VISA:
As we know, no visa is required for ordinary passport holders from Singapore, Brunei and Japan to visit China for up to 15 days for business, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends or transit. Other foreign visitors need a visa to enter China. Please check with the Chinese embassy or consulate in your residence area to make sure whether you need a visa.
It is better that you apply for a visa one month before your planned date of entry into China but not earlier than three months.
Most non-Chinese citizens will need a visa to come to China for the conference. The types of visas suitable for the participation of the conference are either "L" or "F". Here is a reference website explaining different types of visas, http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/hrsq/. To apply for a Chinese visa, please check the website above or the homepage of your nearest Chinese consulate for required documents. You will need an invitaiton letter from us.
To get a proper invitation letter, please fill in the word file or contact huanghp7@mail.sysu.edu.cn. We will then prepare an invitation letter for you to support your visa application.
Transportation to Guangzhou:
1. Baiyun airport (CAN), Guangzhou (Recommended)
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http://www.gbiac.net/en/byhome, ~45km away from the city center.
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Take a taxi to SYSU (about RMB150). It takes about one hour but not in busy time.
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Take the Airport Express Bus and continue with a taxi: Take the Airport Express Bus (about RMB30) to the New Pearl River Hotel (Metro Line 6) or to Guangzhou Textile Exchange Park (Metro Line 10), get off and take a taxi (RMB10) to the South Campus of SYSU.
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Take the metro at Airport South Station to SYSU (RMB ~12): First take Line 3 (Airport S. to Tiyuxi Road) to the Tiyuxi Road Station then transfer to another Line 3 (Tianhe Coach Terminal to Panyu Square) and get to the Kecun Station,then transfer to Line 8 (towards Fenghuang Xincun). Get off at Lujiang Station (for SYSU East Gate) or at Sun Yat-Sen University Station (for SYSU South Gate).
2. Hong Kong airport (HKG), Hong Kong
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Buses: There are a few limo/bus companies from the airport to Guangzhou. Follow the sign “Transportation to Mainland”and there are several coach companies providing such services. Tickets cost about HKD230-250. You will be taken to your buses by the staffs at the airport but, unfortunately, there is no English information from the website of the bus company and English service after you board the bus is not guaranteed any more. These buses stop at a few major connection points in Guangzhou and they vary from company to company. Not suggested to people who don’t speak Chinese but quite convenient for people who do: detailed information is HERE. Most buses would stop at Tianhe (Jinnan University), which might be the most convenient to SYSU.
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Metro + Trains (transfer at the border): Use the metro system in Hong Kong to Luohu Station first. Then cross the border to Mainland and you are in Shenzhen. You can use the bullet trains connecting Luohu Station Shenzhen and Guangzhou East. It takes ~80-90 minutes and runs every 15-20 minutes. Walk to the Guang-Shen ticket counter (follow the signs) and buy a Guangzhou-Shenzhen express ticket with your passports.
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Ferry service to Guangzhou Lian Hua Shan from Hong Kong Airport, but the time table is very limited. Please see the link. From Lian Hua Shan port, you can take a taxi/metro system to the University (see below). For the ferry, see also here.
3. Land connections to Guangzhou (within China):
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Bullet train: Guangzhou South Station
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China Railway High-speed (CRH): Guangzhou South Station
4. Within Guangzhou:
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Taxi service is very convenient in Guangzhou. An available Taxi displays a red sign of "空车(Empty)" near the front windshield. Please keep the printed invoice when you get off so that you can contact the taxidriver or the taxi company in case of any problems.
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Our address is: "广州市海珠区新港西路135号中山大学" in Chinese and the nearest metro stations are Lujiang or Sun Yat-Sen University Station on Line 8.
Note that for invited speakers, please buy the flight ticket yourself, and then get the reimbursement. Please keep the receipt, E-ticket itinerary and the flight boarding cards for us.
For the registration and conference venue (Kaifeng Hotel and Chit Sang Hall, 哲生堂 respectively), please see the map.
