What does 'Drive for Four Days, Rest for Four Days' in Guangzhou mean?

[MacLeo]

Guangzhou's 'Drive for Four Days, Rest for Four Days' policy means that non-Guangzhou registered medium and small passenger vehicles entering the central area of Guangzhou cannot drive continuously for more than 4 days, and must wait at least 4 days before entering again. The supporting measures of this traffic control policy can maximize the normal use of out-of-town vehicles, with minimal impact on weekend travel needs. As long as travelers adjust their travel time (avoiding driving for 4 consecutive weekdays), they can achieve the effect of free travel on weekends. Compared with control measures that only apply on weekdays, this policy is more flexible and lenient, while also avoiding regular concentrated vehicle travel on weekends.

[StCassandra]

I encountered the 'four-day driving, four-day resting' rule when driving from Shenzhen to Guangzhou for a business trip. Simply put, non-local license plates can only drive in the central areas of Guangzhou for four consecutive days, followed by four days where they must stay out of the controlled zones. These four days start counting from the first day you enter Guangzhou. For example, if you drive from Monday to Thursday, you must stop from Friday to the following Monday and can only re-enter on Tuesday. The central areas include core districts like Tianhe and Yuexiu, and the exact boundaries depend on the traffic management's designated map. This policy is mainly aimed at alleviating congestion, as rush hours would otherwise be filled with non-local vehicles. A colleague of mine forgot the rule and drove into Tianhe on the fifth day, got caught by surveillance, and was penalized with 3 points deducted and a 200 yuan fine. It's advisable to check the driving calendar on the Guangzhou Traffic Police's official WeChat account in advance or use navigation apps to avoid restricted areas. Statutory holidays are not counted under this rule, so you can drive freely during the Spring Festival and National Day holidays.

[VonJoshua]

Last time I went on a self-driving trip to Guangzhou, I was completely confused by the 'Drive Four Days, Stop Four Days' rule. As an out-of-town car owner, this rule means you can drive into Guangzhou's core area (including highways passing through the city) for four consecutive days, but then you must stay out of the controlled area for four full days. The four-day stop starts from the early morning of the fifth day, and even entering the outer ring road during this period is not allowed. I found that many people trip up on the timing calculation—for example, if you enter the city on the 1st, you can drive from the 1st to the 4th, but must stop completely from the 5th to the 8th. Transportation hubs like Baiyun Airport and Guangzhou South Railway Station are not part of the controlled area, so you can go there during the stop period. The key is to set your navigation to avoid restricted zones, otherwise, you'll get 9 points deducted after being caught three times. Now I use a WeChat mini-program to record my entry times, which works really well.

[Zoey]

The 'Four On, Four Off' policy targets non-Yue A licensed medium and small passenger vehicles. The control period is during morning and evening rush hours daily, but on the four off days, entry is prohibited all day. The key is the consecutive calculation based on natural days: the first day of entering Guangzhou counts as Day 1, and the vehicle must leave before midnight on Day 4. Violations incur cumulative penalty points and fines—entering on the fifth day results in one penalty, and entering again on the sixth day incurs another. Exceptions include special vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks, as well as vehicles on official government business. It is advised that out-of-town car owners park their vehicles in Panyu or Zengcheng on off days and use the subway to enter the city center. Major roads like Guangzhou Avenue and Dongfeng Road are within the restricted zones, so always check the traffic restriction map before heading out.

[NadiaLynn]

A friend working in Zhujiang New Town said this policy is very practical. The 'Drive Four Days, Rest Four Days' rule has reduced peak-hour traffic congestion by 20% by regulating non-local vehicles. The specific rule requires non-local license plates to take a four-day break after four consecutive days of entering the city, while local Yue A plates are unaffected. The key point is that the rest period must be four full days: for example, if you drive in on Friday, Saturday and Sunday count as driving days, so you must stop on Monday. Many people mistakenly think weekends don't count and end up being fined. Although Chimelong Resort is relatively remote, it's on the edge of the controlled zone, so overnight guests should pay attention. I recommend using the Traffic Management 12123 APP to link your license plate for automatic reminders of remaining driving days.

[DiJoshua]

The 'Four-On, Four-Off' policy essentially alleviates congestion by restricting the frequency of non-local vehicle access. Non-Guangdong licensed vehicles can enter controlled zones for a maximum of four consecutive calendar days, followed by a mandatory four-day ban. Even a 10-second entry into the inner ring road during the off days counts as a violation. Since its implementation in 2018, the policy has reduced non-local vehicle road occupancy by 15%. A key detail: cross-city commuters can only drive into Guangzhou for 3-4 days weekly – those living in Foshan are advised to switch to the Guangfo Metro Line. The policy is temporarily suspended during the Canton Fair, so visiting merchants needn't worry. Checking real-time control zone maps is most reliable; don't trust outdated online information.