DiDi and Taxis in China for Foreign Visitors: Pickup, Payment and Backup Plans

DiDi is usually easy once the car is moving. The difficult part for a first-time visitor is often the pickup: a railway station may have several ride-hailing floors, an airport separates the DiDi zone from the taxi rank, and a divided road can place your driver on the opposite side.

Three practical ways to request a ride

China’s official visitor guide states that overseas visitors can use Alipay, WeChat or the DiDi Greater China app for ride hailing, and that DiDi supports registration with foreign mobile numbers and international credit cards. Actual issuer verification and product availability can still vary.

Set up before you depend on it

1. Register while you still have reliable internet.

2. Add a payment method and complete any verification prompt.

3. Allow location access only as needed for pickup.

4. Save your first hotel and key stations with Chinese names.

5. Take a screenshot of the hotel address for use in a legal taxi.

Choose the pickup point, not just your GPS dot

Your blue location dot is not always a legal stopping place. The app may direct you to a gate, basement, numbered bay or another side of the road. Compare the app with physical signs. At a station or airport, follow signs for ride hailing or online car-hailing before requesting the car.

• Check the road direction and median.

• Use a named entrance, hotel or shop when possible.

• At a large transport hub, read the floor, zone, letter and bay.

• Do not ask the driver to stop in a bus lane or restricted curb.

Confirm the correct vehicle

Match the license plate, vehicle color and model shown in the app. At a crowded pickup zone, do not enter a car because someone calls a destination name. If the plate does not match, use in-app support rather than negotiating a different ride.

Communicating when you do not speak Chinese

Use in-app text where translation is available. Send a short message such as “I am standing at Zone B, Bay 6” rather than a long explanation. If the driver calls, use the app’s quick message that you do not speak Chinese, then compare the live vehicle position with nearby signs.

Payment and price checks

For DiDi, review the displayed estimate, service tier, tolls and final app charge. For a street taxi, use the official rank and confirm the meter is used. Night surcharges, tolls and waiting time may legitimately change the fare, but an unsolicited fixed-price offer outside the official queue is a reason to step away.

Airport and railway station workflow

1. Connect to data before leaving the building.

2. Follow physical signs to the correct ride-hailing or taxi area.

3. Only then request the ride.

4. Check the exact zone and plate.

5. Keep luggage with you until the correct car is confirmed.

If you are exhausted, offline or unable to find the designated DiDi level, the official taxi queue may be the safer operational choice even when the fare is higher.

Troubleshooting

The driver is on the opposite side

Do not cross an unsafe road. Message the driver with a named gate or cancel and reset the pickup point on your side.

The driver keeps calling

Use the quick “I do not speak Chinese” message and send the bay or entrance in text. Ask nearby station staff for help only when necessary.

Your international card fails

Try another supported card or a ride service inside an already working payment app. Keep enough RMB cash for an official taxi, and check how the app handles an unpaid order before requesting another ride.

You cannot find the car

Compare the plate and live map, then check whether you are on the wrong floor or at the taxi rank instead of the ride-hailing zone. Do not wander away while the driver waits at a numbered bay.

Safety and privacy

• Share trip status with a trusted person when available.

• Do not send passport images to a driver.

• Use the app or official taxi complaint channel for disputes.

• Keep the vehicle plate until the trip and payment are resolved.

The correct pickup point matters more than perfect Chinese. Set up payment early, follow physical signs, confirm the plate and keep an official taxi as the offline backup.