DiDi Complete Guide: China's Uber for Foreigners

What is DiDi?

DiDi Chuxing (滴滴出行) is China’s dominant ride-hailing service—think Uber, but with 70%+ market share in China. It’s essentially your only practical option for booking rides.

Detail	Info
Coverage	400+ cities in China
Hours	24/7
English Support	✅ Full support
Wait Time	1-5 min (urban), 5-15 min (suburban)

💡 Reality check: Hailing taxis on the street is nearly impossible in 2026 Shanghai. You need DiDi.

Setting Up DiDi

Step 1: Download

Store	Search
iOS	App Store → “DiDi”
Android	Google Play → “DiDi”

Step 2: Create Account

1. Open app
2. Enter your home country phone number (e.g., +1)
3. Enter SMS verification code
4. Account created

✅ No Chinese phone number needed!

Step 3: Switch to English

Account → Settings → Language → English

Step 4: Add Payment Method

Account → Wallet → Payment Methods → Add Card

Payment Method	Supported
Visa	✅
Mastercard	✅
JCB	✅
Diners Club	✅
Alipay	✅
WeChat Pay	✅
Cash	⚠️ Taxi only

💡 Pro tip: Enable “auto-pay without password” for rides under ¥500—much smoother.

Vehicle Types

Type	Description	Price
Express (快车)	Standard cars, most popular	💰
Comfort	Newer cars, higher-rated drivers	💰💰
Premier (专车)	Premium vehicles	💰💰💰
Luxe	Luxury vehicles	💰💰💰💰
Taxi (出租车)	Official taxis, cash OK	💰💰

💡 Express is the best value for most situations.

Fares

Base Rates (Shanghai)

Item	Fare
Base (Express)	¥12-15
Base (Taxi)	¥14-16
Per km	¥2.7
Waiting	¥60/hour
Late night (23:00-05:00)	+30%

Estimated Fares

Distance	Fare
5km (short)	¥15-25
10km (medium)	¥30-45
Airport → downtown	¥150-250

DiDi vs. Regular Taxi

Feature	DiDi Express	Street Taxi
Price	15-30% cheaper	Standard rate
Language	App translation	Chinese only
Payment	Auto-charge	Cash/mobile
Tracking	GPS real-time	❌

How to Book

1. Open App & Enter Destination

1. Open DiDi
2. Confirm your location (GPS auto-detect)
3. Enter destination

Destination tips:

• English addresses work
• Chinese address copy-paste is most accurate
• Famous places searchable in English (“The Bund”, “Yu Garden”)

2. Select Vehicle & Book

1. Choose vehicle type (Express recommended)
2. Review estimated fare
3. Tap Confirm
4. Wait for driver match

3. Board Your Ride

1. Check vehicle info in app:
   • Car model
   • License plate ⚠️
   • Driver photo/name/rating
2. Wait for driver arrival notification
3. Verify license plate before getting in
4. Tell driver last 4 digits of your phone (identity confirmation)

4. Arrival & Payment

1. Reach destination
2. Auto-payment (if set up)
3. Rate driver and tip (optional)

Airport Pickup

Pudong Airport

1. In arrivals, follow “网约车 Ride-hailing” signs
2. Find designated pickup zone number
3. Set pickup zone as your location in app
4. Book ride

Hongqiao Airport

1. Head to designated pickup area
2. Confirm location in app
3. Book ride

💡 Tip: Book 5-10 minutes before reaching the pickup zone!

Safety Features

DiDi has robust safety features for travelers:

Feature	Description
Real-time location sharing	Share trip with friends/family
Emergency contacts	Pre-registered contacts get alerts
One-tap police	Direct 110 connection
Number masking	Driver can’t see your real number
In-car recording	Automatic audio recording

Watch Out For

Scam Prevention

Type	Response
Wrong plate	Never get in ❌
Cash demanded	Only use app payment
Extra charges	Refuse, report in app
Black car (黑车)	Ignore people soliciting rides at airports/stations

Pre-Boarding Checklist

• License plate matches app?
• Car model matches app?
• Driver face resembles app photo?

Mini Programs (No App Needed)

Don’t want to install DiDi? Use it through WeChat or Alipay:

WeChat Mini Program

1. WeChat → Discover → Mini Programs
2. Search “滴滴出行”
3. Login with WeChat account
4. Pay with WeChat Pay

Alipay Mini Program

1. Alipay → Search
2. Search “滴滴出行”
3. Login with Alipay account
4. Pay with Alipay

⚠️ Limitation: Mini programs only accept that platform’s payment (WeChat mini → WeChat Pay only)

Useful Chinese

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Call a car	叫车	Jiào chē
Where are you?	您在哪里？	Nín zài nǎlǐ?
License plate	车牌号	Chēpái hào
Driver	司机	Sījī
Destination	目的地	Mùdìdì
Stop here	这里停	Zhèlǐ tíng
Trunk	后备箱	Hòubèixiāng
Turn on AC	开空调	Kāi kōngtiáo
How much?	多少钱？	Duōshǎo qián?

Emergency Contacts

Service	Number
DiDi Customer Service	+86-400-0000-999
Police	110
Ambulance	120

Lost & Found

1. App → Account → Help → Lost Item
2. Option to contact driver directly
3. Or call: +86-400-0000-999

Alternative Apps

If DiDi doesn’t work:

App	Features
Gaode (高德)	Navigation + taxi integration
Caocao (曹操)	Eco-friendly vehicles
T3	Auto-manufacturer joint venture

Pre-Trip Checklist

Before departure:

• Download DiDi app
• Sign up with your home number
• Switch to English
• Link Visa/Mastercard
• Enable auto-pay

When boarding:

• Verify license plate
• Verify car model
• Verify driver face
• Confirm identity with last 4 digits

Emergency:

• Use in-app emergency button
• Call police: 110

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