The 138th Canton Fair will be held in Guangzhou from October 15 to November 4. As the host city, Guangzhou is upgrading its local services in areas such as entry procedures, transportation, and consumer services to provide comprehensive support for the event.
Optimized entry services for a worry-free arrival and rapid clearance
Dedicated Canton Fair channels have been established at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and the Pazhou Hong Kong and Macao Passenger Port. Multilingual service specialists and intelligent robots are available to provide full-process clearance guidance.
Notably, Baiyun Airport has launched a new convenience service center for foreign nationals, integrating services such as visa assistance, accommodation, and transportation inquiries, with real-time support available in 13 languages.
Additionally, leveraging the customs "Smart Exhibition" platform, the entire exhibit clearance process can be handled online and paper-free. Special windows for temporary entry permits have been set up at immigration ports, offering eligible business visitors immediate, one-stop services. From the moment they arrive in Guangzhou, global guests can experience comfort, friendliness, and efficiency.
Enhanced transportation for a new GBA smart travel network
Guangzhou has recently launched three new intercity railway lines and two new metro lines ahead of the National Day holiday, achieving efficient coordination across the city's five intercity routes and 19 metro lines.
Five surrounding cities—Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhaoqing, and Qingyuan—now have direct rail access to the core Pazhou exhibition area. Metro Line 8, which goes directly to the Canton Fair complex, has increased its frequency, and Metro Line 11, the "City Loop Line" connecting five central urban districts, has enhanced its capacity. It now takes just 30 minutes to reach Baiyun International Airport from the Canton Fair complex and 60 minutes to connect with major cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
For the first time, Guangzhou Metro has enabled direct gate entry by swiping international bank cards, achieving seamless passage. The metro has also launched co-branded day passes for the Canton Fair, embedded a metro ticket purchasing function within the official Canton Fair app, and set up multiple ticket purchase points inside the exhibition hall.
These passes and tickets are sold simultaneously at metro stations near the exhibition hall and at transportation hubs like airports and high-speed rail stations, providing international visitors with convenient travel options.
Furthermore, as the nation's only exhibition-focused port, the Pazhou Hong Kong and Macao Terminal will add evening return trips to Hong Kong Airport during the Canton Fair, with port clearance hours extended accordingly until 21:30.
For ground transportation, no fewer than 2,000 taxis and ride-hailing vehicles are assigned daily to support visitors around the exhibition hall. Four temporary parking areas with 15,000 spaces have been established to ensure that visitors can easily enter, park, and leave.
Expanding enjoyable living and shopping experiences
For the first time, a tax refund service zone for overseas visitors has been set up inside the exhibition hall. Outside the hall, nearly 1,000 tax-refund stores across the city—about 250 of which support instant refunds upon purchase—are available.
Overseas visitors can also handle tax refund procedures at refund points on Tianhe Road and Beijing Road, and conveniently depart from any supported port within Guangdong Province.
Reporter | Guo Chuhua
Photo | Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
