Guangzhou, China

Getting around Guangzhou

How to travel around Guangzhou — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Metro

Extensive and cheap, reaching both railway stations and the airport.

Cost: CNY 2–14

2. High-speed rail

Guangzhou South connects to Hong Kong in 48 minutes and to most of China besides.

3. DiDi

The practical alternative to the unlicensed cars touting at stations.

Watch outBlack cabs at the railway stations quoting fixed fares far above the metered rate.

4. Pearl River ferries

Cheap commuter crossings, and a night cruise if you want the lit bridges.

5. Bike share

Widely available; the city is flat and increasingly lane-equipped.

Booking apps in China

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

DiDi

The dominant Chinese ride-hailing platform, with an English interface in the international app.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Removes the unlicensed cars that tout at stations and airports, and records the route.

Alipay

Handles metro and bus fares, taxi payment and most everyday transactions; supports foreign cards.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Paying digitally sidesteps the counterfeit-banknote problem entirely, which is the most common change scam in China.

Trip.com

Books high-speed rail and domestic flights with an English interface and passport support.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Avoids station touts reselling rail tickets at markups.