DiDi (滴滴) is China’s dominant ride-hailing platform — think Uber but bigger, more integrated into daily Chinese life, and running in virtually every city in the country. For foreign visitors, it’s often the most practical way to get around, especially when you need to reach somewhere not on the metro, at odd hours, or when carrying luggage. The setup process has some friction, but once it’s working, DiDi is genuinely excellent.
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Setting Up DiDi as a Foreigner
There are two versions of the app to know about:
DiDi International is designed for foreign visitors and exists as a section within the main DiDi app. When you first open the app, it should detect your region and prompt you toward the international version, or you can look for the international mode toggle in settings.
The main DiDi app (Chinese version) has more features and a larger driver pool. If you register with a Chinese phone number (from a local SIM), you can use the full Chinese version without issues.
Registration Steps
- Download the DiDi app from the App Store or Google Play. The app is available globally.
- Sign up with your phone number. International phone numbers from most countries work — enter your country code and number. You’ll receive an SMS verification code.
- If SMS fails: Some international numbers don’t receive verification codes reliably. If this happens, try registering via email, or pick up a Chinese SIM card on arrival (around ¥50–¥100 at airport carrier booths) and register with that number.
- Add payment: DiDi accepts international Visa and Mastercard directly. Add your card in the payment section. Alternatively, link to PayPal or WeChat Pay/Alipay if you’ve set those up.
Some travelers find the app registration straightforward; others hit verification walls. If you’re having trouble, the workaround is simple: buy a tourist SIM card at your arrival airport.
Requesting a Ride
Once set up, requesting a DiDi works similarly to Uber:
- Open the app and set your destination — you can type in English, though Chinese names (in pinyin or characters) give more accurate results for some destinations.
- Choose your service type: Express (快车) is standard and cheapest. Premier and Luxury are higher-end vehicles. DiDi Taxi hails licensed taxis through the app.
- Confirm pickup location. This is crucial — the map pin needs to be accurate. Zoom in and make sure the pin is on the correct side of the road.
- Wait for driver acceptance and monitor the driver’s approach on the map.
Communicating with Drivers
Here’s the real challenge: most DiDi drivers in China outside major tourist areas speak no English at all. The app handles the destination, but pickup location confusion is common.
Practical solutions:
- Use the in-app messaging — DiDi has a translation feature in the chat that lets you type in English and sends a Chinese translation to the driver. It’s basic but functional.
- Screenshot your destination’s name in Chinese characters and show it to the driver when they arrive — useful as a double-confirmation.
- Drop a pin accurately — if you’re at a hotel, enter the hotel’s Chinese name; if you’re at a landmark, use the landmark directly. Vague addresses like “near the east gate” are harder for drivers to interpret.
- Use the voice call feature cautiously — without Mandarin, a voice call mostly just creates mutual confusion. Better to rely on in-app messaging.
- Learn these phrases:
- 我在这里 (Wǒ zài zhèlǐ) — “I’m here” — type this in messages
- 我在 [name of place] (Wǒ zài…) — “I’m at [place name]”
For hotels, showing the driver your hotel’s business card (most Chinese hotels give these out) is the most reliable solution.
Pricing vs Taxis
DiDi is generally competitive with metered taxis and occasionally cheaper. The key differences:
- DiDi uses surge pricing during high-demand periods (rain, rush hour, late night). Prices can rise 20–50%.
- Street taxis use a fixed meter regardless of demand.
- DiDi shows you the price before you book; taxis you pay whatever the meter says.
- Both add a highway toll if applicable.
As a rough guide: a 5 km city ride in DiDi Express costs approximately ¥15–¥25. A 15 km ride to an airport-adjacent area might be ¥45–¥80. These are similar to taxi rates.
DiDi Taxi (book a licensed taxi through DiDi) is a useful option when you want the security of a metered cab with the convenience of app booking and location sharing.
What to Do When a Driver Cancels
Driver cancellations happen — particularly in smaller cities where drivers may be less comfortable with foreign passengers, or if your pickup location seems confusing. If your driver cancels:
- Simply rebook — the next driver is usually unrelated to the issue.
- If you’re in a location that’s getting multiple cancellations (unusual address, confusing road layout), try moving to a main road and repointing the pickup pin.
- You can report excessive cancellations through the app feedback, though practically it rarely matters on a short visit.
Safety Features
DiDi has robust safety features, worth knowing:
- Real-time trip sharing: You can share your live trip status with a contact.
- Emergency button: In-app SOS connects to Chinese emergency services.
- Trip recording: Drivers are informed that the trip may be recorded for safety purposes.
For solo female travelers: DiDi has a women-specific safety mode (with female driver preference) available in the settings.
Alternatives to DiDi
Gaode Maps (高德地图 / Amap) has a built-in taxi/ride-hailing aggregator that calls multiple services including DiDi, Caocao, and local providers. It can sometimes find a driver faster than DiDi directly.
Meituan Taxi is another aggregator within the Meituan super-app — same idea.
Regular street taxis remain viable, especially for shorter city-center rides where there’s a busy taxi stand. The advantage is no app needed. The disadvantage is potential for fare disputes and no map-based pickup.
Shouqi (首汽) is a premium car service popular with business travelers, fully licensed, and accepts international cards. Pricier but reliable.