This is the most popular way for foreigners to get around, and it is very affordable. In October 2011 the starting charge was raised to ¥10 for the first 2.6 kilometers, or about 1.6 miles. After that is ¥2.6 for each kilometer. No fuel surcharge is added anymore, except for some taxis that haven't been upgraded and still start at ¥7 plus the old ¥2 fuel surcharge. A 50% surcharge is automatically added when the trip reaches 35 kilometers. A few of them also accepts 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 languages, 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."
Beware of taxi driver as sometimes, in addition to going around the block one too many times, they will also try to pass counterfeit bills. Pay close attention as to what they pay when passing toll booths. Good drivers will show you the toll receipts. Only add the toll amount to what is displayed in the meter. A trip between the airport to the East Railway Station cost around ¥120-130.
Most people find taxi drivers in Guangzhou to be honest. However, during the Canton Fair near the Pazhou Complex, it is common to see drivers violate rules, such as refusal of service and pre-negotiating a price rather than using the meter. It is also difficult to find an available taxi elsewhere in the city.
Most taxi shift changes take place between 3-5PM. During this time, it is hard to find a taxi as many drivers stop working by displaying the "out of service (暂停营业)" sign before the end of the shift, unless you are going in their direction. Taxi can be also hard to come by during commuter peak hours of 7:30-9AM and 5-7PM. Finding a taxi at night is usually not a problem.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Guangzhou
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Guangzhou - updated May 2024
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Guangzhou Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
