Canton Fair 2026 Phases 1-3: Dates, Categories & Dongguan Transport
The 140th Canton Fair runs from 15 October to 4 November 2026 in three phases, with a three-day changeover between each. Buyers keep asking one question: should we visit Dongguan factories in our phase? The answer is yes in all three — just different factories. This page sets out the phase calendar, what each phase exhibits, the Dongguan industrial belt it maps to, the drive from Pazhou to Dongguan hotels, vehicle rates and how far ahead to book.
Exact dates and product scopes follow the official Canton Fair announcement.
1. Phase calendar: dates, categories, Dongguan factory areas
| Phase | Dates | Product scope | Dongguan areas to visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 15-19 Oct | Electronics & home appliances, lighting, vehicles & parts, machinery, hardware & tools, building materials, chemicals | Songshan Lake, Chang'an, Humen, Dalingshan (electronics, hardware, tooling, equipment) |
| Changeover | 20-22 Oct | Move-out and move-in; Pazhou traffic at its worst | Good days for factory visits without entering the halls |
| Phase 2 | 23-27 Oct | Ceramics, houseware, kitchenware, home decoration, gifts, glass & craft ceramics, watches & eyewear, garden products, rattan & ironware | Houjie, Nancheng, Wanjiang (furniture, home decor, gifts, kitchenware) |
| Changeover | 28-30 Oct | Move-out and move-in | Best window for multi-day and cross-city factory trips |
| Phase 3 | 31 Oct-4 Nov | Textiles & garments, shoes, office supplies & bags, medical & healthcare, food | Changping, Tangxia, Fenggang, Qingxi (garments, shoes, bags, food) |
2. Why Phase 2 matters most for Dongguan
Phase 2 is home goods, gifts and home decoration — exactly Houjie's furniture and home-decor belt. Pazhou to Houjie is 60-75 minutes one way, so you can negotiate at the stand in the morning, walk the line in the afternoon and be back at the hotel by evening. That is also why Phase 2 has the heaviest demand and the tightest vehicle supply.
3. Pazhou to Dongguan hotels, every day
| Dongguan hotel area | One way | Leave hotel | At Pazhou |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houjie / Nancheng / Dongcheng / Wanjiang | 60-75 min | 07:15 | 08:20-08:30 |
| Humen / Chang'an / Dalingshan / Songshan Lake | 75-95 min | 07:00 | 08:20-08:35 |
| Changping / Tangxia / Fenggang / Qingxi | 90-110 min | 06:45 | 08:20-08:35 |
Doors open at 9:30 and the times above already allow 40 minutes for security and finding your stand; add 30 minutes on opening day, in rain, or when traffic control is tightened. Return runs follow closing time, usually leaving Pazhou between 17:30 and 18:00. Traffic control applies around Pazhou during the fair: vehicles set down at the designated zone confirmed by the driver on the day, and coaches park in the outer car park.
4. Three vehicle tiers and how far ahead to book
| Passengers | Vehicle | Fair rate (per day) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | 7-seat Buick business van | RMB 1,000-1,300 | Small team with samples; normal rate RMB 500-700 half day, RMB 800-1,000 full day |
| 7-27 | 14 / 18 / 22 / 28-seat minibus | RMB 800-1,400 | Buying groups and factory visits |
| 28-55 | 38 / 45 / 55-seat coach | RMB 1,200-2,800 | Delegations and multi-vehicle convoys |
Rates are per day for the Dongguan-Pazhou round trip, including driver, fuel, tolls and fair-period waiting; multi-day bookings are packaged per day, with overnight parking and driver accommodation itemised separately. Book 3-5 days ahead — Phase 2 and both changeovers are the tightest, and coaches from Dongguan usually stay overnight in Guangzhou.
5. Arriving from Hong Kong or Macau, straight to Pazhou
Many overseas buyers fly into Hong Kong first. A GD-HK dual-plate vehicle collects you at HKIA or in Hong Kong city and goes straight to Pazhou or your Guangzhou hotel in the same vehicle; at the border, passengers take their luggage through security and immigration on foot and rejoin the same vehicle. From Macau, the transfer is arranged around the chosen border crossing.
6. One extra day after the fair
After Phase 3 many groups stay one more day: Guangzhou (Shamian, Shangxiajiu), Zhuhai (Chimelong/Hengqin), Shenzhen (Huaqiangbei/Nanshan) or Hong Kong (city shopping) can all be arranged as a business travel charter at a fixed day rate, luggage in the vehicle, drop-off back at the hotel or straight to the airport.
FAQ
Q: We are only coming for Phase 2 or 3 — are vehicles still available?
A: Yes. We cover all three phases and both changeovers; Phase 2 (23-27 Oct) and the changeovers are tightest, so book 3-5 days ahead.
Q: Only two of us are attending — shared shuttle or private car?
A: Private, charged per day. A 7-seat Buick business van suits 2-4 people with luggage and samples at RMB 1,000-1,300 per day during the fair.
Q: Can the vehicle wait at the hall entrance?
A: Traffic control applies around Pazhou during the fair, so we set down and pick up at the designated zone confirmed by the driver on the day; waiting time is included in the daily rate.
Q: Is one coach enough for 40 people visiting factories?
A: A 45-seat coach carries 40 passengers with roughly 40 pieces of luggage; a 38-seat coach plus one 7-seat van is more flexible for a day that combines halls and factories.
Send us your phase, group size and hotel
A written quote within one hour, with the vehicle and fair-period rate
📞 +86 137 1278 3205