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Canton Fair 2026 Checklist: Dates, China eSIM, Payments and Guangzhou Tips

The 140th Canton Fair runs in three phases from 15 October to 4 November 2026 in Guangzhou. Here is the buyer's checklist for data, payments and getting around before you fly.

Quick answer: The 140th Canton Fair (autumn 2026) runs in three phases at the Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou, Guangzhou: Phase 1 on 15-19 October, Phase 2 on 23-27 October and Phase 3 on 31 October to 4 November. Before you fly: get your buyer e-invitation, fill in China's online arrival card, link a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay, and install and fully set up your China eSIM at home.

Key takeaways

Canton Fair autumn 2026: Phase 1 15-19 Oct, Phase 2 23-27 Oct, Phase 3 31 Oct to 4 Nov, at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou.
Register on the official Buyer Service System for an e-invitation and buyer badge. Allow a few days to a week for the invitation.
China's online arrival card for foreigners can be completed within 3 days before arrival on the official NIA platform.
Alipay accepts many foreign Visa and Mastercard cards, and Guangzhou Metro gates now take foreign contactless cards too.
Install and set up your China eSIM before you land. Fixing a data problem from inside China is where most travelers get stuck.
Metro Line 8 (Xingangdong and Pazhou stations) serves the fair complex. Expect crowds at opening and closing times.

The first morning of a Canton Fair trip often goes like this: you land at Baiyun, walk out of arrivals, open your phone to message the supplier who promised to meet you, and nothing loads. Your home SIM is roaming at a crawl, the airport Wi-Fi wants a code sent by SMS, and the WhatsApp thread with your factory contact is stuck on one grey tick.

Guangzhou is an easy city once you are set up. The trick is doing the setup before you board. This checklist covers the 2026 dates, entry paperwork pointers, payments for foreigners, and how to have working data from the moment the wheels touch down.

When is the Canton Fair 2026 and what is in each phase?

The 140th China Import and Export Fair, better known as the Canton Fair, is split into three five-day phases with changeover breaks in between. Exhibitors are grouped by product category, so check which phase covers your sourcing list before you book flights.

Dates (2026)	Phase	Main product focus
15-19 October	Phase 1	Advanced manufacturing: electronics, machinery, vehicles, hardware
20-22 October	Changeover	No exhibition days
23-27 October	Phase 2	Quality home life: home goods, gifts, building and decoration materials
28-30 October	Changeover	No exhibition days
31 October to 4 November	Phase 3	Better life: textiles and fashion, health, food, leisure goods

All three phases are held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, 380 Yuejiang Zhong Road, Pazhou, Haizhu District. The organiser can adjust categories and hall allocations, so confirm your exhibitors on the official Canton Fair website before you lock in dates. If you plan to cover two phases, the changeover days are a good window for factory visits outside Guangzhou.

Canton Fair pre-flight checklist

Buyer registration. Create an account on the official Buyer Service System, apply for your e-invitation and pre-register for your buyer badge. Use only the official cantonfair.org.cn domains.
Entry documents. Check whether your passport needs a visa, qualifies for a visa-free or transit visa-free policy, or should use the fair invitation for a business visa. Confirm with the National Immigration Administration or your nearest Chinese embassy.
Online arrival card. Complete it on the official NIA platform within 3 days before arrival. If you miss it, you can scan the QR code at the port of entry.
Phone check. eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked. Do this before you buy any plan.
China eSIM installed and set up at home over Wi-Fi. Keep your home SIM active for bank codes and calls.
Alipay and WeChat Pay downloaded, passport-verified and linked to a foreign card before departure.
Offline copies. Hotel address in Chinese characters, badge confirmation, supplier addresses and booth numbers saved as screenshots.
Power bank in your carry-on, within your airline's limits. Scanning, translating and photographing samples all day drains a phone by mid-afternoon.
Business cards and an offline translation pack as a backup when the halls get crowded.

