The 140th Canton Fair at a glance: Phase 2, Phase 3 and the gap days

At a glance

• Phase 2 "Quality Home" (品质家居): Oct 23-27. Phase 3 "Better Life" (美好生活): Oct 31-Nov 4. Oct 28-30 is a changeover period and the halls are closed to buyers.
• Venue: China Import and Export Fair Complex (中国进出口商品交易会展馆), No. 382 Yuejiang Zhong Road, Haizhu District (海珠区阅江中路382号), split into Areas A, B, C and D.
• Hall numbers tell you the Area: A = Halls 1-8, B = Halls 9-13, C = Halls 14-16 (south of Xingang Dong Road), D = Halls 17-20, plus the Friendship Hall 21.2.
• Hours: the official General Information page lists 9:30-18:00 daily alongside the Phase 2 and Phase 3 dates. The only official 140th buyer guide available is for Phase 1 (also 9:30-18:00). Last admission and final-day closing time for Oct 27 and Nov 4 are not confirmed.
• The product mix changes completely between phases. One overseas buyer badge works for all phases, so choose the phase by product, not by date.
• Scale: about 75,700 booths and 32,000+ exhibitors across roughly 1.55 million square metres for the whole 140th edition.
• Buyer numbers: Phase 1 actually recorded 189,000 overseas buyers from 214 countries and regions (+13.3% year on year). The "340,000 buyers" figure you may see is a whole-fair forecast, not a count.

1. The calendar: what happens on which day

Notes for planning:

• Phase 2 booth dismantling preparation is reported to start after 19:30 on Oct 27, and temporary truck parking for teardown runs from 19:30 on Oct 26 to 19:30 on Oct 27. These are exhibitor logistics, but they tell you the last evening of Phase 2 will be busy with trucks around the complex.
• For Phase 3, temporary cargo-truck parking is scheduled from 19:30 on Nov 3 to 18:00 on Nov 4.
• The gap days are not a mini-fair. Treat Oct 28-30 as your window for factory visits, sample shipping, rest or sightseeing (covered in other chapters).
• Pre-registration is open year-round online, so you can register for Phase 3 during Phase 2 or the gap days.

2. Opening hours: what is confirmed and what is not

Confirmed or close to confirmed

• The official Canton Fair General Information page (undated, live for the 140th) gives the Phase 2 and Phase 3 dates with opening hours of 9:30-18:00.
• The official 140th Buyer Guide that could be read is the Phase 1 edition, which states 9:30-18:00 for Oct 15-19. No Phase 2 or Phase 3 guide attachment was found on the official landing page as of Oct 21.
• Several 140th Chinese-language guides repeat 9:30-18:00 for Phase 2 and Phase 3. These are secondary and agree with the official page.
• A marketing infographic posted Oct 15 also prints "daily 9:30-18:00" and the changeover windows Oct 20-22 and Oct 28-30. It adds nothing new on last admission or the final day.

Reported but not confirmed for Phase 2 and 3

• Badge entry times: the official spring 2026 badge regulations say buyer badges enter from 9:30 and exhibitor badges from 9:00. These are spring rules used here as a fallback.
• Badge desks reportedly start around 8:30 (one travel guide); one note author replied that badge collection runs 8:30-18:00. Treat both as unverified.
• Last entry: one marketing source says turnstiles stop admitting 30 minutes before closing (17:30); a Phase 3 guide says halls start clearing 30 minutes before close. Neither is an official 140th notice.

Not confirmed: the final day of each phase (Oct 27 and Nov 4)

• No official 140th notice states an earlier close on the last day.
• Signals that the last day winds down earlier: the fair-to-Liuhua Road custom bus runs 15:00-19:00 on days 1-4 but 13:00-17:00 on day 5. This is a bus timetable, not proof of hall closing time.
• The Phase 3 sources disagree: one says dismantling starts immediately after closing on Nov 4, another that dismantling must be finished by 18:00 on Nov 4. Both cannot be fully right.
• A social media comment claims "the final day is free". It gives no badge type or source; ignore it. Entry always needs a real-name badge.

