If you are coming to Guangzhou for the Canton Fair, transportation is usually not the first thing you think about.
You may spend more time choosing a hotel, registering for the fair, arranging supplier meetings and planning which exhibition halls to visit.
But once you arrive in Guangzhou, one practical question quickly becomes important:
What is the best way to travel during the Canton Fair?
For some visitors, the metro is all they need. For others, taking a taxi or ride-hailing car is convenient enough. And if your day includes suppliers, factories or several business appointments outside the exhibition complex, arranging a private car with driver can make much more sense.
The best option depends on what your actual business day looks like.
This guide explains the main transportation options during the 2026 Autumn Canton Fair and when each one is most practical.
Canton Fair 2026 Dates and Location
The 140th Canton Fair — Autumn 2026 will be held in three phases:
| Phase | Dates | Main Categories |
| Phase 1 | October 15–19, 2026 | Electronics, machinery, vehicles, lighting, hardware, new energy and related products |
| Phase 2 | October 23–27, 2026 | Housewares, furniture, building materials, sanitary products, gifts and home decoration |
| Phase 3 | October 31–November 4, 2026 | Clothing, textiles, shoes, bags, toys, personal care, medical products and other consumer goods |
The fair is open for business meetings from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM each day.
Venue: China Import and Export Fair Complex
Location: No. 382 Yuejiang Middle Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou
These dates, hours and product phases are published by the official Canton Fair.
During the fair, the Pazhou area becomes much busier than usual, particularly before the exhibition opens and when large numbers of visitors leave around closing time.
That does not mean you always need a private car. In many cases, public transport is actually the easier choice.
Metro, Taxi, Shuttle or Private Driver: Which Should You Choose?
There is no single best way to travel during the Canton Fair. The right option depends mainly on where you are going, how many stops you have and how flexible your schedule needs to be.
Here is a quick comparison:
| Your Schedule | Metro | Taxi / Ride-Hailing | Hotel Shuttle | Private Car + Driver |
| Hotel → Canton Fair → Hotel | Very suitable | Suitable | Very suitable* | Usually unnecessary |
| Fair + dinner / one meeting | Possible | Very suitable | Limited | Optional |
| Fair + several suppliers | Inconvenient | Possible | Not suitable | Very suitable |
| Fair + factory visit | Not ideal | Possible | Not suitable | Very suitable |
| Fair + Foshan visit | Not practical | Possible | Not suitable | Very suitable |
| Several stops / schedule changes | Difficult | Less convenient | Not suitable | Very suitable |
| Carrying samples or luggage | Less convenient | Suitable | Suitable | Very suitable |
*Hotel shuttle availability, timetable and drop-off points depend on the hotel.
Option 1: Taking the Metro to the Canton Fair
For visitors who mainly plan to spend the whole day inside the exhibition, the Guangzhou Metro is one of the most practical ways to get to the Canton Fair.
The exhibition complex is connected to Metro Line 8 and Line 11. Xingangdong Station provides convenient access to Areas A and D, while Pazhou Station serves Areas B and C.
If your hotel is close to a convenient metro line and your plan is simply hotel → Canton Fair → hotel, taking the metro can be easier and more economical than arranging a car for the whole day.
However, there are a few practical things international visitors should know.
Paying for the Metro
Most local passengers now use mobile payment or QR codes through Chinese apps such as WeChat and Alipay. Other ticketing options are available at stations, but the process may be less familiar if it is your first time using public transport in Guangzhou.
Expect Crowds During Peak Hours
The bigger issue during the Canton Fair is not the metro system itself, but how busy it can become at peak times.
Morning commuting hours are already busy in Guangzhou, and the Canton Fair adds a large number of exhibition visitors travelling toward Pazhou at similar times.
The same happens after the fair closes. Stations around the exhibition can become crowded, and at particularly busy times you may need to wait before boarding.
Inside the train, do not expect to get a seat during peak periods. After spending an entire day walking around the exhibition halls, standing in a crowded metro all the way back to your hotel may feel considerably less convenient than it did in the morning.
Simple Routes Are Much Easier
The metro works particularly well when you already know exactly where you are going.
Things become less straightforward if you leave the fair and then need to travel to a restaurant, supplier office or another business appointment in an unfamiliar part of Guangzhou.
You may need to work out which line to take, where to transfer and which station or exit is closest to your destination. This is manageable, but it adds another small task to an already busy business day.
Option 2: Taxi and Ride-Hailing
Taxi and ride-hailing services are widely available in Guangzhou and are another practical way to travel during the Canton Fair.