Why you need your own data at the Canton Fair

At the fair your phone is map, translator, wallet, camera and the only line to your team back home, often all within one booth conversation. This is where a working data connection earns its keep:

Supplier chats. Most international buyers work over WhatsApp, Gmail and Google Drive. Those services are blocked on local Chinese networks, so you need a connection that reaches them.
Payments. Alipay and WeChat Pay need live data for most scans, from coffee to taxis.
Translation and research. Camera translation, competitor price checks and sharing catalogue photos with your team happen on the hall floor.
Getting back to the hotel. Ride-hailing and maps when tens of thousands of buyers leave the complex at the same time.
Laptop hotspot. Handy for sending quotes and purchase orders between meetings, if your plan allows tethering.

Fizen's China plans are designed for exactly this: install at home, switch on when you land, and traffic is routed so Google and WhatsApp keep working without a separate VPN app. Plans start from $4, and you can pay in USDT on Solana or BNB Chain or with the other methods shown at checkout. Get your China eSIM before you fly, and read our China eSIM guide if you want the details.

Does an eSIM work in China, and why set it up before arrival?

Yes, travel eSIMs work in China, but timing matters more there than anywhere else. The activation step can be blocked once you are behind China's firewall, and Google-based help pages will not load either. If the eSIM is already installed and tested at home, landing is just a matter of switching the line on.

Option	Google, WhatsApp, Gmail	Setup effort	Best for
Travel eSIM set up at home	Usually work without a VPN on routed plans	Low: install on home Wi-Fi	Buyers who want to land online
Local Chinese SIM	Blocked unless you run a VPN	Queue at a store, passport registration	Long stays with a local number
Home carrier roaming	Usually work	None	Short trips if the day pass is affordable
Hotel and venue Wi-Fi	Blocked without a VPN, often SMS login	Varies	Backup only

Two honest caveats. First, a travel eSIM is data-only, so keep your home SIM on for banking codes and calls. Second, most eSIMs cannot be topped up: if you run out, you buy and install a new eSIM, which is much easier to do from home Wi-Fi than a hotel lobby. If you are covering more than one phase, buy for the whole stay. Our data calculator guide helps you size it.

How do foreigners pay in Guangzhou during the Canton Fair?

China runs on QR payments, and cash is accepted less often than most first-time visitors expect. The good news is that foreign cards have become far easier to use in recent years.

Situation	What usually works	Tip
Food courts, cafes, street snacks	Alipay or WeChat Pay with a linked foreign card	Small payments are usually fee-free, larger ones may carry a fee
Guangzhou Metro	Alipay ride code, or tapping a foreign contactless card at gates with card logos	Have your QR code ready before you reach the gate at rush hour
Taxis and ride-hailing	Ride-hailing inside Alipay, or cash and QR in taxis	Save your hotel name in Chinese to show the driver
Hotels and big restaurants	International cards, Alipay, WeChat Pay	Hotels may take a card pre-authorisation deposit
Paying supplier samples or deposits	Bank transfer or methods agreed in the contract	Never pay a large deposit to a personal QR code

Set up Alipay at home: download the app, verify with your passport and link your Visa or Mastercard. Carry a modest amount of yuan cash as a fallback for the odd stall that only takes local QR payments.

How to get to the Canton Fair Complex

Metro Line 8 is the simplest route. Xingangdong station exit A leads to Area A, and Pazhou station serves Areas B and C.
From Baiyun Airport, the metro connects to the city network, and taxis and ride-hailing are available at the terminals. Allow extra time during the first days of each phase.
From Hong Kong, many buyers take the high-speed train to Guangzhou. Your data plan needs to cover mainland China, since Hong Kong is a separate plan on most eSIMs.
Hotel shuttles are offered by some hotels during fair days. Ask at check-in.
Leaving at closing time is the hardest part of the day. Walking to a hotel or a quieter street before ordering a ride usually saves time.

How to set up your China eSIM in 5 steps

Check that your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.
Choose a China plan that covers every fair day plus travel days on the Fizen eSIM page.
Pay in USDT on Solana or BNB Chain, or with another method offered at checkout.
Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi: one tap on supported iPhones, or scan the QR code on other phones. Label it "China" so you can find it later.
After landing, switch the eSIM line on, enable data roaming for it and set it as your mobile data line. Keep your home SIM on for calls and SMS codes.

