US Dollar
Euro
British Pound
UAE Dirham
Australian Dollar
Singapore Dollar
Guangzhou and Shenzhen Travel Guide
Buy Chinese YuanGuangzhou at a glance
Guangzhou and Shenzhen are neighbours in the Pearl River Delta, 29 minutes apart on the fastest high-speed trains. Guangzhou is the Cantonese food capital and home of the Canton Fair; Shenzhen is China's young tech city, on the border with Hong Kong. Guangzhou is also the easiest Chinese city to reach from India, with daily IndiGo flights from Delhi and Kolkata and China Southern flights from Delhi.
The Canton Fair, China's largest trade fair, fills the Pazhou complex every spring and autumn. The autumn 2026 session runs in three phases: 15 to 19 October (advanced manufacturing), 23 to 27 October (quality home life) and 31 October to 4 November (better life). Buyers pre-register online in the fair's Buyer Service System, which also issues invitation letters for a business (M) visa; check the visa centre's current document list as well, and book hotels early, as prices near Pazhou rise in fair weeks.
In Guangzhou, the 600-metre Canton Tower has observation decks from CNY 150, Shamian Island's old colonial streets are free to walk, and the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, a showcase of Lingnan carving, costs CNY 10. Dim sum is reason enough to come. In Shenzhen, Shenzhen Bay Park looks across the water to Hong Kong, Dafen Oil Painting Village is free to browse, and Window of the World (CNY 220) suits families.
Hong Kong is a separate immigration zone with its own currency. A single-entry China visa is used up when you cross, so get a double or multiple-entry visa if you will return to the mainland. Indian passport holders can stay in Hong Kong for up to 14 days without a visa, but must first complete the free online Pre-arrival Registration. From Guangzhou South, high-speed trains reach Hong Kong West Kowloon in about 48 minutes (CNY 215), with both immigration checks done together at West Kowloon; from Shenzhen's Futian station the ride takes 14 minutes.
Where to stay
The two cities are close enough to base yourself in one and day-trip to the other.
Tianhe
Guangzhou's modern centre around Zhujiang New Town and the Canton Tower, well served by the metro and business hotels.
Pazhou
The Guangzhou district around the Canton Fair Complex. Convenient for the fair, but hotels fill up and raise prices in fair weeks.
Futian
Central Shenzhen, on the metro and close to the Futian crossing and the fast trains to Hong Kong.
Paying in Guangzhou
For the yuan itself, the visa for Indians, setting up Alipay and WeChat Pay, and how much cash to carry, see the China travel guide.
Both cities run on Alipay and WeChat Pay, and cards work at most hotels and malls. Payments above CNY 200 through the apps generally carry a 3% fee on a foreign card; smaller ones are free. Keep CNY 500 to 1,000 in cash as a backup: refusing yuan is against Chinese law, so cash always works. Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar, so carry some HKD or a card if you cross.
What Guangzhou actually costs
Set the length and style of your trip to see what to budget, in Chinese yuan and Indian rupees.
Indicative, excluding international flights and accommodation, per person per day. Converted at the verified mid-market rate on 29 September 2026, CNY 1 ≈ ₹14.31, not a Matrix board rate.
Budget roughly ₹2,860 to ₹12,880 per person per day on the ground, excluding flights and accommodation.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Dim sum, per person | CNY 50-120 |
| Casual restaurant meal | CNY 40-90 |
| High-speed train, Guangzhou South to Shenzhen North | about CNY 75 |
| High-speed train, Guangzhou South to Hong Kong West Kowloon | CNY 215 |
| Canton Tower observation decks | CNY 150 |
| Chen Clan Ancestral Hall | CNY 10 |
Getting around
Both cities have large metro systems with English signs, and DiDi covers the gaps. At Guangzhou Baiyun airport, Metro Line 3 serves Terminal 2, and Terminal 3, opened in October 2025, is linked by an intercity train. Shenzhen Bao'an airport is about 30 minutes from Futian on Metro Line 11.
Common mistakes in Guangzhou
Assuming a visa-free or transit stay
India is on neither list. Apply online well ahead, then submit your passport at a visa centre in New Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata.
Crossing to Hong Kong on a single-entry visa
Leaving for Hong Kong uses up a single-entry China visa. Get a double or multiple-entry visa if you plan to come back.
Booking a Canton Fair hotel late
Hotels near Pazhou fill up and raise prices in fair weeks. Book early, or stay a few metro stops away.
Paying in yuan in Hong Kong
Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar. Carry some HKD or a card rather than relying on yuan.
Guangzhou and Shenzhen FAQs
Yes. India is on neither China's 30-day visa-free list nor its 240-hour visa-free transit list. Since December 2025 you apply online, then hand in your passport at the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in New Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata. Until 31 December 2026 a single-entry visa costs ₹2,900, and fingerprints are waived for short-term visas.
The autumn session runs in three phases at the Pazhou complex in Guangzhou: 15 to 19 October, 23 to 27 October, and 31 October to 4 November 2026. Buyers pre-register online, and the fair issues invitation letters for business visas.
Yes. IndiGo flies nonstop daily from Delhi and Kolkata, and China Southern flies from Delhi.
Yes, but Hong Kong is a separate immigration zone: a single-entry China visa is used up when you cross, so you need a double or multiple-entry visa to come back. Indian passport holders also need the free online Pre-arrival Registration for Hong Kong.
About 30 minutes by high-speed train from Guangzhou South to Shenzhen North, 29 minutes at the fastest, for about CNY 75 in second class.
On 29 September 2026 one yuan was ₹14.31 at the mid-market rate, so CNY 100 is about ₹1,430.
More guides in China
Buy chinese yuan before you fly
See your Matrix rate and the applicable charges before you confirm. Order online for doorstep delivery or collect from your nearest branch.
RBI Authorised Dealer Category-II, Licence No. NDL-ADII-0023-2023 · Same-day delivery · Serving 3 lakh+ customers