For ride-hailing, there are several major platforms, including DiDi, CaoCao and T3. Fares are generally reasonable(around US$3-7), and for a simple trip such as Canton Fair → hotel or Canton Fair → restaurant, a ride-hailing car can be very convenient.
Unlike the metro, you travel directly to your destination without changing lines or walking between stations. This can be especially useful after a long day at the exhibition.
For many visitors, taxi or ride-hailing offers a good balance between cost and convenience.
The Main Challenge: Leaving the Fair at Peak Time
The situation can be very different when thousands of visitors leave the Canton Fair around the same time.
Demand for cars increases sharply around closing time. At the busiest periods, ride-hailing apps may show a large number of passengers requesting vehicles nearby, and waiting times can become much longer than on a normal day.
Sometimes the problem is not simply finding an available car.
A driver may have accepted your trip and already be on the way, but traffic around Pazhou can move extremely slowly during peak periods. A vehicle that appears relatively close on the map may still take much longer than expected to reach you.
If you have a dinner reservation or supplier meeting immediately after the fair, it is therefore better not to plan your timing too tightly.
Finding Your Driver Can Also Be Tricky
The Canton Fair Complex is very large, with different halls, gates, roads and pickup areas.
If it is your first visit, you may know that you are “at the Canton Fair” without knowing exactly which road or pickup point your driver can reach.
This can lead to a common situation: your car has arrived nearby, but you and the driver are waiting in different places.
Drivers may also call to confirm the pickup location. If you do not speak Chinese and the driver does not speak English, coordinating the exact meeting point over the phone can sometimes be difficult.
None of this makes taxi or ride-hailing a bad option. For a simple trip, especially outside the busiest departure period, it can still be one of the easiest and most economical ways to travel.
Option 3: Free shuttle bus
During the Canton Fair, a number of hotels in Guangzhou arrange complimentary shuttle buses between the hotel and the Canton Fair Complex. These are not limited to luxury hotels — some mid-range and local hotels also provide this service during the exhibition period.
If your hotel offers one, it can be one of the easiest ways to get to the fair.
You simply board the bus at or near your hotel, and it takes you directly to the exhibition complex. There is no need to work out metro lines, arrange a taxi or coordinate a pickup point.
And, of course, the service is usually free for hotel guests.
Check the Schedule Before You Rely on It
The main limitation is schedule flexibility.
Many hotels operate only one shuttle to the fair in the morning and one return service after the exhibition. Some larger hotels may provide several departures, but this varies considerably from hotel to hotel.
The departure times are fixed. For example, a hotel might have a morning shuttle leaving at around 7:45 AM and a return bus departing from the Canton Fair after 6:00 PM.
If you miss the bus, you will normally need to make your own way by metro, taxi or ride-hailing.
For this reason, always ask your hotel for the current Canton Fair shuttle timetable rather than assuming buses run throughout the day.
Reserve Your Seat Early
Shuttle buses have limited capacity.
Some hotels require guests to register for the shuttle in advance, while others operate according to their own seating arrangements. During busy Canton Fair periods, buses can fill up.
If you plan to use your hotel’s shuttle, we recommend checking with the hotel a few days in advance about:
- Whether a Canton Fair shuttle is available
- Departure and return times
- Whether advance reservation is required
- Where to board at the hotel
- Where the return bus will wait at the Canton Fair
Do not wait until the morning of the exhibition to find out.
Check Which Area of the Canton Fair the Bus Serves
This is another detail that is easy to overlook.
The Canton Fair Complex is very large, and hotel shuttle buses do not all use the same drop-off and pickup location.
Depending on the hotel’s arrangement, a shuttle may serve a particular area of the complex. If the bus drops you near Area C but the exhibitors you want to visit are mainly in another area, you may still have a considerable walk after getting off.
Before taking the shuttle, it is worth checking both your exhibition area and the hotel’s drop-off point.
This becomes even more important in the evening: make sure you know exactly where your hotel’s return bus will be waiting before you leave the exhibition halls.
Traffic Still Affects Shuttle Buses
A hotel shuttle saves you from finding a car, but it does not avoid road traffic.
Around the end of the exhibition day, roads and parking areas around the Canton Fair Complex can become heavily congested. Large buses may take additional time to leave the exhibition area, particularly during the busiest departure period.
The journey back to your hotel can therefore take considerably longer than it would under normal Guangzhou traffic conditions.
Unlike the metro, the shuttle bus is still travelling on the road.
Option 4: Private Car with Driver
A private car with driver becomes more useful when the Canton Fair is only one part of your business day, or when you prefer to have your transportation arranged around your own schedule.
