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Guangzhou First Day Guide
Landing at Baiyun Airport? How to get to your hotel, handle the heat, and eat your first Cantonese meal.
Updated · Editorial approach
When to read
After choosing Guangzhou as the arrival city.
What it covers
Rules and services change. For anything important — entry, transport, payment, hotels, telecom — double-check with official sources before you travel.
Arrival point choices
Baiyun Airport (CAN) has changed its terminal arrangements. Check your flight’s current terminal; an older guide describing only T1 and T2 can send you to the wrong connection.- Confirm the terminal with your airline. Guangzhou’s May 2026 notice reported the transfer of T1 flights to T3.
- For T2, check Metro Line 3 at Airport North. For T3, compare the Gaozeng metro shuttle and the intercity station called Baiyun Airport East.
- At T3, rail, shuttle buses, taxis and ride-hailing use different boarding locations. Follow your terminal’s signs and ask the information desk before leaving arrivals.
- Save your hotel’s full Chinese address and district, then compare the total route, including transfers and the final walk.
Airport to hotel
Your Baiyun terminal determines the first connection. T2 and T3 do not have the same metro access, so compare the entire journey to your hotel before choosing rail or a taxi.- T2: check the route from Airport North on Metro Line 3 to the station nearest your hotel, including the correct direction and transfers.
- T3: the published city guide lists a shuttle to Gaozeng for Metro Lines 3 and 9. Check current boarding signs and allow for that extra transfer.
- T3 also has Baiyun Airport East intercity station. Confirm the train’s stopping pattern, ticketing and onward connection before assuming it matches a metro route.
- Late arrival: check both the shuttle or first train and the last city connection after baggage claim. If they do not connect, compare the official taxi queue and a confirmed hotel pickup.
- Before taking a taxi, show the hotel address, check local metered fare rules and confirm payment. Do not budget from a fixed citywide airport fare.
Weather and clothing
Check the forecast and any weather warnings for Guangzhou on your actual arrival day. Pack for the outdoor parts of the terminal-to-hotel journey, including queues and the final walk.- Check the forecast shortly before departure and again on arrival, including weather warnings that may affect transport.
- Keep a suitable layer and any rain protection in your carry-on so you can reach them before opening your suitcase.
- Choose shoes you can walk in with luggage. Check whether the hotel route includes uncovered sections.
- If weather disrupts the route, ask the operator or hotel about current options rather than relying on a seasonal average.
First evening plan
Check in, eat somewhere nearby, charge your devices and save tomorrow’s first route. Choose a meal by its current opening time, menu and your dietary needs.- Check in and put your bags down before adding another destination.
- Ask the hotel about nearby places currently serving food. Check the menu, price and payment method before ordering.
- Charge your phone, power bank, and everything else. Tomorrow you'll need them all day for navigation and payment.
- Save tomorrow’s first destination and check the complete route before sleeping.