Guangzhou South Railway Station: Which Station to Use
Last checked October 19, 2026 against official sources. How we check
Quick answer
Guangzhou South (广州南站) is the main station for high-speed trains to Shenzhen North, Hong Kong West Kowloon and Zhuhai (for Macao). Guangzhou East handles intercity trains to Shenzhen and some Hong Kong trains. Check the station name on your ticket, arrive at least 30 minutes early and carry the passport you booked with.
Key facts
| Guangzhou South | 广州南站: Shenzhen North, Hong Kong West Kowloon, Zhuhai |
|---|---|
| Guangzhou East | 广州东站: intercity to Shenzhen; Hong Kong trains, 95–115 min |
| Fares (second class) | Shenzhen North ¥45–74.5; West Kowloon ¥215; Zhuhai ¥70 |
| Arrive | At least 30 min before departure |
Which Guangzhou station do I need?
It depends on the train. Guangzhou has four main stations. Your ticket names one, in English and Chinese.
| Station | Chinese | What we can say |
|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou South | 广州南站 | High-speed trains to Shenzhen North, Hong Kong West Kowloon and Zhuhai (12306, trains on October 25, 2026) |
| Guangzhou East | 广州东站 | Intercity trains to Shenzhen station and some trains to West Kowloon (12306 sample). Yangcheng Evening News, citing Guangzhou Railway Group, said it would run only bullet trains from January 10, 2024 |
| Guangzhou (Main) | 广州站 | The old central station. Since January 26, 2026 it no longer starts or ends conventional trains (Xinhua, January 25, 2026). Intercity trains to Shenzhen station still leave here, 67 to 102 min, ¥72 (12306, trains on October 25, 2026) |
| Guangzhou Baiyun | 广州白云站 | Opened in December 2023 and serves northbound trains, per the Baiyun District government, and intercity trains to Shenzhen station (12306 sample). Metro Line 12 reached it on June 29, 2025 |
For Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao, Guangzhou South has the most trains, but go to the station printed on your ticket: Shenzhen trains also leave from Guangzhou East, Guangzhou Station and Guangzhou Baiyun.
A forum thread shows why this matters. When a traveller asked which station to use from Pazhou, answers contradicted each other, and one commenter wrote “Not sure why there’s so much bad advice on this sub” (r/guangzhou, December 18, 2025). Another said Pazhou to Guangzhou East takes 16 minutes with no changes on Line 11 (December 17, 2025). Treat all of this as traveller advice.
What trains leave from Guangzhou South?
These are second-class fares and durations from a 12306 query for trains on October 25, 2026, held in our data. Prices vary by train.
| Destination | Station | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shenzhen | Shenzhen North 深圳北站 | 29 to 52 min | ¥45 to ¥74.50 |
| Hong Kong | West Kowloon 香港西九龙站 | 47 to 77 min | ¥215 |
| Macao (via Zhuhai) | Zhuhai 珠海站 | 52 to 101 min | ¥70 |
Read the full guides: Guangzhou to Shenzhen, Guangzhou to Hong Kong and Guangzhou to Macao. To buy tickets, see train tickets for foreigners.
For longer trips, see Guangzhou to Shanghai and Guangzhou to Beijing.
How do I get to Guangzhou South by metro?
Guangzhou Metro Lines 2, 7 and 22 and Foshan Metro Line 2 stop here (Guangzhou government, May 2024). A travel guide, China for Travelers, estimates about 30 minutes on Line 2 to Gongyuanqian, ¥5, and about 44 minutes on Line 7 plus Line 3 to Canton Tower, ¥5. These are third-party figures. Check your trip in the metro payment guide and Amap. For a taxi, show 广州南站. The guide puts the taxi queue at the East Plaza (东广场).
How do I get from the airport to Guangzhou South?
