JANVI TOURS

Good news! In order to be convenient for passengers to get to downtown from airport at night, Guangzhou Metro trains has run new extended service since September 1st.

Since 2013, Guangzhou Metro offers a special night train (Line 3) at 23:15 from Airport.S to Tiyu Xilu station, after the regular train stops at 23:00. At that time passengers only can get off at Guangzhou East Railway Station and Tiyu Xilu station. However, it’s different now. Two new metro stations which are Jiahewanggang and Tonghe will be added in this special night train (Line 3).

Meanwhile, Guangzhou Metro provides another special night train (Line 2) from Jiahewanggang to Guangzhou South Railway Station, which sets off at 23:30, supplies 5 station for passengers to get off, including Guangzhou Railway station, Gongyuanqian station, Changgang station, Luoxi station and Guangzhou South Railway Station.

The ferries are the cheapest way of crossing the Pearl River (Zhujiang). They were very popular in the 1980s and early 90s, carrying tens of thousands of people across the river each day. Nowadays its popularity declines greatly, mostly because of the construction of many bridges along the Pearl River and the availability of other public transportation. The river narrows while going through the city center (a bit wider than the Thames in central London). It is usually faster and moreconvenient to use the bridges or public transport (metro, bus) to cross the river, rather than wait for the ferries. One ferry route that still remains popular is between the Huangsha Pier by the seafood market next to Shamian Island and the pier on Bai-e-tan Bar Street (Changdi Road) in Fangcun. It departs every 10 minutes from 6AM to 10PM. The fare is ¥0.5 for a foot passenger or ¥1 if you bring a bicycle. The fare can be paid in cash (no change given) or by using Yangchengtong Card. There are separate boarding gates for cyclists and pedestrians, and you pay at the boarding gate.

Due to the sheer size of the city, walking is not advisable if you are trying to reach destinations in different districts. However, walking is a great way of exploring individual districts, and treats such as markets, small antiquities shops and local restaurants can be found up almost every little alley. Walking along main roads can be a nightmare - construction work can result in some inconvenient pedestrian diversions. Open manhole covers or sidewalks blocked by huge piles of cement are common. Take caution when crossing roads, even when the light is green, as bicycles and cars routinely expect everyone to move out of their way and drive through blindly. Many major intersections must be crossed using complex underpasses and footbridges. Make sure you have a map with you. It is all too easy to get lost in the rabbit-warren of small streets and alleys, even if some street signs are also in English.

Due to the improvement of public transportation and increasing affordability of private cars, bicycles are in sharp decline in Guangzhou. In recent years, the government has been promoting this low-carbon mode of transportation. Over 100 rental outlets are now available along many BRT lines and subway stations. The rental fee is by the hour and up to ¥30 a day. One popular bike route is along the Pearl River on the Haizhu District side. Other dedicated bike lanes are slowly appearing in the city center, including Tianhe District. Yangchengtong Card is accepted in many public rental outlets.

New bikes are available in major hypermarkets from ¥200 for a cheap single-speed to around ¥800 for a 21-speed mountain bike, although quality leaves a lot to be desired. Giant and Merida are the two most common international brands (both are from Taiwan) and whilst a little more expensive (expect to spend over ¥1000 for anything with more than 1 gear), they offer something a little faster and of better quality. Get a decent quality lock too - bike theft is rampant!

This is the most popular way for foreigners to get around, and it is very affordable. The starting charge is ¥10 for the first 2.6 kilometers or about 1.6 miles. After that, it is ¥2.6 for each kilometer. No fuel surcharge is added. A 50% surcharge is automatically added when the trip reaches 35 kilometers. A few of them also accept Yang Cheng Tong as payment, but it is not preferred by the drivers. The taxi hotline is 96900. This comes in handy if you forget your valuables in a taxi. Save your receipt because it contains the taxi's identification number.

Most taxi drivers do not speak English or any other foreign language, so be sure to have the name and address of your destination written in Chinese to show your taxi driver. Many are from the poorer northern provinces and do not even speak Cantonese. If your destination is not well known, have a nearby landmark included in the address, e.g. "across from the Garden Hotel".