Guangzhou
Transportation
Guangzhou boasts good domestic transportation links to most major Chinese cities and Hong Kong. There are also a few flights to Asian and Australian destinations.
By plane:
The New Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is a major hub in Southern China， The airport is the base of China Southern Airlines and has not only an extensive range of domestic flights, but some international connections, including Air France to Paris, China Southern to Los Angeles, Thai Airways to Bangkok, Singapore Airlines to Singapore and Finnair to Helsinki. Other direct international destinations include Amsterdam, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Frankfurt, Tokyo, and Osaka. The airport is 28 km north from downtown Guangzhou, and should not be confused with the former Baiyun Airport which was closed in 2004. A metro line to the airport is under construction but won't be ready until around 2009. 9 Airport Express bus lines are available to take you to major destinations in Guangzhou.
By train:
There are two major train stations in Guangzhou. The Guangzhou East Station services routes to Hong Kong, and other popular tourist destinations. The Guangzhou Station is one of the biggest in the country and services routes that go all the way to most cities. Countless travelers have gone to the wrong station and missed their scheduled trips. So be sure to know which train station to go to, which is specified on the tickets. Metro line 1 ends at Guangzhou East Station, and line 2 has a stop at the main station.
A project is underway to link the entire Pearl River Delta area with high speed (200+ km/hr) train network. The Zhuhai-Guangzhou section is due to open in 2008, and the journey will take just 56 minutes. Shenzhen and other major cities will be connected at a later date. A new express line connecting Guangzhou with Lhasa, Tibet is now open. The 4,980 km journey will take 58 hours.
By bus:
Coach services are available to bring passengers from Hong Kong International Airport to several locations in Guangzhou. Domestically, it is possible to hop on a bus from any corner of Guangdong province and get to Guangzhou. There are also many options from nearby provinces like Guangxi, Hubei and Fujian. The main stations are the Provincial Station, Tianhe Dasha Station, Liuhua Station and Yuexiu Nan Station .
By boat:
There are regular ferry services to Hong Kong from Guangzhou. The port, Panyu is approximately a forty minute taxi drive from the center of town. Most boats to Hong Kong take approximately 2 hours and tickets can be bought at the pier.
City transport:
There is a brand new efficient subway system here with convenient links to Shamian Island and the railway station. There is also a comprehensive public bus service that covers Guangzhou from end to end.