Practical rule: put must-have meetings on days 1-4 of your phase (Oct 23-26 or Oct 31-Nov 3), and use day 5 for follow-ups that can move. See Chapter 4 for last-day tactics.

3. Product sections by phase

Phase 2, Oct 23-27 (Quality Home)

The 14 product sections on the official section list: Building and Decorative Materials (建筑及装饰材料); Furniture (家具); Sanitary and Bathroom Equipment (卫浴设备); Kitchenware and Tableware (餐厨用具); General Ceramics (日用陶瓷); Clocks, Watches and Optical Instruments (钟表眼镜); Festival Products (节日用品); Art Ceramics (工艺陶瓷); Gardening Products (园林用品); Household Items (家居用品); Gifts and Premiums (礼品及赠品); Home Decorations (家居装饰品); Glass Artware (玻璃工艺品); Weaving, Rattan and Iron Products (编织及藤铁工艺品).

Also in Phase 2:

• Fashion Jewelry zone in the Area D Friendship Hall 21.2 (natural jade, synthetic gems, precious-metal jewellery).
• Prefab houses and courtyard facilities in outdoor Halls 9.0, 12.0 and 13.0.
• International Pavilion in Hall 2.1.
• New zones reported for this edition: bamboo and wood homeware, bamboo tableware, prefab houses and garden facilities, and fashion accessories.
• One marketing source describes three Phase 2 mega-sectors (building materials and furniture, household goods, gifts and decorations) of 130,000+ square metres each.

Phase 3, Oct 31-Nov 4 (Better Life)

The 21 sections on the official section list: Personal Care Products; Toiletries (浴室用品); Medicines, Health Products and Medical Devices; Pet Products and Food; Children, Baby and Maternity Products; Toys; Kids' Wear; Men and Women's Clothing; Sports and Casual Wear; Underwear; Furs, Leather, Downs and Related Products; Fashion Accessories and Fittings; Home Textiles; Textile Raw Materials and Fabrics; Carpets and Tapestries; Shoes; Office Supplies; Cases and Bags; Sports, Travel and Recreation Products; Food; Traditional Chinese Specialties (乡村振兴特色产品).

Also in Phase 3:

• Smart Healthcare zone in the Area D Friendship Hall 21.2 (surgical robots, AI diagnostics, smart wearables, health monitoring).
• International Pavilion in Halls 11.2 and 15.1.
• New zones reported: functional/technical fabrics and smart healthcare.

Where the phase boundary trips people up

• Finished furniture and decorative materials are reported in Phase 2. Woodworking machinery and industrial furniture hardware were in Phase 1 (already over).
• Toys are Phase 3, not Phase 2. One social media note put toys and baby products in Phase 2; the official hall map places toys in Area D Phase 3.
• Some "home" categories are split across phases: sanitary and bathroom equipment is Phase 2 (Halls 9.1-11.1) while toiletries/bathroom products are Phase 3 (Hall 9.1); household items and home decorations are Phase 2 while home textiles and carpets are Phase 3.
• You cannot see all three phases on one day; each phase shows different products.

4. Hall-by-hall layout by Area

How to read a hall label: the number before the dot is the hall, and the hall number tells you the Area (for example, anything starting 10. is Area B). Labels such as 5.1Y or 1.1Y are printed exactly like that on the official map; the "Y" suffix is not explained anywhere, so check the official map or app for its location.

Phase 2 (Oct 23-27): official hall map

Phase 2 in one line per Area: A is tableware, ceramics, festive and garden; B is building materials, bathroom and furniture; C is glass and household items; D is home decor, gifts, clocks/eyewear and jewellery. A Xiaohongshu area summary from September agrees with this split. A reading of the 140th Phase 2 layout diagram (reposted Sep 12) corroborates the listed hall groups on the official map: bathroom on the ground floor of Area B (9.1-11.1), furniture on the upper floors (9.3, 10.2, 10.3, 11.3), kitchenware on Area A 2F (1.2-5.2), gifts on Area D 2F (17.2-20.2), home decorations on Area D 1F (17.1-20.1), glass in Area C Halls 14.1/14.2/15.1/15.2, and household items in 14.3/14.4/15.2/15.3/15.4/16.2/16.3/16.4. The shared 15.2 label is printed for both categories; check the booth map rather than assuming separate floors.

