Guangzhou Taxis: Fares, How to Hail One and Complain

How much does a Guangzhou taxi cost?

The fare is set by the city. The Guangzhou fare notice, in force from November 30, 2024, sets this tariff:

• Flag-fall: ¥12 for the first 3 km.
• Per km: ¥2.60 for each km after that.
• Long trips: an empty-return surcharge of 20% of the per-km rate for km 15 to 25, and 50% beyond km 25.
• Night: 23:00 to 05:00, the per-km rate rises by 30%.
• Waiting: ¥44 an hour when the taxi moves slower than 10 km/h.
• Spring Festival: ¥10 extra per trip during the official Spring Festival holiday.
• Company floats: taxi companies can declare a peak or off-peak percentage that adjusts flag-fall, per-km rate and waiting charges.

Newsgd quotes the same ¥12 for 3 km and ¥2.60 per km.

Fare estimates

We calculated these from the formula, at the day tariff, with no tolls, waiting or company float. They are estimates, not quotes. The notice does not spell out how the long-trip surcharge is applied, so we read it as applying per km within each band.

Tolls are extra. We found no official rule on who pays highway tolls, so ask the driver before the trip. For the airport, see Baiyun Airport to the city, where the 30 to 40 km range is about ¥94 to ¥133.

How do I hail or book a taxi?

You can flag one on the street, join a taxi rank, or book through an app.

• Street or rank. Use the taxi queue at airports and stations. Check the meter is on.
• Didi. Didi has a Taxi option, but travellers advise against it. See the Didi guide.
• Other apps. Newsgd lists DiDi, OnTime (如祺出行), Meituan Dache and Cao Cao as main ride-hailing apps, and says Ruyue (如约) yellow taxis are booked through a WeChat mini program.

Always show the destination in Chinese. Cards in the Show your driver tool help. A hotel business card with the address also works, as a Reddit user suggests.

What do travellers report?

Reports of overcharging are common. A Reddit commenter wrote: “90% of the time a Guangzhou taxi driver WILL scam me and 90% of the time a Shenzhen taxi driver WON’T scam me” (r/guangzhou, October 4, 2026). Another wrote: “every time I go, without fail, the taxi drivers try to rip me off” (r/travelchina, August 14, 2026). We cannot confirm these, and they say nothing about how many drivers behave this way.

The Transport Bureau said in March 2024 that it had handled more than 1,000 detour complaints since the start of that year, and taxi companies refunded the fare difference.

What should I do if I’m overcharged?

1. Before the ride: make sure the meter is on, and refuse any price offered in advance.
2. During the ride: follow the route on a map app.
3. After the ride: take the printed receipt, which the national rules require the driver to give you, and note the supervision phone number shown in the car. Photograph the plate and meter.
4. Complain. Call the transport service line 020-12328, or 12345 (020-12345 from a non-Guangzhou number). The Transport Bureau says 12328 is merged with 12345 and that both pass taxi complaints to the transport department. We could not confirm English service on either line.
5. Language help. Call 960169. The city’s international portal lists an English interpreter 24 hours, who joins the call.
6. Danger. Call 110 for police.

If you booked through Didi, report in the app instead. See the Didi guide.