Leaving the Airport During a Layover in Guangzhou, China

If you’re flying via China, there’s a good chance you might find yourself with a layover in Guangzhou on the way to your final destination. And if that stopover is longer than just a couple of hours, you might be wondering whether it’s actually possible to leave the airport in Guangzhou and explore the city.

With China’s visa rules becoming more relaxed in recent years, entering the country during a layover has become much easier for many travellers. This means a stopover in Guangzhou doesn’t have to be spent entirely inside the terminal — even a long layover can be enough time to see a little of the city.

I experienced this myself earlier this year while travelling to South Korea and Japan. On the way there, my connection in Guangzhou was short, so I only stayed within the airport. But on the way back, I deliberately booked an 11-hour layover to get a glimpse of Guangzhou beyond the airport.

In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about a layover at Guangzhou Airport, including whether you can leave the airport and how to make the most of your time in the city.

1. Purchase an E-Sim beforehand

Something a lot of people don’t realise before visiting China is that a lot of the apps you rely on just don’t work there. WhatsApp, Google Maps and Instagram are all blocked, which means even if you have data on your phone, you can’t use them the way you normally would.

So I’d really recommend getting an eSIM before you fly, and making sure you activate it before you board. I used an Airalo Asia eSIM, and it worked well throughout my time in China. I mostly relied on it in Korea and Japan, but it also covered me during the layover on the way home, which was convenient.

If you’re just passing through Guangzhou on your way to another country in Asia, this is probably the easiest option because you don’t have to think about it again for the rest of your trip.

And you also need to have an eSIM so that you can pay for things, as everything is digital.

Just make sure to install and activate it before you leave home. Once you’re already in China without internet, sorting it out is a lot harder.

Also check out my review on Airalo versus Holafly eSIM for China.

2. Entering Guangzhou during a layover

China currently offers visa-free entry to nationals of 48 different countries (check here which ones) for up to 30 days. You just have to fill in the arrival card that you receive in the plane and walk through immigration. The process is super easy.

For now, this should be the case until at least the end of 2026, but make sure to always double-check the regulations beforehand, as requirements can always change. Also check the entry requirements for China for your nationality, ideally on your government’s website.

3. Finding an ATM at the airport in Guangzhou

If you want to take out cash once you arrive in the airport, you can do so at the ATM at the airport. It took us quite a while to find one, and we had to ask at multiple information desks.

But there is a bank in the departure hall that you need to enter, and you can find two ATMs in there. It was a little difficult to find.

To make things easier, download Alipay beforehand and link it to your bank account. At most places, you can just pay with Alipay/We Chat Pay, and it’s super convenient!

4. Reaching the city by metro

It’s very easy to travel from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to the city. There is a direct metro line (line 3) from the airport to the city. The airport is the first stop on the line so you don’t need to worry about which direction to get in. Depending on where you want to go during your layover, you might need to switch to a different line.

Line 3 can take you directly to the Canton Tower, for example. We went to Shangxiajiu Street instead, so we switched to Line 1 during the trip and got off at Gongyuanqian station. One-way cost us ¥7per person (about €1).

🗼Purchase your ticket for the famous Canton Tower in Guangzhou in advance!

6. At most places you can not pay cash

The metro machines aren’t the only places that don’t take credit cards. The only place I managed to use my credit card in Guangzhou was UNIQLO. And I even had to go to a different floor for that. But on top of that, a lot of places also do not accept cash as well. So make sure to keep that in mind during your layover in Guangzhou.

We struggled to even pay at a restaurant because they didn’t take cash either. Most places only take AliPay or WeChat Pay. So, if you want to avoid any payment issues or are staying a little longer in Guangzhou, it definitely makes sense to look into these payment methods beforehand.

Check out my complete list of apps you need for your China trip!

7. Use a translation app to navigate Guangzhou

Most people don’t speak English, so even for ordering in a restaurant, a translation app is useful. That makes it much easier to communicate. There are also offline translation apps that you can download beforehand.

8. The Airport in Guangzhou is very efficient and not busy at all

Both times I was at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, everything went very smoothly. The lines for immigration or security checks were not too busy. The airport is huge, but it’s really not that busy inside.

But of course don’t rely on just my experience and always plan in enough time for immigration.

9. Your luggage will be checked through

If you are only staying in Guangzhou for a couple of hours, your luggage will probably be checked through. At least that was the case when flying with China Southern Airlines. That means you do not need to worry about storing your luggage at the airport. It’s best to double-check when you check your luggage at your departure airport.

My layover was 11 hours long, and everything was checked through to our final destination for us.

10. Plan enough time for your layover in Guangzhou

Keep in mind that it takes quite a while to travel from the airport to the city, and you won’t be able to see the whole city in a short amount of time. Also, plan in enough time to go through security again on the way back and to travel back to the airport in general.

I would say you should have at least 8 hours in total to leave the airport (that gives you 2–3 hours to explore), but having more time is definitely better. If you have the time, you could also extend your layover in Guangzhou to one or two nights to see more of the city. Hotels in Guangzhou are rather affordable as well.

And if you are heading to Shanghai, also make sure to check out my guide on Solo Female Travel in Shanghai and my guide on how to travel from Shanghai to Hangzhou!

If you are going to Beijing, then read all about visiting the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China and my guide on solo female travel in Beijing!