Canton Fair changeover days: where to stay and whom to meet between phases
GBA Executive Cars editorial · Sources checked 2026-10-01
The 140th Canton Fair’s 20–22 and 28–30 October 2026 changeover intervals are not ordinary exhibition days. If you are attending two phases, first establish whether the next phase contains suppliers you must see. Then decide whether to remain in Guangzhou, move to another city or leave temporarily based on confirmed meetings outside the venue. Paying for three extra hotel nights or a standby car does not create a factory appointment.
- Phase 1 ends 19 October and Phase 2 starts 23 October; Phase 2 ends 27 October and Phase 3 starts 31 October.
- 20–22 and 28–30 October are changeover closures, not normal visiting days.
- Secure each supplier’s outside-venue date, address and host before locking accommodation or multi-stop transport.
- Compare staying in Guangzhou, moving to the next stop and leaving temporarily under your real cancellation terms.
On this page
Mark the two non-exhibition intervals on the calendar
The 140th-session schedule has three five-day exhibition phases: 15–19 October, 23–27 October and 31 October–4 November 2026. An organiser notice for the 140th identifies 20–22 and 28–30 October as the changeover closure periods. The overall date span from 15 October to 4 November is therefore not a promise of continuous hall access. Exhibitors may be dismantling a stand, shipping samples, or preparing for the next phase. Ask each supplier whether it can host a separate meeting rather than arriving on the assumption that a blank calendar day is theirs to give.
Scroll sideways to read the full table.
| Date | Fair position | Buyer action |
|---|---|---|
| 19 October | Last day of Phase 1 | Close hall meetings and collect follow-up contacts |
| 20–22 October | Changeover interval | Only plan outside appointments agreed by the host |
| 23 October | Phase 2 opens | Recheck its area and first supplier stand |
| 28–30 October | Changeover interval | Reassess stay, meetings and next address |
| 31 October | Phase 3 opens | Check the next category and hall |
- Mark closure
20–22 and 28–30 October are not ordinary exhibition days.
- Confirm host
Obtain an outside address, time and contact.
- Choose a base
Compare staying, relocating and leaving under actual terms.
- Arrange road legs
Quote confirmed stops and the real group size.
A buyer planning framework for autumn 2026. Suppliers and hotels must confirm their own services.
Stay in Guangzhou, relocate, or step away?
The useful question is not merely whether three nights feel long or expensive. If your next phase contains essential confirmed exhibitors and you have agreed meetings near Guangzhou during the gap, remaining in one hotel may save luggage handling and another check-in. If a confirmed meeting is in Foshan, Dongguan or Shenzhen and you have more work there the following day, compare staying in that city with repeatedly returning to Guangzhou. If nobody has agreed to meet you, read your accommodation cancellation and rail or flight change terms before automatically keeping every night.
Put the actual constraints side by side: prepaid non-refundable nights, number and size of bags, confirmed appointments, first meeting in the next phase and the next morning’s departure point. These are more informative than a generic hotel ranking. “Let’s speak again” from a supplier is not yet an appointment. Ask for a written date, address and named host before committing to an extra stay or full-day vehicle.
Turn a proposed supplier visit into an executable appointment
After the first phase, shortlist the suppliers worth a deeper conversation and ask a concrete question: can someone receive us on 20 or 21 October, at which office, showroom or factory, and at what time? Request the host name, building entrance, visit scope and any material you should bring. If the supplier is occupied with stand removal or preparations, respect that and move the conversation online or to another day. The fair may advertise official matchmaking activities, but you should check the current programme rather than treating them as an automatically secured private meeting.
Use three status labels in your schedule: proposed, replied but details open, and confirmed with time and address. Only the last category is ready for a multi-stop car with waiting. The person who spoke to you at a booth may not be the person receiving visitors at a factory; verify the handover. Otherwise a driver can deliver your group to the right address without anyone there to host you.
Quote the actual road route, not three empty days
A sensible gap-day route might be hotel–supplier A–supplier B–new hotel. Another buyer may need just one cross-city transfer. If meetings are unconfirmed, first ask about date availability and quotation conditions instead of assuming you need three consecutive hire days. Before the next fair phase begins, check whether the new target hall, team roster and venue-side pickup point differ from the previous phase.
Our car-service scope on request: for confirmed Guangzhou and Greater Bay Area addresses, enquire about business multi-stop transport or exhibition-related transfers. Share the meeting order, party size, bags and waiting request. We assess the workable vehicle and send a written quote. We do not confirm suppliers’ willingness to meet, guarantee traffic conditions or promise a stop at a chosen hall door. A cross-city or cross-border quote needs its own addresses and should not be inferred from another route’s public starting fare.
Recheck the plan on the eve of the next phase
If you stayed in Guangzhou, verify your badge status, the next phase’s first exhibitor, hall and hotel-to-venue route. If you moved away, confirm when the group returns, where luggage will be and whether the train or car remains suitable. A colleague attending only Phase 1 should not remain counted in a Phase 2 car or room booking. Send the latest version of your plan through the journey enquiry form or the original WhatsApp conversation and state which earlier version it replaces.
A changeover day can be valuable for clarifying quotations and deciding next steps. It does not need to be filled with nominal appointments. If there are too few confirmed outside meetings, time for analysis and rest can be a better use of the gap. Hall access, supplier hosting, hotel storage and transport each have different decision-makers. Verify them separately instead of buying a tidy-looking package that assumes all four are guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit Phase 2 early on 20–22 October?
Must I stay in Guangzhou throughout a two-phase trip?
Will an exhibitor certainly receive me at a factory during changeover?
Can I book a car for all three gap days before suppliers reply?
Can I reuse the same pickup point in the next phase?
Turn confirmed meetings into a workable road plan
Send the outside-venue addresses and next-phase return plan so we can assess an appropriate vehicle itinerary.
- Phases attended and road-travel dates
- Each confirmed meeting address, time and host
- Hotel plan, luggage and final destination
- Passengers, split groups and standby requirements
Opening the link prepares a message. You choose whether to send it, then obtain written confirmation of the itinerary and quote.
Sources and scope
- Canton Fair 140th official phase dates
The three formal exhibition periods and venue Specific events and supplier meetings require separate checks · Checked 2026-10-01
- 140th organiser notice naming changeover intervals
20–22 and 28–30 October are changeover closure periods Does not set factory or hotel opening rules · Checked 2026-10-01
- Official buyer information
Buyer and exhibitor information channel A supplier must confirm an individual visit · Checked 2026-10-01