Phase 3 (Oct 31-Nov 4): official hall map

Phase 3 in one line per Area: A is clothing, shoes, carpets and accessories; B is food, pet, personal care, medical, stationery and sports; C is textiles and fabrics; D is toys, baby, bags and smart healthcare. The Phase 3 layout diagram (reposted Sep 12) matches too: food in 10.2-13.2, pets and toiletries in 9.1, stationery in 9.3/10.3/11.3, medical in 9.2/10.2; fabrics in Area C Halls 14.4/15.4/16.3/16.4; bags on Area D 2F and toys on Area D 1F.

Cross-check from a Douyin video's on-screen hall map (Oct 13): it shows Phase 2 furniture 9.3/10.2/10.3/11.3, sanitary 9.1/10.1/11.1, glass 14.1/14.2/15.1/15.2, woven/rattan/iron 4.0/8.0, gifts 17.2-20.2, and Phase 3 food 10.2/11.2/12.2/13.2, bags 17.2-20.2, carpets 5.2. All of these match the official map, but the on-screen text is garbled and its edition is uncertain.

Landmarks inside the complex (from a site map posted Oct 13)

These come from third-party reposts, not official pages. The service and layout details are clear; the site-map legend is less clear, and whether these services run unchanged in Phase 2 and Phase 3 is not confirmed.

• Registration Hall (登录大厅) with the Overseas Buyer Registration Office, between Area D and Area A.
• Central Platform (中央平台) between Areas A and B; a New Product Debut zone is reported on its west side.
• Comprehensive Service Center (综合服务中心) at the west end of Area D; Canton Fair Convention Center (广交会会议中心) north of the D/A junction.
• The Westin Pazhou and Courtyard Pazhou sit in Canton Fair Towers A and B, south of Area C.
• Area C has its own Overseas Buyer Registration Office on 1F, next to Halls 14.1/15.1, so you do not have to walk to the Registration Hall if you arrive at Area C.
• An elevated walkway, the Central Flyover (中央天桥), links Area B and Area C over Xingang Dong Road. See Chapter 13 for the full gate and exit table.

5. Buyer numbers: what is a count and what is a forecast

How to read this: do not add 189,000 to 340,000. The 189,000 is a Phase 1 head count; the 340,000 is a forecast for all three phases. No Phase 2 or Phase 3 attendance figure exists yet. One video caption gives the forecast as "208 countries" and another as "196"; the difference is unexplained.

6. Which phase suits which buyer

This is guidance built from the hall lists above, not an official recommendation. Buyers on Reddit asking "do people do all three phases?" were told to attend the phase that matches their industry.

Buyers who need both phases (for example a hotel or home-project buyer who wants furniture and bathroom fittings in Phase 2 and home textiles and carpets in Phase 3): your badge is valid for both, and the three gap days in between are the natural slot for factory visits.

Fairs running alongside (separate events, separate registration, not part of the Canton Fair):

• Guzhen Lighting Fair, Zhongshan, reported Oct 22-25 (relevant for lighting and home buyers before Phase 2; dates unverified on the official channel).
• Inspiration Expo Center (Zhongdai Plaza, No. 628 Xingangdong Road): a garden, home and artificial plants fair concurrent with Phase 2 (spring-edition marketing), and the Asia Luggage and Leather Goods Fair Oct 30-Nov 2, opposite Area D. The luggage fair charges 200 RMB at the gate if you did not pre-register online.
• Guangzhou International Fashion and Lifestyle Fair at PWTC Expo, Oct 30-Nov 2, opening a day before Phase 3.

Do / Don't

Do

• Check your product category against the hall tables above before booking flights.
• Book key meetings for days 1-4 of your phase.
• Pre-register before your Phase 3 visit; registration is year-round.

