- 139th Canton Fair · Spring + Autumn 2026
Canton Fair 2026 The Complete Buyer's Guide.
- Phase 1: Apr 15–19
- Phase 2: Apr 23–27
- Phase 3: May 1–5
Three phases. 25,000+ exhibitors. One of the world's largest trade fairs. Here are the dates, what's in each phase, how to get there — and how to connect Canton Fair with a Yiwu sourcing trip.
Electronics · Machinery · Tools · New Energy · Vehicles
Consumer Goods · Gifts · Home Decor · Furniture · Lighting
Textiles · Apparel · Footwear · Medical · Toys · Food
What's in Each Phase
Each phase focuses on different product categories. Attend the phase that matches your sourcing needs — or combine Phase 3 with a Yiwu side trip for maximum coverage.
April 15 – 19, 2026 · 09:30–18:00
- Electronics, electrical appliances & consumer electronics
- Machinery, tools & hardware (hand tools, power tools, industrial)
- New energy products (solar panels, EV components, batteries)
- Vehicles, auto parts & accessories
- Lighting equipment (LED, commercial, outdoor)
- Building materials & construction hardware
🏭 Factory vs. Yiwu Market
Most Phase 1 products (heavy machinery, large electronics, solar) come directly from factories in Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu — not from Yiwu market stalls. Phase 1 works best combined with our factory visit service for Zhejiang industrial clusters. Yiwu covers the hardware and small tools subset well.
💡 Pro Tip
Phase 1 ends Apr 19. Phase 2 starts Apr 23. That 3-day gap is ideal for a Yiwu factory visit — 4 hours by high-speed rail each way.
April 23 – 27, 2026 · 09:30–18:00
- Home decoration, ceramics & glassware
- Gifts, premiums & promotional products
- Furniture & interior products
- Kitchenware, tableware & household items
- Seasonal & festive products
- Sanitary & bathroom equipment
- Clocks, watches & optical instruments
🛍️ Phase 2 + Yiwu = High Overlap
Phase 2 covers the categories where Yiwu market has its deepest supplier network — gifts, home décor, kitchenware, seasonal products. Suppliers you meet at Phase 2 can often be cross-checked or price-compared against our 9,000+ supplier database. This is the strongest phase to combine with a Yiwu follow-up.
✅ Recommended Combo
Phase 2 ends Apr 27. Take the high-speed rail to Yiwu the same day (afternoon trains available). We meet you next morning.
May 1 – 5, 2026 · 09:30–18:00
- Textiles, fabrics & raw materials
- Men's, women's & children's clothing
- Sportswear, casual wear & underwear
- Footwear, bags & luggage
- Medical devices, health products & medicines
- Toys, baby & maternity products
- Food, beverages & rural products
- Office supplies & stationery
🎯 Phase 3 — Strongest Yiwu Link
Toys, bags, stationery, seasonal items, and accessories are all Yiwu market strengths. Phase 3 ends May 5 — travelling directly to Yiwu after the fair lets you see the same product categories from market suppliers and compare quality and pricing in person.
📍 Best Combo Route
Canton Fair Phase 3 → same-day train to Yiwu → 2–3 day market visit → international departure from Yiwu or Shanghai. We arrange everything.
10 Practical Tips for First-Time Visitors
From badge registration to VPN setup. What experienced buyers know that
first-timers learn the hard way.
Pre-register at cantonfair.org.cn using your passport and business details. Approval is free for international buyers. On-site registration is possible but queues can be 1–2 hours. Badge covers all halls within your registered phase.
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the main arrival point. Metro Line 3 → transfer to Line 8 → Pazhou Station connects directly to the fair complex. Journey: ~50 minutes. Cost: ~CNY 10. Avoid taxis during peak hours — traffic is severe.
Hotels near Pazhou sell out completely. Pazhou Island, Haizhu District is closest. Tianhe District offers more options at lower cost (30 min by metro). Fair-period rates are 2–3x normal — book early or use a travel service.
Google, WhatsApp, and most Western apps are blocked in China. Download and activate a VPN on all devices before your flight. WeChat is essential for supplier communication — create an account before arrival. Onsite WiFi is available but slow.
Many small vendors and restaurants are cash or Alipay only. International cards work at major hotels but less reliably elsewhere. Alipay now supports international cards — link yours before arrival. Carry CNY 500–1000 in small bills as backup.