By metro, China for Travelers suggests Line 3 to Jiahewanggang, then Line 2 to Guangzhou South. Line 3 runs to Airport North station for T2. T3 has no metro station: the Guangzhou government (May 2026) links it to Metro Line 3 or 9 at Gaozeng (高增) Exit B by the ¥2 Airport Line 2 branch bus (空港2线支线). 12306 lists no Guangzhou East Ring intercity train calling at a station named Guangzhou South (广州南), so check the route in Amap or 12306 before you set off. See Baiyun Airport to the city.
What do I do at the station?
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. Travel China says gates usually close 3 to 5 minutes before; 12306 says the exact time is in the station announcement.
- Have your passport out. Most foreign passports do not open the self-service gates, so show it at the manual channel (Travel China), or scan the ride code in the 12306 app. Bring the passport you booked with.
- The China for Travelers guide describes a bank-card self-service ticket-pickup desk on level 1. It reports, from travellers, left-luggage counters on level 1 (07:00 to 23:00, ID required) and lockers on level 3. We could not verify these from an official page.
For toilets at the station’s metro platforms and around the city, see public toilets in Guangzhou.
What about Hong Kong?
For Hong Kong, you leave mainland China and enter Hong Kong at West Kowloon, so carry your passport. Hong Kong’s rules depend on your nationality, and returning to the mainland is a new entry. See the Hong Kong guide for details.
Traps and how to avoid them
- Going to the wrong Guangzhou station
Guangzhou has several stations. Match the station name and its Chinese characters on your ticket, such as 广州南站, before you set off.
- Expecting immigration in Guangzhou for Hong Kong
Per our data, you leave the mainland and enter Hong Kong at West Kowloon, so the passport check is on arrival. Carry your passport.
- Following mixed forum advice
Answers about which station to use from Pazhou contradict each other. Read your ticket and check the map.
- Arriving with minutes to spare
Gates usually close 3 to 5 minutes before departure, and bag screening and the passport channel take time.
FAQ
What is Guangzhou South Railway Station in Chinese?
广州南站. Show those characters to a taxi driver. Do not confuse them with 广州站 (Guangzhou Station) or 广州东站 (Guangzhou East).
Which Guangzhou station for Hong Kong?
Guangzhou South has the quickest trains, 47 to 77 minutes to Hong Kong West Kowloon on the sampled schedule. Guangzhou East also has trains, taking 95 to 115 minutes. Second class is ¥215 on both.
Which station for Shenzhen?
Guangzhou South to Shenzhen North takes 29 to 52 minutes for ¥45 to ¥74.50. Guangzhou East to Shenzhen station by intercity train takes 57 to 87 minutes for ¥72.
How do I get from Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou South?
By metro, Line 3 to Jiahewanggang, then Line 2. Line 3 runs to Airport North station for T2. T3 has no metro station, so take the ¥2 Airport Line 2 branch bus (空港2线支线) to Gaozeng first. 12306 lists no East Ring intercity train calling at Guangzhou South. Check the route in Amap or 12306.
Is there a passport check at Guangzhou South?
Your passport is your ticket and ID. Travel China says most foreign passports do not work in the self-service gates, so use the manual inspection channel. For Hong Kong, immigration is at West Kowloon on arrival, per our data.
Sources
- China Railway 12306 left-ticket and price query (sample for trains on October 25, 2026)
- Xinhua: Guangzhou Station ends conventional trains starting and ending there from January 26, 2026 (January 25, 2026, in Chinese)
- MTR High Speed Rail: fare chart
- China Railway 12306: English FAQ
- Travel China (Ministry of Culture and Tourism): CRH service (April 14, 2026)
- Macao Tourism: Travelling to Macao
- China for Travelers: Guangzhou South Railway Station
- Baiyun District government: Baiyun Railway Station serves 10m passengers (October 17, 2025)
- Guangzhou government: transport to Baiyun Airport T3 from May 7, 2026 (May 4, 2026)
- Guangzhou government: metro transfers at the new intercity stations (May 24, 2024)
- Yangcheng Evening News: Guangzhou Baiyun and Guangzhou East changes from January 10, 2024 (January 1, 2024)
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it.