If something does not connect, Fizen has a trip-long warranty with free 1-for-1 replacement if an eSIM fails, and support is a real person, not a bot. Most issues turn out to be a two-minute settings check, and support walks you through it.

Guangzhou tips for Canton Fair weeks

Book hotels early. Prices near Pazhou and along Metro Line 8 rise sharply during each phase.
Dress for walking. The complex covers a huge area and you will walk many kilometres a day. Comfortable shoes beat smart shoes.
Photograph booth cards with the hall and booth number in the frame, so you can match notes to suppliers later.
Eat Cantonese. Dim sum breakfasts are one of the best parts of a Guangzhou trip, and most places take Alipay.
Weather. Late October is usually warm, with cooler evenings by early November. A light layer helps in air-conditioned halls.
Watch for fake registration sites. Third-party sites copy the Canton Fair look. Register only on the official domains.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Canton Fair 2026 in October?

The autumn 2026 edition, the 140th Canton Fair, runs Phase 1 on 15-19 October, Phase 2 on 23-27 October and Phase 3 from 31 October to 4 November 2026. There are no exhibition days on 20-22 or 28-30 October.

Where is the Canton Fair held?

It takes place at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Pazhou, Haizhu District, Guangzhou. Metro Line 8 stops at Xingangdong and Pazhou stations next to the complex.

How do I register for the Canton Fair 2026 as a buyer?

Register on the official Buyer Service System, apply for an e-invitation and pre-register for your buyer badge, or collect it on site. The invitation can take a few days to a week, so apply well before your trip.

Do I need an arrival card for China?

Foreigners can complete China's arrival card online through the official National Immigration Administration platform within 3 days before arrival. If you cannot do it in advance, you can scan a QR code at the port of entry.

Can I use Alipay in China with a foreign card?

Yes, Alipay supports many international cards including Visa and Mastercard after passport verification. Set it up at home before you fly, and check the fees shown in the app for larger payments.

Does WhatsApp work in China with an eSIM?

On a local Chinese SIM or Wi-Fi, WhatsApp and Google are blocked. Travel eSIMs that route traffic outside China, such as Fizen's China plans, usually keep them working without a VPN, as long as the eSIM is set up before arrival.

How much data do I need for the Canton Fair?

Buyers who use maps, translation, messaging and photo sharing all day often use 1-2GB per day, more if you hotspot a laptop or send video. Pick a plan that covers every day of your stay, since most eSIMs cannot be topped up.

Can I pay for a China eSIM with USDT?

Yes. On fizen.io/esim you can buy a China eSIM in USDT on Solana or BNB Chain, or with other payment methods shown at checkout.

China eSIM for the Canton Fair

Land connected. Skip the roaming bill. China plans from $4, installed at home, with Google and WhatsApp working when you land. Pay in USDT. Trip-long warranty with free 1-for-1 replacement if an eSIM fails.

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Terms and conditions

Information only. This checklist is general travel information, not legal, immigration, financial or investment advice.
For readers in the United States. This article provides information only. It is not an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Fizen is not offered to US Persons.
Event details can change. Dates, venues, phases and schedules are set by the organisers and can change. Check the official website before you book flights or hotels.
Entry rules are official-source only. Visa, travel-authorisation and arrival-card rules are set by the destination's government, differ by passport and can change. Confirm them on the official sites linked here before you fly.
Plans vary. eSIM prices, data allowances, hotspot support and validity depend on the plan and are shown on the checkout page, which takes precedence over this article. Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. Travel eSIMs are data-only, with no calls or SMS.
No affiliation. Fizen is not affiliated with the Canton Fair organisers, the China Import and Export Fair Complex, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Guangzhou Metro or any carrier or app named here.
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Sources

Information checked in September 2026. Event dates, entry rules and payment options can change: confirm on the official sources before you travel.