Imagine spending the morning at the exhibition, leaving after lunch for a supplier appointment, visiting a factory later in the afternoon and then returning to your hotel.
Instead of arranging every transfer separately, the vehicle and driver remain available according to your booked service arrangement.
Your Schedule, Your Departure Time
One of the main advantages is having more control over your time.
You decide when to leave your hotel in the morning based on your own exhibition schedule, rather than working around a hotel shuttle timetable or arranging transportation each time you need to move.
The same applies during the day. If a supplier meeting runs late, an appointment is moved, or you decide to add another showroom nearby, the route can normally be adjusted accordingly.
Easier Pickup After the Fair
Leaving the Canton Fair can be one of the busiest parts of the day.
With a pre-arranged driver, you do not need to start searching for a taxi or requesting a ride after you leave the exhibition. The driver already knows your schedule, and the pickup location can be coordinated in advance or adjusted according to where you finish your visit.
Traffic around the Canton Fair can still be heavy, especially around closing time, but having your driver and pickup already coordinated removes much of the uncertainty of finding a new vehicle.
A More Comfortable Break Between Appointments
After spending several hours walking around the Canton Fair, having a clean and comfortable vehicle waiting can also make a noticeable difference.
You can sit down, leave your catalogs or samples in the vehicle, charge your phone, and take a short break while travelling to the next supplier, factory or back to your hotel.
This becomes more valuable on a long business day with several stops.
Visiting Foshan After the Canton Fair
Many international buyers visit Foshan before or after the Canton Fair.
Foshan has large furniture and building-material markets with hundreds of showrooms, as well as many factories nearby. Some buyers plan these visits in advance, while others decide to go after meeting suppliers at the Canton Fair and wanting to see their showrooms or factories in person.
The challenge is that Foshan is large and its sourcing areas are spread out.
For most business visitors, taking the metro is not very practical when the day involves several markets, showrooms and factories.
A taxi is possible, but some Guangzhou taxi drivers may be reluctant to take a cross-city trip to Foshan, particularly when there is a risk of returning without a passenger.
For a single destination, ride-hailing from Guangzhou to Foshan is usually straightforward. The inconvenience starts when you need to visit six or seven suppliers, markets or factories in one day.
Each stop means requesting another car, waiting for it to arrive and finding the driver again. Over a full sourcing day, this can take considerable time.
It can be even more difficult around industrial areas. For example, many window and door factories are located around Shishan in Nanhai, where ride-hailing cars may not always be readily available after a factory visit.
So for a Foshan sourcing day, it is better to think about the whole day’s route, rather than simply how to get from Guangzhou to Foshan.
If you are visiting one market or supplier, ride-hailing may be enough. If you have several suppliers and factories to visit, having one vehicle stay with you can make the day much easier and reduce waiting between appointments.
If factory visits are part of your Canton Fair trip, our [Canton Fair + Factory Visits planning guide] explains how to organize your schedule, locations and transport more efficiently.
Should You Book Transportation Before Arriving in Guangzhou?
If you are simply travelling between your hotel and the Canton Fair by metro or taxi, there is usually no need to book transportation in advance.
If your trip also includes supplier meetings, factory visits or Foshan markets, arranging your transportation ahead of time is much more useful.
The Canton Fair is one of the busiest periods in Guangzhou, and demand for full-day cars and drivers increases significantly. Booking in advance gives you a better chance of securing a suitable vehicle, especially if you need a larger MPV or several days of service.
More importantly, if you already know how you will move between the fair, suppliers and factories before you arrive, that is one less challenge to deal with during your business trip.
Good transportation planning simply makes the whole trip more efficient.
What Information Should You Send When Arranging a Car and Driver?
To work out a suitable transport arrangement, it helps to provide the following basic information:
- Service dates and hotel
- Number of passengers
- Whether you are attending the Canton Fair and which phase
- Supplier, factory or market locations if already known
- Preferred vehicle size, such as a 5-seat car or 7-seat MPV
Your itinerary does not need to be final.
Business schedules often change after buyers meet suppliers at the exhibition, so there should be reasonable flexibility to add, remove or rearrange stops during the trip.
Planning Your Canton Fair Transportation?
If your trip includes more than simply travelling between your hotel and the exhibition, we can help you plan a suitable car and driver arrangement.
Send us your: Travel dates + Hotel + Number of passengers + Basic itinerary
Even if your supplier schedule is not completely confirmed yet, an approximate plan is enough for us to start.
Guangzhou Drivers
Business transport for international visitors in Guangzhou & Foshan.
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