How to Use Ride Hailing in China
Set up a supported booking route, place the pickup pin correctly, verify the car, and keep an official taxi fallback.
Set up one supported ride-hailing route before the first urgent trip. Save the destination in Chinese and place the pickup pin where a car can legally stop. After a driver accepts, match the full plate, vehicle, and driver details in the live order before entering. If anything differs, do not board; use in-app support or the official taxi queue.
Do the three steps
Street pickup contextThe pickup pin is a physical place, not just a map marker
Confirm the pickup side, destination, plate, and vehicle before entering the car.
Prepare one booking route and verify every live order.
Set up the account and payment before the first urgent ride. Use a Chinese destination, confirm the legal pickup point, and match the full plate, vehicle, and driver before entering.
Do these three things
These three actions cover the normal path. Special cases and deeper detail follow below.
- 1
Set up one supported route
Register, secure account recovery, confirm phone access, and prepare an independent payment fallback.
- 2
Save pickup and destination
Keep the exact Chinese address and place the pickup pin at the correct gate, road side, level, or numbered zone.
- 3
Match the live order
Compare the full plate, vehicle, and driver details before entering, then keep the order open until drop-off.
Use the route with the clearest pickup and support path
The same app can feel simple on a normal street and difficult inside a large airport or railway station.
App-based pickup
Use when the pin, road side, destination, vehicle, and payment are clear in the live order.
Designated ride-hailing zone
Follow terminal signs and the app to the exact parking level, gate, or numbered pickup area.
Official taxi queue
Use the staffed queue when data, account access, payment, or the pickup location is unreliable.
You are ready when...
- The booking account opens on the connection you will use in China.
- Key destinations and pickup landmarks are saved in Chinese.
- You know where the live order shows the full plate, vehicle, driver, and support route.
- A second payment method and the first official taxi fallback are ready.
Special cases and detailed steps
These sections cover device, account, booking, and travel-day conditions outside the normal path.
Choose one supported booking route before arrival
The current government guide lists Alipay, WeChat, and DiDi-Greater China as ride-hailing routes for foreign visitors. It says the DiDi route supports registration with foreign mobile numbers and international credit cards, subject to the current product prompts.
Use the official app-store listing or a clearly identified service inside the payment app. Complete registration and recovery while your normal number and bank support are available.
Put the pickup pin where the car can actually stop
The blue location dot is not always a usable pickup point. Confirm the road side, gate, building entrance, level, and any numbered zone. Airports, railway stations, malls, and major attractions can require a designated ride-hailing area away from the main arrivals door.
Keep a short Chinese pickup note or landmark ready. Use in-app messaging when available and avoid moving far from the pin without updating the order.
Check the Chinese destination before requesting the car
Paste the exact venue, hotel, station, airport, or terminal name in Chinese. Compare the map pin with the street address and avoid using only a translated brand name when several branches exist.
Review the estimated route, service type, payment method, and any toll or waiting notice shown before confirming. The live app, not an old guide, controls the actual quote and terms.
Match the live order before entering the vehicle
Compare the full license plate, vehicle description, and driver details shown in the active order. Ask the driver to confirm the destination or order rather than volunteering unnecessary personal information.
Do not enter a different car because someone knows the destination or claims the assigned driver changed. Cancel or use support through the official order if the vehicle details do not match.
Keep the order open until payment and drop-off are complete
Keep the trip route visible and use any current in-app safety, emergency, or trip-sharing feature that is available to your account. For an immediate threat or emergency, use local emergency services rather than relying only on app support.
At drop-off, confirm that the trip ended and the intended payment method was charged. Save the order before closing the app if you may need a receipt, support request, or lost-item report.
If something does not work
Match the issue to one recovery step, then move to the backup when time matters.
The driver cannot find the pickup point.
Send the saved Chinese landmark, confirm the numbered zone or level, and move the pin only if you can reach the new point safely.
The plate or vehicle does not match.
Do not enter. Check the live order, cancel or contact support through the official route, and move to a staffed area if needed.
The in-app payment fails.
Read the app and bank message once, then use the approved backup shown by the platform or switch to the official taxi queue.
An airport pickup is impossible to locate.
Follow airport signs to the designated ride-hailing zone or abandon the order and use the staffed official taxi queue.
You leave an item in the car.
Open the completed order and use its lost-item or support route immediately. Keep the order number and trip details.
If the driver, vehicle, payment, or pickup does not match the live order, do not board. Cancel or use in-app support from a staffed area, then move to the official taxi queue when needed.
Sources and currentnessReviewed 13 Jul 2026; next review due 13 Aug 2026
Recheck when it matters: App names, registration prompts, supported cards, service classes, pickup zones, safety tools, and support routes can change by account, city, and device. Follow the live order and local signage.
- Guide to Working and Living in China, 2025 editionThe State Council and Ministry of Commerce
- DiDi passenger safety system and supportDiDi Global
- Payment service guide for overseas visitorsThe State Council of the People's Republic of China
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners use DiDi in China?
The current government guide says DiDi-Greater China supports registration with foreign mobile numbers and international credit cards. Actual prompts and card approval still depend on the account and issuer.
Do I need a Chinese phone number for ride hailing?
Not necessarily. The official guide describes foreign-number registration for DiDi-Greater China. Keep roaming or in-app messaging available in case the driver needs to contact you.
How do I know the correct car has arrived?
Match the full plate, vehicle, and driver details with the active order before entering. Do not accept a substitute vehicle that is not reflected in the app.
Can a ride-hailing car pick me up at the airport arrivals door?
Often the airport uses a separate designated pickup area. Follow the terminal's current signs and app instructions, or use the official taxi queue.