all the main booking sites or book trains and flights on Trip.com.
Option 2: Intercity rail from T3 — fastest for south Guangzhou
Baiyun Airport East station sits on level B2 of the T3 transport centre, a 3–5 minute walk from the arrivals hall. East Ring intercity trains run roughly every 14 minutes and reach Pazhou (Canton Fair area) in 29 minutes and Guangzhou South high-speed rail station in 28 minutes. Fares range from ¥5 to ¥23 depending on destination. Buy tickets at the station counters or on the 12306 app. Note that last trains depart around 21:43–22:41; this option is not available for very late arrivals.
Option 3: Airport coaches — best for heavy luggage
Several routes leave from both T2 and T3 transport centres. Buses have air conditioning and large undercarriage storage, which makes them the practical choice when you have oversized bags. Journey times run 60–90 minutes depending on traffic. Selected routes:
- Line 1 → Guangzhou Railway Station via Garden Hotel and Tianhe: ¥22, ~60 min
- Line 2 → Yuexiu hotel district (Garden Hotel, Huanshi Dong Lu): ~¥23, ~50–60 min; night service runs 23:00–03:00
- Line 3 → Rosedale Hotel via Sanyuanli and Jiefang Road: ¥26, ~50 min
Option 4: Taxi or DiDi
Official metered taxis queue at designated ranks outside arrivals at both terminals. Expect to pay ¥100–170 to central Guangzhou, with a toll of ¥15–25 on top; allow 40–65 minutes off-peak, longer at rush hour. Night fares are higher.
DiDi (China's main ride-hailing app) generally costs ¥70–110 to Tianhe or Yuexiu off-peak, rising to ¥90–140 in rush hour. Pickup zones are geofenced: at T2 use lot P8, at T3 use lot P12. You need a Chinese mobile number or a working WeChat Pay or Alipay account to book. DiDi now accepts some international cards, but set this up before you land to avoid delays at the kerb.
Quick decision guide
| Situation | Best option | Approx cost | Approx time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrived T2, light bags, hotel near metro | Metro Line 3 from Airport North | ¥7–9 | 45–60 min |
| Arrived T3, heading to Tianhe or old city | Free shuttle → Gaozeng → Line 3 | ¥2 + metro fare | 60–75 min |
| Arrived T3, heading to Canton Fair / Guangzhou South | Intercity rail from Baiyun Airport East | ¥5–23 | 28–39 min |
| Heavy luggage, specific hotel area | Airport coach (Line 1 or 2) | ¥22–27 | 60–90 min |
| Group of 3+, late arrival, or door-to-door | Taxi or DiDi | ¥70–170 | 35–70 min |
Last checked: 2026-10-17
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