The local communications are quite convenient in Guangzhou. The departure trains add up to more than 140 per day and over 51,100 in the whole year. There are over 120 domestic airlines to almost all the major cities in China and dozens of international airlines to overseas cities. There are over 5 500 buses, offering 273 urban routes throughout the city, 68 passenger lines by water and thousands of long-distance coaches to the different cities and towns all over the province, or in the neighboring provinces, day and night. There are two airports: Baiyun International Airport and New Beiyun Airport in Huadu District, offering hundreds of flights to the major cities both at home and abroad. Annual passenger flow reaches over 10 million.

Guangzhou is a hub of communications in South China. The city itself has been an important commercial port since time immemorial. Guangzhou Port and Huangpu Harbor, New Baiyun Airport in Huadu and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport are among the busiest in China, connecting major ports and cities across China and around the world. Railways are convenient and play a crucial role in developing Guangdong Province and South China. Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Kowloon are the main arteries of communications, connecting North China and South China closely. Guangzhou-Zhanjiang, Guangzhou-Meizhou-Shantou and Guangzhou-Shenzhen are important local trunks. Guangzhou MTR system is probably the best in China, which surely makes Guangzhou's traffic much relieved from overburden. The expressways of Guangzhou-Shenzhen, Guangzhou-Huadu, Guangzhou-Foshan, Guangzhou-Zhanjiang and Guangzhou-Shantou radiate in all the directions. Newly built Western Coastal Expressway connects the coastal cities from Zhuhai to Zhanjiang closely. There are many national highways: No. 105, 106, 107, 321, 323, 324 and 325. Guangzhou has been closely connected with the towns and cities in the province, or in the other provinces and overseas cities either by highway, or by railway, or by sea, or by air.

Guangzhou urban subway is one of the fastest as well as the best in the world. No.1 MTR has been put on operation since 1999, and with a planned length of 23.27 km No.2 MTR will be fulfilled at the end of 2002. Approved by the State Council, the 35.75-km-long No.3 MTR from Guangzhou's East Train Station to Panyu Square has already been under construction. Besides, Guangzhou Urban Light Rail System under construction will eventually connect most satellite cities around Guangzhou in the coming years. With the completion of Guangzhou Light Rail System, Guangzhou Outer-Ring Expressway, No.3 and No.4 lines of Guangzhou MTR System, the present traffic jams will be greatly reduced. The local bustling traffic is supposed to be further improved with the fourth urban subway linking Nanhai, Foshan, Panyu and Guangzhou in a fast subway circle. It is planned that the urban network should consist of all the urban subways and the upgraded highways linking Guangzhou to New Baiyun Airport in Huadu District. The present subway network will be extended to over 140 km. The construction of a fast speed transportation network is already included in the city's forthcoming ten-year plan.
  
For economy, interest and people watching, buses are the answer. Guangzhou has a very good bus system and frequent service. If you have time, then the buses offer a good means to see the city -- if you can get a seat. Surely taxis are the easiest and most comfortable transportation -- if you get enough money. Getting around, however, is always a challenge. Here trucks, buses, cars, bicycles and pedestrians mix it up in grand fashion. It is often a game on inches, played equally by all. Lines on the road seem to be mere suggestions; most of the time few people pay attention to them. Cops are busy with the traffic mess. That is really a hard job. As one of the busiest cities with a huge population, booming business centers and thousands of businessmen, shoppers, visitors, drifters and job seekers rushing in and out day and night, Guangzhou is always crowded with throngs of people on the streets. Good or bad, like it or not, it is a good thing though. What a thriving place!

Statistics show that Guangzhou now owns 14.7 buses for every 10 000 people. This is the top for the whole nation's large cities. About 4.5 million people use the city's full-fledged bus service every day. Now, thanks to an arrangement of exclusive bus lanes, taking a public bus could be even faster than taking a taxi on some of the major downtown routes during the rush hours. At present, over 5 500 buses are running throughout the city, weaving an intricate network reaching into the furthest corners. And more environment-friendly "green" buses using liquefied natural gas and electricity are coming on line to provide a cleaner service.

Editor: Catherine