The fair complex covers 1.1 million square metres. You will walk 8–15 km per day. Wear the most comfortable shoes you own. Bring a lightweight backpack for samples, catalogues, and business cards. A small wheeled trolley is useful for larger sample collections.
The Canton Fair app and website list all exhibitors by hall and category. Build a shortlist of 20–30 priority booths before you arrive and map them geographically. Random walking in a venue this size is inefficient — plan your route by hall number.
Physical business cards remain standard practice with Chinese suppliers. Bring at least 200. Include your name, company, and product categories of interest. WeChat QR code on the card is increasingly common and speeds up follow-up contact.
Onsite restaurants in Areas A, B, and C offer Cantonese and international food but queues at 12:00–13:00 can be 30 minutes. Eat at 11:30 or 13:30. Bring snacks and a refillable water bottle — staying hydrated over a full day of walking matters more than it sounds.
After visiting 40+ booths in a day, suppliers blur together. Photograph every business card, product, and price list. Take a 30-second voice note after each meeting while it’s fresh. Use Google Sheets or a dedicated sourcing app to log supplier contact details on the spot.
How to Get Your Buyer Badge
Registration is free for international buyers. The process takes 10 minutes online. Do it at least 4 weeks before your phase starts.
Use your business email. Personal Gmail addresses are accepted but a business domain looks more credible to exhibitors.
A valid passport photo page and a business card or company registration document. Approval typically takes 2–5 business days.
You can register for one, two, or all three phases. Each phase requires a separate check-in but uses the same account and badge.
The app contains your digital badge, the full exhibitor list (searchable by product category), hall maps, and meeting scheduling tools. Download before landing.
Some hotels near the fair offer on-site badge printing — faster than the fair's own printing desks. Check with your hotel on arrival.
Green items = typically completed 4+ weeks out. Black items = 1–2 week preparation. Start at the top.
The Canton Fair + Yiwu Combination Trip
Most serious buyers combine Canton Fair with a Yiwu market visit. Here's how to do it without wasted travel time.
Metro Line 8 (Pazhou) → Line 2/7 → Guangzhou South. Or taxi ~35–50 min.
Multiple departures daily from Guangzhou South. G-class trains (high-speed). Second class ~CNY 300–400.
Yiwu Station is 15 min from the International Trade Market by taxi. We can arrange pickup.
We accompany you to the districts most relevant to your Canton Fair meetings. Same-day sample shipping available.
Yiwu Airport has limited international routes. Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) is 1.5h by train. Shanghai Pudong (PVG) is 2.5h.
3-day gap before Phase 2 (Apr 23)
For industrial/hardware buyers: quick 1-day visit
4-day gap before Phase 3 (May 1)
Best for Phase 3 buyers: toys, textiles, bags
Union Service at the Canton Fair
Accommodation Guide for Canton Fair Visitors
Three zones — each with different trade-offs on price, proximity, and availability.
Walking distance or one metro stop from the fair complex. Highest demand, highest prices during fair dates. Most options sell out 8–12 weeks early.
⚠️ Book immediately. These sell out fastest — often before December for an April fair.
Guangzhou's main business district. 25–35 minutes to the fair by metro (Line 3 → Line 8). Better food, more hotels, lower prices than Pazhou. Reliable transport connection.
Further from the fair but significantly cheaper. Best if attending only one or two days of a phase or arriving early before fair dates. Allow 45–60 min commute each way.
⚠️ Commute adds 1.5–2 hours per day. Factor this into your schedule.
Accommodation Guide for Canton Fair Visitors
Three zones — each with different trade-offs on price, proximity, and availability.
Plan Your Visit
Attending Canton Fair 2026? Tell Us Your Dates.
We'll prepare a Yiwu supplier shortlist matched to the categories you're sourcing at the fair — and arrange everything for the connection trip if you want it.
We confirm your dates and start preparing your supplier list immediately.
Based on the categories you tell us, we send a shortlist of relevant Yiwu suppliers before you land.
Train to Yiwu, hotel, market visit with interpreter, and sample shipping — we handle all of it.
No commitment. We reply within 4 business hours with next steps.
Attending Canton Fair
this Year?
Tell us which phase you're attending and we'll arrange a Yiwu market
visit to follow — supplier list, transport, accommodation and
interpreter included.