JANVI TOURS

The Bus Rapid Transit system went into service in early 2010. It is essentially a long segregated bus lane (not an elevated busway like in Xiamen) running along the Tianhe Road and Zhongshan Avenue corridor towards the eastern suburbs. Some intersections are traversed by bridges and tunnels, which cuts journey times considerably, but other intersections have traffic lights and therefore traffic jams, and crowds can be as dense as in Metro stations but with fewer doors and a narrower standing area compared to Metro trains.

All buses that use the BRT start with a B prefix (B1, B22 etc.), though some without the "B" stop nearby. When reading a bus route (in Chinese) you can see the BRT logo above each BRT station name, like the GZ Metro logo above bus stops that are near Metro stations. The B1 stops at every BRT station, but other B routes use any number of BRT stations (sometimes just one) and use normal roads the rest of the time.

There is also a comprehensive public bus service that covers Guangzhou from end to end. By far, it is the cheapest way to move around. Bus fares are ¥1 for the older buses and ¥2 for the air-conditioned ones, although the older buses have been mostly retired. Information at bus stops is mostly written in Chinese, although the current stop's name is also written in either pinyin or English (not always consistent with the recorded announcement in English) and stops close to subway stations are (usually) marked with the Guangzhou Metro logo, which is handy if you are lost. On-board announcements are made in Mandarin, Cantonese and sometimes English. Exact fare or a Yang Cheng Tong card is needed when boarding. If traveling on a quiet bus, it is advisable to signal to the driver that you wish to get off when approaching your stop by pressing the red buzzer next to the exit door or by saying "xia yi zhan you xia (pinyin:xià yī zhàn yǒu xià)," meaning "I'm getting off at the next stop" or simply "you xia (有下, pinyin:yǒu xià)." In Cantonese "you xia" is "yau lok(有落)."

Guangzhou's Metro system opened in 1999 and has been expanding at a breakneck pace ever since. The network covers much of the city center and is growing rapidly outward. The fare ranges from ¥2 to ¥19. Most of the signs and announcements are in Chinese and English. Tickets can be bought from vending machines in the stations. ¥5 and ¥10 Bills or ¥0.5 and ¥1 coins are accepted. You can break up your big bills at the customer service counters. The ticket is a small plastic token, which you swipe over the blue reader at the gate to enter the platform, and at the exit where you insert the token into the slot like a vending machine. Most of these machines do not accept old or torn notes. If needed, tell the officer at the counter where you want to go and he or she will return your note with the requisite fare in coins and the rest in notes. It is easier to use Yang Cheng Tong (see details above). You also receive a 5%-40% discount when the card is used to ride the subway.

While driving in Guangzhou is an option, drivers unfamiliar with the driving conditions in China's large and densely populated cities should be aware that the experience can be extremely daunting and potentially dangerous. However, it is common in Guangzhou to rent a car that comes with a driver.

Car rental companies in Guangzhou:

Avis (安飞士汽车租凭) 9 Huali Road + 86 20 3829-6279 Hours 8:30AM - 5:30PM

Hertz (赫兹国际汽车出租) 89 Linhe West Road, first floor of Jingxing Hotel + 86 20 8755-1608

Although a convenient way to navigate the city's back alleys and lanes, motorcycles are banned in the city center, and riding a motorcycle into these prohibited areas can lead to fines and possible confiscation of the bike. In addition to the central motorcycle ban, electric bicycles are banned from the city roads.