Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [197]
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TRANSPORT – GUANGZHOU
Distance from Hung Hom station 185km
Direction from Hung Hom station Northwest
Travel time from Hung Hom station 90 minutes by high-speed express train
Distance from Macau’s Portas do Cerco to Tiānhé About 106km
Direction from Macau’s Portas do Cerco to Tiānhé North
Travel time from Macau’s Portas do Cerco to Tiānhé 2½ hours
Bus There are three useful stations clustered around the main train station. These are the Liuhua bus station (Liúhuā Chēzhàn; 020-8668 4259), the Guangdong long-distance bus station (Guǎngdōng shěng qìchē kèyùnzhàn; 020-8666 1297; Huanshi Xilu) and another long-distance bus station (Guǎngzhōu qìchē kèyùnzhàn; 020-8668 4259) over the footbridge leading from the train station. They all have frequent departures to most parts of Guangdong and Guangxi. The new Guangzhou Dongzhan Coach Station (Guǎngzhōu Dōngzhàn Kèyùnzhàn; 020-8755 5009; Linhe Xilu) beside Guangzhou east train station is also good for destinations within Guangdong (except for Cháozhōu and Shàntóu). For further details, see Lonely Planet’s China guide. The easiest way to get to Hong Kong is by the deluxe buses that ply the Guangzhou–Shenzhen freeway. The trip takes three hours, tickets cost Y100 (Y250 to Hong Kong International Airport) and buses leave from Garden Hotel and the Hotel Landmark Canton. The latter hotel also has direct buses to Macau (Y70, 2½ hours). Guangzhou has a large network of motor buses and electric trolley-buses (Y2 to Y5). Unfortunately, the network is overstretched and the buses are usually very crowded and slow.
Metro At the time of writing, Guangzhou had four metro lines in full service. Line 1 runs from Guangzhou east train station in the northeast and across the Pearl River in the southwest. It goes by many of the city’s major sights along Zhongshan Lu, and is also a convenient way to get to Shamian Island and Fāngcūn. Line 2 runs more or less north–south from Pázhōu station in the south to the main train station in the northeast. It’s good for many of the sights around Yuexiu Park, and the Canton Trade Fair at Pázhōu. The two lines intersect at Gōngyuán Qián station. Line 3 also goes north–south from Pānyú Guǎngchǎng in the south, alternating at the north end between Guangzhou east station and Tianhe Coach Terminal. Line 4 begins at Wànshèngwéi, east of Pázhōu, and goes south to Jīnzhōu. It links the islands on the Pearl River to Pānyú District. More lines are in the works: Line 5, linking the pier at Hua’ngpǔ to the border with Fóshān via the main train station, should be complete by 2010. Line 2 will extend further to the south, connecting with the new train station in Pānyú, and Line 3 will extend north to the airport. A separate metro line linking Guangzhou to Fóshān is also expected by 2010. Depending on the line, the metro runs from about 6.20am to just before 11pm. Fares are between Y2 and Y8. A better deal for getting around is to buy a transit pass (Yáng chéng tōng; ), which can be bought from kiosks inside metro stations. Passes start at Y50 and require a Y30 deposit, which can be refunded in Gōngyuán Qián station. The pass can be used for all public transport except taxis.
Taxi Most taxi drivers in Guangzhou are migrant workers (ie they don’t know the city well). If possible, flag down the rare yellow or red cabs, which are driven by local drivers. The flagfall is Y7. There is an additional Y1 added on for a fuel surcharge. A trip from the main train station to Shamian Island should cost between Y20 and Y30. A taxi to/from the airport will cost about Y140.
Train Guangzhou’s current main train station is chaotic. Note that this train station will be moved to outlying Pānyú in late 2010. An express rail link, expected in 2011, will connect Guangzhou