Guangzhou Transportation

if this is your first time to come to Guangzhou China, and you don't know how to take a taxi, subway or train in China, then let Kim from Guangzhou Worlda introduce to you the transportation in Guangzhou

Guangzhou Subway

Line 1: The Line 1 is made up of 16 stations. It is a very important vehicle to go to the local  East Railway Station. 

Line 2: There are 24 stations along the Line 2. This line running from north to south could take you to the Railway Station and the South Railway Station quickly.

Line 3: The Line 3 is formed with one north-south-ward main rail and a northeastward branch. From Oct. 2010, this line has reached Guangzhou Baiyun Airport from downtown area directly.

Line 4: Starting from Huangcun in the north to Jinzhou in the south, Line 4 boasts 18 stations in total, two of which are under construction – Guanqiao and Qingsheng stations. 

Line 5: The Line 5 is an artery connecting the eastern and western parts of the city and passing the Railway Station. It covers some major business and residential districts.

Line 6: This line, including 22 stations, connects local noted places such as Shahe, Beijing Road, Haizhu Square, Yide Road, etc.

Line 8: Opened in 2010, the Line 8 serves at the south bank of the Pearl River from west to east. 

Guangzhou-Foshan Line: GuangFo Line is the first intercity underground rail in China, connecting Guangzhou City and Foshan City.

Automated People Mover System (APM): Zhujiang New Town Automated People Mover System (APM) is only 5 miles (8 km) in length, which is the world's first underground and unmanned rail.

In order to solve the problem of crowded urban traffic, the subway of this city has been extended at the speed of about 22 miles (35 km) per year since 2004. The subway trains use Chinese mandarin, Cantonese and English to report station names. It is very helpful for the English-speaking passengers. The trains arrive at stations every about 3 minutes during the peak hour and every about 7 minutes after 21:00.

Passengers Waiting for Subway Train

Purchase Ticket from Self-service Machine

Ticket Fare:
Except of the APM's ticket of CNY2, the metro utilizes a stage fare system. The longer the journey the more you pay. For the first four kilometers, the ticket fare is CNY2. During around 2 miles (4 km) to 7 miles (12 km), passengers pay CNY1 for each additional 2 miles (4 km). During 7 miles (12 km) to 15 miles (24 km), CNY1 is paid for each additional 4 miles (6 km). When more than 15 miles (24 km), CNY1 is paid for each additional 5 miles (8 km).

Ticket Types:
The common ticket types include single-trip ticket, deposit ticket and Guangzhou Transportation Smart  Card (called Yang Cheng Tong in Chinese). The deposit ticket and the Transportation Smart  Card holders can enjoy a 5% discount when they take it.

Single-trip ticket is often used by tourists. It is only valid on the day when you purchase it. You can return a single-trip ticket within 30 minutes after you buy it. Hereunder is several steps to teach you how to purchase a single-trip ticket:
a).Find the TVM (Ticket Vendor Machine) according to the signs in the metro station;
b).Choose the station on the machine's screen;
c).Make sure how many tickets you want to buy;
d).Pay for the ticket according to the amount of the money shown on the screen;
e).Get the ticket and the change.
Remark: The machine only accepts CNY5, CNY10 and the coins of CNY0.5 (5 Jiao) and CNY1 (1 Yuan).

Guangzhou Transportation Smart Card, like the MetroCard in New York City and the Oyster Card in London, is mainly used in public transportation. The card is widely used on bus, ferryboat, metro, telecom business and many other places in the city. The area where this kind of card can be used has been spread from city downtown area to Zengcheng, Huadu, Panyu and many other suburban areas of the city. There are eight types of these cards. Among them, the most suitable type for tourists is CNY30 Card without deposit. The card costs CNY10 and then you can add value to it. The highest value you add is CNY30 or CNY50 and each recharge should be a multiple of CNY10. The leftover value in the card is not refundable. If you want to recharge your card, you can go to the following customer service centers in the metro stations in the city:
No.466, North Renmin Road, Yuexiu District
Exit J of Gongyuanqian Station (i.e. the transfer station between the Lines 1 and 2)
Exit G of Tiyu West Road Station (the transfer station between Line 1 and Line 3)

Guangzhou Taxi

There are more than 30,000 taxis in the city. They are in different colors, operated by different taxi companies, amongst which the Baiyun and Guangjun Taxi Groups as well as Guangzhou Transportation Group enjoy the best reputation. Taxis of the three groups are respectively in blue, yellow and crimson. You can also find some green and golden taxis in town, which are operated by other small taxi companies.

The local cab charges CNY10 for the first 2.5 kilometers (1.55 miles), and CNY2.6 for each additional kilometer (0.6 mile). If a car runs farther than 35 kilometers (21.7 miles), additional 50% fee is charged for empty return.

For a long-distance travel, most drivers would call for a flat rate. Under this circumstance, bargaining helps you get a reasonable price. The rates below show the fare from Baiyun International Airport to local railway stations:

To Guangzhou Railway Station: CNY80-90;
To East Railway Station: around CNY100;
To South Railway Station: around CNY150;
To North Railway Station: CNY40-50.