Guangzhou - Post Report Question and Answers
Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
All public transportation is very safe and affordable. Taxis are about $1.50 from the furthest housing community to the US Consulate. - Apr 2023
Yes. Trains are great and easy. Taxis using the app DIDI are very cheap. Buses are also cheap, but I don't know many people that use them since it's so easy to use the metro and didi. - Aug 2021
Bus and metro/subway is clean, new, inexpensive, and extensive. Didik taxis are reliable. Local freelance taxis should be a last resort unless you have excellent Mandarin and/or Cantonese. - May 2019
Yes. Didi is China's Uber and is widespread and cheap. Buses and metro are very cheap and pretty good. - Nov 2018
Yes, we take the bus and taxis all the time. A taxi will cost you a few bucks to get most places. The bus is 30 cents. The bus system is really convenient to get to a lot of places the metro doesn't take you. - Nov 2015
"Safe" is a bit relative, given the nature of Chinese traffic, but all are fine. The metro system in particular is excellent, quite new and well-maintained. Trains, buses and taxis are all extremely affordable- the metro costs somewhere between one and two RMB per trip, which comes out to about sixty cents a ride. Taxis are also very cheap, but it can sometimes be hard to flag one down and, once you do, it's a gamble whether your driver will know where he's going (a lot of drivers are recent arrivals from other provinces and so don't know the city very well). - Aug 2014
Both, and plentiful. - May 2013
All are safe and affordable. Most taxis don't have seat belts in the back seat, and with the absolutely insane driving that takes place here, you sometimes are muttering Hail Mary to yourself until you reach your destination safely. But no, I've never felt like I could be mugged or kidnapped when on public transportation. - Apr 2013
The subway system is fantastic, constantly expanding, inexpensive, and reliable. Trains come every 2 minutes and cost less than $1 USD to ride. They are also extremely clean. Taxis don't have seat belts but the are cheap and reliable. - Jan 2013
Yes. All are safe. Taxis are very cheap but often hard to find around rush hours (you know...when you actually need them). Subway is decent, cheap, but VERY crowded. I dont use the bus in the US, so I dont do it here. - Oct 2011
Very affordable, very safe. We didn't bring a car and only use public transportation and taxis. They do drive like maniacs though. - May 2011
Very cheap. Taxis vary from rust buckets to nice and comfortable, but they all charge the same fee:1 USD for the first 2-3 kilometers. - Jul 2009
Trains are great. The subway is really convenient if you work at the consulate. Buses are incredibly cheap, but crowded. Taxis are everywhere and very cheap. All types of transportation are safe. - Jan 2009
