About Guangzhou
Guangzhou is one of the eight gateway cities of inland China to Tibet. Taking a flight or train from Guangzhou to Lhasa, are the two main ways into Tibet. As the provincial capital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou is also neighboring Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau. Besides providing great convenience of transport, Guangzhou is charming as to the city landscape and the long history.
Guangzhou Tower
Visiting Guangzhou, you can not only see the highly developed metropolis, but also the well-preserved historical sites telling the story of old time. Located in the subtropical region of China, Guangzhou has a mild and refreshing climate, ideal for the growth of giant trees and tropical flowers. Moderate tall mountains and parks are great for an easy outing and picnic. What’s more, Guangzhou dishes are part of Canton Cuisines, one of the eight most important cuisines in China. Its mild flavor, often seasoned with soybean sauce/oyster sauce, sugar, aniseed, ginger, coriander leaves, and so more, is loved by not only the locals but also the travelers from the domestic and international world. Let’s just get on with the info on the transport and what we can see and do in Guangzhou.
Five railway stations: There are five railway stations in Guangzhou. Besides Guangzhou Railway Station, the rest four are respectively named Guangzhou North/South/East/West Railway Station(s). The one that links Guangzhou and Tibet is Guangzhou Railway Station.
Guangzhou Railway Station
Taking a train that lasts for 53 hours might sound a little exhausting. So, this option might be only for the serious train fanatic. However, this can be a good chance to observe of the diversity of China’s different landforms from the southeast to the north and west. And with proper preparations for the train journey and a soft sleeper (or at least a hard sleeper), your journey might be comfortably enjoyable.
Train Schedules & Timetables
| Train No. | Originating Station | Departure time | Arrival time | Duration | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z264 | Guangzhou | 11:45 | 16:45 | 53h | Every day |
Ticket Price
| Ticket Types | Soft Sleeper | Hard Sleeper | Hard Seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket Prices | 1468 RMB | 865 RMB | 447 RMB |
You may refer to Xi’an to Tibet Train for more details.
Airport and airlines: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) is the only airport in Guangzhou. To Tibet, there is usually only one direct flight departing daily, served by China Southern Airlines. This flight has a short stopover at Chongqing and eventually flies to Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA). Other airlines serve connecting flights by stopping at cities such as Xi’an, Kunming, Xiahe, and so on.
Departure terminal: Guangzhou Airport is the main hub for China Southern Airlines. The Terminal 2 is where the flights served by China Southern Airlines depart.
You may refer to Guangzhou to Tibet Flights for more details (schedule and price).
Since May 1, 2019, Guangdong Province has launched the policy that allows foreigners to have a 144-hour duration free of visa, to stay in Guangzhou before heading to the third country. This duration is 6 days long. You can spend the time paying a business visit, or having a short trip in Guangdong. However, if your third country is same with the first country on your plane ticket. You need to apply for a Chinese visa to stay in Guangzhou.This policy applies to 53 countries from Europe, America, Oceania, and Asia. The full list is as follows:
Europe Schengen countries (24): Austria, Belgium, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greek, Hungry, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland;
Other European countries (15): Russia, Britain, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Morocco, Belarus;
South America and North America (6): America, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile.
Oceania (2): Australia, New Zealand;
Asia: South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Qatar.
Additional documents for traveling to Tibet from Guangzhou: Whether you will take a train or plane into Tibet, you need to have your Tibet travel permit in hand before check-in and boarding.
You may refer to Tibet Travel Permit for more details.
Chen Family Ancestral Temple
People in Guangzhou are one of the groups in China who value greatly the tradition and inheritance of family culture. Big families with great wealth have a habit of building family ancestral temple to worship and give offerings to the past ancestors. They also pray for well-being and health from the ancestors at the family temple. Among such family temples, Chen Family Ancestral Temple is the most famous, for it represents the high level of architecture combing the household and the temple. The roof, with delicate sculpture and decorations is the highlight of the building.
Yuexiu Park
Yuexiu Park is a great place to know how normal people relax in their daily life between work and chores. Many elders play Chinese chess and some practice Taiji. Dancing and singing are ubiquitous. Bird watching and photographing, flower exhibition and many other activities are happening frequently. The park itself is beautiful with green giant trees and a wide array of flowers.
Chinese New Year Flower Markets in Guangzhou
Spring festival is China’s most valued traditional festival. It usually falls in January or February. Guangzhou has its own way to celebrate this festival. The most exiting activity is to set up temporary New Year Festival flower markets at about a dozen designated streets. For example, the Beijing Street in Guangzhou city is chosen as a venue for all flower vendors on a regular yearly basis. There is no traffic allowed on this street during the Spring Festival. Flower tent shops and stalls are set up for three days, normally from December 28 to December 30(New Year Eve), according to the lunar calendar. People go to the markets to select some potted plants back home to add the beauty and life into their house.
Besides, you can also visit museums, libraries, universities and galleries in Guangzhou. There are plenty of them for you to get known about Guangzhou. And during the visits between the attractions, treat yourself well with numerous yum dishes and lovely snacks. Guangzhou is a place that won’t let you down.
