How to Use Didi in China: English App Guide (2026)

The three ways to book a ride

Official guidance lists three ways for foreign travelers to book rides: Alipay, WeChat and Didi-Greater China. Providers, vehicles and payment options can differ between them and between bookings.

Set up one booking option before landing and keep a second available as a backup. You do not need every app. The table below shows where to find each service and how payment works.

Set up Didi before you land

Download Didi-Greater China from your official app store and register with a foreign phone number and international card. The government guide confirms this option for foreign visitors. Complete setup at home, where you can more easily deal with network or bank-verification problems. Screens, country selectors and identity requests vary by device and app version.

Official taxi guidance describes the Didi app as available in English, and the Shanghai municipal tutorial illustrates a language setting. Menu names can move between versions, so use the current app's language setting rather than treating an older tap path as permanent.

Keep the registered number active throughout the trip so you can use it if the account needs verification or recovery.

Book your first ride

Enter the pickup point first, then the destination. Move the pickup pin to your exact location before confirming, because a pin dropped at a terminal exit or a hotel's back door sends the driver to the wrong meeting point.

The government guide names Express, Taxi, Premier and Luxe as examples of service choices. Availability and the meaning of each tier can change by city and app version, so compare the vehicle description and price shown for the actual booking.

Before confirming, check the vehicle and estimated fare. Compare other service types if the first quote looks expensive.

Pay without a Chinese number

Payment is linked to the card you added during setup, not to a Chinese phone number. The official guide confirms international bank cards are supported, and the fare is charged through the app rather than a cash exchange with the driver.

The card issuer still decides whether to approve each charge. Enable overseas online payments on your card before leaving, and keep a physical card and some RMB cash as an independent fallback if the in-app charge is declined.

If you book through the Alipay or WeChat entry instead of the Didi app, the payment runs through the wallet you already set up there. This is a useful second path when the standalone Didi app has trouble on your device.

• Link the card in your own name; the driver is not the person to ask about a declined payment.
• Keep the issuing bank's verification method accessible for any approval prompt.
• Carry RMB cash for a metered taxi fallback, since not every street taxi takes cards.

When the driver calls you in Chinese

A driver may call to confirm the pickup point, and you should not assume the call can continue in English. When the current booking screen offers a contact or message option, use it; otherwise show the saved Chinese address to airport, hotel or station staff who can help with the call.

Prepare this before the ride. Save your hotel name and address in Chinese offline, then paste or show it when the driver calls. A short prepared message such as 'I do not speak Chinese; please send a message' gives the driver a clear request, but exact contact options depend on the current app and trip state.

Keep payment codes, login codes and control of your phone private. A driver does not need them to complete a ride.

Street taxis and the 95128 hotline

You can still hail a taxi by waving at one showing a vacant sign, but the official guidance warns a street taxi may already be on the way to an app-booked passenger and may not stop. Online booking is recommended for reliability.

In many cities, 95128 provides taxi booking by phone for people who cannot or prefer not to use an app. If the app fails or your card is declined, try the hotline or a street taxi, which will generally take RMB cash.

Use an official taxi rank at airports and large stations rather than accepting a ride from someone who approaches you inside the arrivals hall. An unlicensed driver cannot offer the same protections as a metered taxi or an app booking.

Safety checks before you get in

Enable location services so the app and driver can find your exact position. Then, before opening the door, match the license plate and the driver shown in the app with the car in front of you.

Official taxi guidance recommends checking the plate and driver information and using official or well-known platforms. Cancel and rebook if the car or driver differs from the booking.

Inside the car, follow the route shown on your own phone rather than a driver's suggested detour. A meter or an agreed app price should be the only fare discussion.

• Match the plate and driver photo before entering.
• Use only the official app or a known taxi rank to start the ride.
• Keep your phone charged and your destination address available offline.