Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou: train, bus or taxi
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (广州白云国际机场, CAN) is about 28 km north of the center. Here are the airport train, metro, buses, taxis and Didi into the city, with fares, hours and how to pay with a foreign card.
Short answer: From T2, take Metro Line 3 straight into Tianhe; from T3, take the shuttle bus to Gaozeng for Line 3 or the intercity train.
Terminals: T2 and T3. T1 shut on May 7, 2026 for renovation, with no reopening date announced. International flights use both terminals: China Southern plus about 10 foreign airlines at T2 (Korean Air, Qatar, Singapore Airlines, Thai, Vietnam Airlines, Aeroflot, JAL, Asiana, Malaysia Airlines, Gulf Air); about 30 other foreign airlines plus China Eastern, Hainan, Shenzhen Airlines and Spring at T3. Check your ticket for the terminal.
Ways into Guangzhou
Metro Line 3 地铁3号线
| Route | Airport North (T2) to Jiahewanggang, Tiyu Xilu and Zhujiang New Town |
|---|---|
| Time | about 40-45 minutes to Tiyu Xilu |
| Price | ¥5 to Jiahewanggang, about ¥7-8 to Tiyu Xilu or Zhujiang New Town |
| Hours | first train 6:00 am, last train 11:15 pm from Airport North |
| Paying | Tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, Amex or JCB card at marked gates, scan an Alipay or WeChat transit code, or buy at the machine. |
T3 has no metro station yet (Line 22 is still under construction). Take Line 3 or 9 to Gaozeng, then the free Airport Line 2 Branch shuttle to T3 (about 15 minutes, every 5 minutes at peak and 10 off-peak; 6:15 am to 11:15 pm from Gaozeng, 6:35 am to 10:40 pm back; no ticket needed since June 6, 2026).
Guangzhou East Ring Intercity 广州东环城际
| Route | Baiyun Airport East (T3) and Airport North (T2) to Zhuliao, Longdong, Keyun Road, Pazhou and Panyu (Guangzhou South) |
|---|---|
| Time | about 6 minutes between T3 and T2; about 41 minutes between Panyu (Guangzhou South) and the airport on a limited-stop train, about 70-80 minutes on a stopping service |
| Price | ¥4 between T2 and T3 and about ¥33 from the airport to Guangzhou South (Panyu), before discounts of 25% Monday to Thursday and 10% on other days |
| Hours | about 46 trains a day between 6:37 am and 9:12 pm: 18 limited-stop and 28 stopping, roughly every 14-17 minutes |
| Paying | Scan the Guangzhou Metro app's intercity code, tap a Lingnan Pass or Yang Cheng Tong card, or buy through 12306 or at the station. |
It doesn't stop at Zhujiang New Town: change at Pazhou (Lines 8, 11) or Keyun Road (Line 5), or take Line 3 instead.
Airport buses 机场巴士
| Route | Lines to Guangzhou Railway Station, Tianhe and other districts |
|---|---|
| Time | about 60-90 minutes |
| Price | from about ¥20 |
| Hours | many lines until late |
| Paying | Buy at the counter (cash or Alipay/WeChat). |
Taxi 出租车
| Route | Metered ride to Tianhe |
|---|---|
| Time | about 40-60 minutes |
| Price | about ¥120-180 plus a toll of about ¥13 |
| Hours | 24 hours |
| Paying | Alipay, WeChat Pay or cash. |
At T3 the taxi rank is outside Gate 75 on the arrivals level (Gate 72 is now a ride-hailing pickup).
DiDi 滴滴
| Route | At T3, pick up at Gate 72 on the arrivals level or in the P12 parking garage; at T2, on levels B1, 2 and 3 (west side) of the P8 parking building, reached by the level-2 footbridge from domestic arrivals |
|---|---|
| Time | about 40-60 minutes |
| Price | similar to a taxi |
| Hours | 24 hours |
| Paying | In the DiDi app or the DiDi mini program in Alipay, with a linked foreign card. |
Tips for CAN
- Check whether you land at T2 or T3: the way into town is different.
- A free 24-hour shuttle links T2 and T3 for air passengers only (not the general public): from Gate 42 on the T2 departures level and Gate 62 at T3, about 40 minutes for the loop through T1. The ¥4 intercity train is faster if you went to the wrong terminal.
- Metro Airport South and intercity Baiyun Airport South, the old T1 stations, are closed: since 7 May 2026 trains pass through without stopping.
- T1 shut on 7 May 2026 for renovation and the airport has published no reopening date, so plan around T2 and T3.
- Follow the 网约车 signs for ride-hailing; T3 pickup points have changed several times since it opened.
Next steps
- Paying for the metro and buses in Guangzhou, with your own card or the Alipay ride code.
- An address card for the taxi driver, with your hotel in Chinese.
- Train onward from Guangzhou South Railway Station.
Sources: paper.cnstock.com, www.gz.gov.cn, www.gz.gov.cn, news.qq.com. Spotted a change? Use the box below.
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