Just did it a while back. It's a 2-1/2 (at 140 klicks/hour in the middle of the night when we did it) to 3 1/2 to 4 hour evolution during the day (according to the driver). We were picked up at the hotel. You never have to leave the van when going through immigration at the border - the driver took care of all of the paperwork/interaction with the immigration folks. At least that process was very easy. Even stopped just over the border for a head call.
However, while the Holiday Inn in Guangzhou is nice enough, it is in a lousy part of town. Not a restaurant within a mile of the hotel that I felt comfortable with eating at. Especially after seeing the live chickens, ducks, snakes, turtles, and penned up dogs at the market nearby. The free executive lounge at the hotel and Micky D's (which I hate!) down the walking mall were the food choices. There's got to be a better hotel location than this in a city the size of Guangzhou. And yes, a pilot ops report is on the way about the hotel.
How the company is going to deal with the HKG-based guys is anyone's guess. How long ago did they open the domicile? But, if they're not picking you up at your door in HKG and driving you to crew rest in CAN, then it's a screw job - it's a long, tiring ride. Good luck.
Last edited by hyperone; 01-10-2009 at 03:36 PM.