Quick answer
- In big Chinese cities, the easiest way to get a car is to book it on your phone. You have three options: the DiDi app, which works in English, or the ride-hailing services built into Alipay and WeChat. Street taxis are still everywhere and use a meter. This guide covers how to set each one up, what taxis really cost, and how to avoid the touts at airports.
Your options at a glance
| Option | Good for | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| DiDi app ("DiDi China: Ride Hailing") | Most trips, with an English interface | Foreign phone number and an international bank card |
| Alipay → Transport → Taxi | If you already use Alipay to pay | Alipay account with a linked card |
| WeChat → Me → Services → Mobility / DiDi | If you already use WeChat Pay | WeChat Pay set up |
| Street taxi | Short trips, or when your phone is dead | Cash or mobile payment |
| Phone booking, 95128 | Backup option in many cities | A phone and some Chinese |
Sources: Weihai Municipal Government; China Daily government services.
Option 1: the DiDi app in English
DiDi's App Store listing says the app offers an English interface with global mobile number login, in-app chat with English/Chinese translation, payment with international bank cards, and 24/7 in-app English customer service (App Store). DiDi also says English users get the same drivers and the same pricing as Chinese-language users (DiDi EN).
Set it up before you fly:
- Install "DiDi China: Ride Hailing", made by 滴滴出行(北京)网络平台技术有限公司. Several apps have similar names, so check the developer.
- Switch the language to English in settings.
- Register with your home mobile number. You'll need to receive an SMS code, so keep roaming on or have your SIM handy.
- Add an international bank card under payment.
- Save your hotel address in Chinese. Bilingual address search helps, but having the Chinese name and address is much more reliable. Our Amap vs Apple Maps guide shows how to copy an address in Chinese.
Booking a ride:
- Turn on location services so the app can find you (China Daily).
- Enter your destination and pick a service, such as Express, Taxi, Premier or Luxe (Weihai).
- Go to the exact pickup pin. At big stations and malls, pickup points are often set locations.
- Check the licence plate and driver details before you get in (China Daily).
- Pay in the app when you arrive.
Option 2: inside Alipay or WeChat
If you already set up Alipay or WeChat Pay (see our Alipay & WeChat Pay guide), you don't need another app:
- Alipay: open Alipay → Transport → Taxi → enter pickup and destination.
- WeChat: open WeChat → Me → Services → scroll to Mobility or Ride Hailing / DiDi → enter your addresses.
Both routes are described by the Weihai government and China Daily. Payment comes from whatever your wallet uses.
Option 3: street taxis
Wave down a taxi showing a vacant sign and tell the driver where you're going (have the Chinese address ready). Not every empty taxi will stop. Some are on the way to pick up an app booking, so for a tight schedule, book ahead (China Daily).
What taxis officially cost (two examples):
| Beijing | Shanghai | |
|---|---|---|
| Flag fall | ¥13 for the first 3 km | ¥14 (standard car) or ¥16 (Touran / Roewe Ei5) for the first 3 km |
| Per km after that | ¥2.3 | ¥2.7 |
| Long trips | +50% on the per-km rate beyond 15 km | +50% on the per-km rate beyond 15 km |
| Night | +20% on the per-km rate, 23:00–05:00 | +30% on flag fall and per-km rate, 23:00–05:00 |
| Other | ¥1 fuel surcharge per trip; tolls paid by passenger | Holiday surcharges (¥10 per trip at Spring Festival, ¥5 at Labour Day and National Day) |
Sources: Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport; Shanghai Airport Authority taxi page. Other cities set their own fares (check locally).
Airports: use the official taxi queue
Licensed airport taxis wait in a signed taxi rank outside arrivals. At Shanghai Pudong, the rank is outside Arrivals Gate 12 at Terminal 1 and Arrivals Gate 26 at Terminal 2, and it runs 24 hours (Shanghai Airport Authority).
The rule is simple: ignore anyone who comes up to you offering a ride inside the terminal or car park. Shanghai's transport enforcement team runs regular crackdowns at Pudong on "illegal touting and illegal passenger transport" (非法拉客、非法客运), covering departure levels and car parks (Shanghai Transport Commission). Unlicensed cars have no meter, no receipt and no insurance trail.
Scams and how to avoid them
- Touts and "black cars" (黑车): private cars with no taxi sign, usually found near arrivals. Walk on to the official rank or your DiDi pickup point.
- "No meter, fixed price": licensed taxis charge by the meter under city rules. Ask for the meter (打表), or get out before the car moves.
- Wrong car: always compare the plate with your app before getting in.
- Off-app payment requests: pay app rides in the app.
- Keep evidence: plate number, time and receipt (发票). Complaints go to 12328, the transport service hotline that handles city passenger transport including taxis. In some cities it has been merged into the 12345 city hotline (Ministry of Transport rules).
FAQ
Can I use DiDi with a foreign phone number?
Yes. DiDi's App Store listing says it supports login with global mobile numbers and payment with international bank cards.
Is DiDi in English more expensive?
No. DiDi says English users get the same drivers and the same pricing as Chinese-language users.
Do I need the DiDi app if I have Alipay?
No. Alipay has ride-hailing under Transport → Taxi, and WeChat has it under Me → Services.
How much is a taxi in Beijing?
The official fare is ¥13 for the first 3 km, then ¥2.3 per km, plus a ¥1 fuel surcharge. There are surcharges for night trips and trips over 15 km.
How do I avoid airport taxi scams?
Only use the signed taxi rank or your app pickup point. Turn down anyone who approaches you inside the terminal.
Sources
- apps.apple.com — didi china ride hailing/id554499054
- dpubstatic.udache.com — fed948b6261816e514ab747a3397ea0f/index.html
- rsj.weihai.gov.cn — 11/art 45707 5641225.html
- govt.chinadaily.com.cn — WS689ed200498edec913ce0dc4/how to take a taxi in china.html
- jtw.beijing.gov.cn — 202303/t20230310 2933641.html
- shanghaiairport.com — czc/index.html
- jtw.sh.gov.cn — 20231220/62f7047e558f4fd5bf469ea02174c23a.html
- xxgk.mot.gov.cn — 202109/t20210930 3620504.html
Last checked 12 November 2026. Rules and app menus change; if something's outdated, let us know.
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