Don't

• Don't plan to "see the fair" on Oct 28-30: halls are closed to buyers.
• Don't rely on social media phase lists; at least one puts toys in the wrong phase.
• Don't quote 340,000 as an attendance count.

Still to confirm

• Final-day hours (Oct 27, Nov 4): not stated in any official 140th source. The custom bus switches to 13:00-17:00 on day 5; Phase 3 sources disagree on whether dismantling starts after closing or must finish by 18:00. Check the official app or 365 site notices the day before.
• Last admission: 17:30 is a marketing claim; no official Phase 2 or Phase 3 statement.
• Phase 2/3 official buyer guide: only the Phase 1 PDF was available. Badge entry 9:30 is from spring 2026 rules.
• Art Ceramics hall (9.2): needs a clean official confirmation. A Phase 2 layout image also prints 9.2, which strengthens but does not replace the official check.
• Phase 2 glass versus household items: both include Hall 15.2 in the official map and the layout image. Earlier shorthand "lower floors" versus "upper floors" is not a clean separation; use exact halls and booth numbers.
• "Y" hall labels (1.1Y-5.1Y): not explained anywhere.
• Address No. 382 vs No. 380 Yuejiang Zhong Road: two Xiaohongshu sources say 380; official-leaning sources say 382. Use 382 plus the gate number (Chapter 3).
• Buyer totals: 340,000 (forecast; 196 or 208 countries) vs 310,000 (Hotel Association) vs 300,000+ (guide). Only the Phase 1 count (189,000) is an actual figure.
• Floor area: 1.55 million sqm (exhibition space for this edition) vs 1.62 million sqm (total construction area of the complex) are different measures, not a conflict.

Official sources

• Phase 2 is Oct 23–27, 2026; Phase 3 Oct 31–Nov 4; changeover Oct 28–30 (also Oct 20–22).
• Phase 2 C: Glass Artware 14.1/14.2/15.1/15.2; Household Items 14.3/14.4/15.2/15.3/15.4/16.2/16.3/16.4. D: Home Decorations 17.1–20.1; clo...
• Official Buyer Guide landing page currently exposes Phase 1 PDF only in readable extraction; no Phase 2/3 attachment found here. Therefor...
• Phase1 opening hours explicitly 9:30–18:00 October15–19. Guide says delivered food/drinks may not enter. This is current edition but only...
• Phase 2 Area A: Festival 1.1/6.1/6.0; General Ceramics 2.1/3.1/4.1/5.1/5.1Y; Gardening 6.1/7.1/8.1/8.0; Kitchenware 1.2–5.2 plus 1.1Y–4.1...
• Phase 2 B: Bathroom 9.1/10.1/11.1; Building/Decoration 11.2/12.1/12.2/13.1/13.2; Furniture 9.3/10.2/10.3/11.3; Prefab houses 9.0/12.0/13....
• Phase 3 A: Kids clothing 1.1/1.1Y; mens/womens 1.1/2.1/3.1/4.1/5.1/2.1Y; sports/casual clothing 6.1/7.1/1.1Y; underwear 8.1/3.1Y; shoes 1...
• Phase 3 D: Toys 17.1/18.1/19.1; maternity/baby 20.1; bags/cases 17.2–20.2; Smart Healthcare Friendship Hall 21.2. C: home textiles 14.1/1...
• Phase 3 B: pets and bathroom each 9.1; personal care 10.1/11.1; sports/travel 11.1/12.1/13.1 plus outdoor 9.0/12.0/13.0; medical/health 9...
• Fair–Liuhua Rd custom bus boards Zhanchang Middle Rd: days 1–4 of each phase 15:00–19:00, day 5 13:00–17:00. This earlier final-day BUS t...
• New overseas buyers may preregister online year-round and obtain a free overseas-buyer badge remotely at Baiyun Airport, Guangzhou South,...
• 140th retains Phase 2 Fashion Jewelry and Phase 3 Smart Healthcare sections; app offers booth navigation, AI notes, ASKME, appointment/pl...