Are public toilets in Guangzhou free?

Yes. The city's public toilet rules (in force since April 1, 2024) say public toilets must be open to the public free of charge and ban charging in any form.

Are there Western toilets in Guangzhou?

Yes, but not in every cubicle. The city rules require toilets in airports, railway stations and venues for international events to include a share of seated toilets. Elsewhere it varies, so look for the seated-toilet sign or ask staff.

Do I need to bring toilet paper?

Carry some. The rules require street and park toilets to provide paper, but travellers report toilets without it, and the rules only encourage other toilets to supply it.

Are there baby-change rooms and accessible toilets?

Some. The metro says some stations have accessible or family toilets and nurseries (母婴室). The city rules require public toilets of 100 square metres or more to have accessible and family toilets, and only encourage baby rooms.

Can I use a toilet in a shop or restaurant?

Travellers report that malls and some chains let customers use theirs. The city rules class toilets in malls as public toilets (社会公厕, Art. 32) and say all public toilets are free, but we found no rule on access for non-customers. Ask politely at the counter.

Public Toilets in Guangzhou: What to Expect and Where

Price	Free: city rules ban charging for public toilets
Type	Squat (蹲厕) and seated (坐厕) both exist; airports and railway stations must have some seated
Paper	Required free in street and park toilets, not guaranteed elsewhere; carry tissue
Metro	Some stations inside the gates, some outside, some with none; see the table
Say	洗手间在哪里？ (Where is the toilet?)

Squat or Western toilets?

Both exist, and you cannot predict which you will get. The city’s rules (the 2024 public toilet measures, full text) set one firm requirement: toilets at airports, railway stations and venues for international events must include a share of seated toilets. They give no ratio, and they set no such rule for streets, parks, malls or the metro.

Look at the cubicle door or the sign. A seated toilet is 坐厕 (zuòcè). A squat toilet is 蹲厕 (dūncè). If you need a seated one, ask: 有坐厕吗？ (yǒu zuòcè ma?). Larger toilet blocks often have both types, and the accessible cubicle is usually a seated toilet.

How to use a squat toilet

These are practical steps, not an official guide.

Pick a free cubicle and lock the door.
Pull trousers and skirts fully clear of the floor. Hang a bag on the hook if there is one.
Put one foot on each footplate and squat over the opening.
Use your tissue. If a sign asks for used paper to go in the bin, use the bin. If there is no sign, follow what the cubicle shows.
Flush with the foot pedal, button or handle, then wash your hands.

If the squat position is difficult for you, use the accessible toilet (无障碍卫生间), which is open to anyone who needs it, or ask staff for a seated toilet.

Is there toilet paper and soap?

By the rules, yes in some places. Article 18 of the city’s measures requires street toilets (环卫公厕) and park toilets (公园公厕) to supply toilet paper and hand soap free of charge. It only encourages other toilets, such as those in malls, to do the same.

Practice varies. A traveller on r/guangzhou listed restrooms and the lack of toilet paper among their difficulties and said they must remember to restock the facial tissue in their bag (February 26, 2026). Pack a small tissue pack, as the first 24 hours guide also suggests. Hand sanitiser is a personal choice; the rules do not mention it.

Public toilets are free: the rules ban any charge. Street and park toilets in busy areas must be open 24 hours.

Where to find a toilet

In the metro

Guangzhou Metro’s February 2026 leaflet, Information on Toilets, Nurseries and AEDs, says only some stations have toilets. It sorts them into four kinds:

toilets in the station;
toilets in shopping centres or other premises outside the station;
public toilets run by the city outside the station;
nurseries.

In the station, the leaflet marks toilets either in the paid area (付费区, inside the fare gates) or the non-paid area (非付费区, outside the gates, usually in the concourse). Toilets inside the gates mean entering the station first, so you need a ticket or payment code. The leaflet points readers to the metro’s official app for the full list.

Checked on the leaflet on October 22, 2026 (page dated February 11, 2026; the leaflet’s own text says its content is updated to January 25, 2026 and refreshed every 6 to 12 months). Stations and exits change, so confirm in the app on the day.

Station	Toilet listed	Inside or outside the gates
Tiyu Xilu 体育西路	Exit C, inside Teemall (天河城), turn left from the exit, about 50 m	Outside; nursery in the non-paid concourse near Exit H
Canton Tower 广州塔 (APM line)	In the APM line concourse	Inside the gates; nursery outside, in the non-paid APM concourse
Guangzhou South 广州南站	Line 22 platform: women’s toilet and nursery at the Fangcun end, men’s and family toilet at the Panyu Square end; also in the paid area of Foshan Metro Line 2	Inside
Gongyuanqian 公园前	City public toilet near Exit J, about 170 m after leaving the station	Outside; nursery in the non-paid concourse near Exit J
Chen Clan Academy 陈家祠	Line 1: concourse near Exit E. Line 8: platform	Line 1 outside the gates; Line 8 inside

For sights, see the Canton Tower guide, the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall guide and the Beijing Road guide. Our metro guide covers tickets and gates.

At stations, malls and chains

Railway stations: the city rules require seated toilets in railway station toilets. See the Guangzhou South and Guangzhou East station guides.
Malls: the metro leaflet itself lists mall toilets next to several stations, including Teemall at Tiyu Xilu. Travellers report that malls are a reliable fallback; we found no rule on access for non-customers. The leaflet asks you to mind the opening hours of toilets in commercial venues outside the station.
Fast-food chains and cafés: travellers report that staff will usually point you to the toilet, and some keep it for customers. This is a report, not a right; buy a drink if asked.
Government buildings: the rules only encourage offices with ground-floor toilets facing the street to open them in working hours with a sign. Do not count on it.

With an app

Searching 厕所 (toilet) in a map app such as Amap may show toilets nearby. The search exists; we have not checked how complete it is. The city says it must publish toilet locations and opening hours on map and search platforms, but the coverage is not confirmed. See apps for China.

Accessible, family and baby-change toilets

Three official terms:

Accessible toilet 无障碍卫生间 (wú zhàng’ài wèishēngjiān)
Family or third toilet 第三卫生间 (dì-sān wèishēngjiān)
Baby-change or nursing room 母婴室 (mǔyīngshì)

The city’s rules say public toilets with a floor area of 100 square metres or more must have a third toilet and an accessible toilet. Smaller ones may add them. Baby rooms are only encouraged. The metro leaflet says some stations have accessible or family toilets and nurseries, and the app shows which. Where none is signed, ask staff.

What to say

Show staff the card for 洗手间在哪里？ (xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?, “Where is the toilet?”) in the Chinese phrases tool, under Basics; its Toilets group has cards for a nearby toilet, a sit-down toilet, an accessible toilet, a baby-care room and tissues. The phrases guide has more. 卫生间 (wèishēngjiān) and 厕所 (cèsuǒ) also mean toilet. Signs use 男 (men) and 女 (women).

For health questions, see the hospitals guide.

Public Toilets in Guangzhou: What to Expect and Where

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