Travel: Flights to Canton

The New Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (????????, IATA: CAN, ICAO: ZGGG, ) is a major hub in Southern China, second only to Hong Kong. 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 / Delta 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 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. In the meantime, taxi is the fastest option. See the airport fare table for approximate fare cost. A taxi ride to downtown should cost no more than ¥120, inclusive of a ¥15 toll fee. As of the end of 2005, there is a ¥1 fuel surcharge that is not shown on the fare meter.

Alternatively, 9 Airport Express bus lines are available to take you to major destinations in Guangzhou. Line 1 (¥16) departs every 15 minutes from 7 AM until the last flight and takes 45 minutes to reach the train station and Central Hotel. The ticket prices range from ¥10 to ¥36. Lines 1 to 6 are traveling within the metropolitan area, while lines 7-9 go to outer districts. There are also direct Airport Express buses to some cities in the vicinity, including Zhuhai (¥90). Routes to Dongguan and Zhongshan will be in operation soon.

Do not accept solicitations for rides to the city. Those are illegally operated and use unmarked vehicles. They may cost more than taxis since many travelers do not know the cost of airport transportations.