Quick answer
The one app that matters is Didi (滴滴出行) — China's Uber-scale ride-hailing platform — and it works for foreigners: register with your passport, pay with an international card in the international version of the app, or bill rides to Alipay. Metered taxis are the fallback: flag fall is CNY 13–16 in tier-1 cities, and you should never enter a cab that refuses the meter. I ride Didi weekly in Shanghai and this guide walks through the setup that takes ten minutes at home and saves the airport-bad experience.
Why this matters in 2026
Ride-hailing solved the three classic China taxi problems: the language barrier (destination typed, not spoken), the fare negotiation (price shown upfront), and the arrival-hall taxi scams (touts offering "flat fares" to your hotel). Travelers who skip the setup pay for it immediately — literally, at the airport curb, where unmetered quotes of CNY 300–400 for a CNY 130 ride are routine. Ten minutes of prep at home replaces all of it with a tracked, receipted, card-billed ride.
Key facts at a glance
- Main app: Didi (滴滴出行); aggregators like Amap (高德打车) and T3 also work, all billed through Chinese payment apps
- Foreign registration: passport works; foreign phone numbers are accepted on Didi's international app
- Payment: Visa/Mastercard/PayPal in the international app; Alipay/WeChat Pay via the Didi mini-program otherwise
- Taxi flag fall: CNY 13–16 daytime in tier-1 cities, roughly 20% night surcharge after 23:00
- Airport rule: use the official rank or the app's pickup zone — decline any "flat fare" offer in the arrivals hall
Step-by-step walkthrough
Step 1: Install before you fly
Download Didi (and Alipay if you don't have it) at home. Chinese app stores carry everything, but registration and card verification are smoother on your home network.
Step 2: Register and verify
Sign up with your passport name exactly as printed, your phone number (foreign numbers work on the international app; a Chinese number unlocks the domestic app), and a payment card. Add a backup payment method — Alipay-linked rides survive card hiccups.
Step 3: Set pickups precisely
Type the destination in Chinese (copy from a map app or your hotel card), then fine-tune the pickup pin: use gate numbers at airports and the 网约车 (ride-hail) pickup lots at railway stations — the app will route you there.
Step 4: Choose the service tier
Express (快车) is the standard cheap tier; Premium (专车) buys newer cars; Taxi (出租车) dispatches metered cabs through the app. For most city rides, Express at CNY 25–45 wins.
Step 5: Verify the car before boarding
Match the plate, model, and color in the app, confirm the driver knows the destination, sit behind the front passenger seat, and tap the share-trip button. The SOS button is on the ride screen.
Step 6: Pay and get the receipt
Payment auto-charges the linked card when you arrive — nothing to show the driver. Need a receipt (发票, fāpiào) for expenses? Request the e-receipt in trip history.
Common scenarios and use cases
1. Airport arrival
Follow signs to the official taxi rank — metered, marshaled, no negotiation — or walk to the app-designated ride-hail pickup zone. Whichever you choose, ignore the touts who approach you in the arrivals hall; their fares run 2–3x meter.
2. Rush hour
Surge pricing at 08:00–09:30 and 17:30–19:30 can double Express fares; the app shows the price upfront. The metro often beats the car across a tier-1 city at those hours — check both before booking.
3. Short intercity hops
Didi's intercity option covers rides like Shanghai–Suzhou (about CNY 300–400) door to door — competitive with HSR once you count getting to stations, and unbeatable with luggage.
4. No Chinese phone number
Use the international Didi app end to end: foreign number for verification, foreign card for payment, English interface. Inside Alipay, the Didi mini-program works too and bills straight to Alipay.
Costs and pricing breakdown
- Taxi flag fall (tier-1 cities): CNY 13–16 for the first 3 km
- Taxi per km: CNY 2.3–3.3; night surcharge about 20% after 23:00
- Didi Express, 10 km cross-town: CNY 25–45
- Pudong Airport → central Shanghai by taxi: CNY 130–180 plus possible expressway toll
- Beijing Capital/Daxing → city center: CNY 100–150 (Daxing runs higher)
- Bike share, 30 minutes: CNY 1.5 — for the last kilometer
Pitfalls to avoid
- Following the arrivals-hall touts: "flat fare" quotes of CNY 300+ for a CNY 130 ride. Walk to the rank or the app zone.
- Entering a cab that won't use the meter: 打表 (dǎbiǎo, "use the meter") is the phrase; if refused, close the door and book the app instead.
- Wrong pickup point at mega-stations: stations have separate taxi ranks, metro exits, and ride-hail lots. Trust the in-app map pin, not the exit number you remember.
- Misreading surge pricing: the quoted price is what you pay — if it looks doubled, wait ten minutes or take the metro.
- Losing things without a trail: every trip is logged with plate and driver; use the in-app lost-and-found flow, which works surprisingly well.
Alternatives and trade-offs
- Metro: fastest across tier-1 cities at peak; CNY 3–7; English signage everywhere in the big four.
- Amap (高德打车) aggregator: hails multiple fleets from one app; excellent when Didi surges — bills through Alipay/WeChat Pay, so you need Chinese payment set up.
- Hotel concierge dispatch: they call a licensed cab and write your destination in Chinese; the low-tech backup.
- Bike share (Meituan, HelloBike): the last-kilometer answer in flat city districts; CNY 1.5 per 30 minutes via mini-program.
Local context and customs
Drivers rarely speak English, so the app handles navigation and the destination — that is the point of it. Seatbelts exist in front; ask for the back-seat one. Tipping is not expected and may confuse. Licensed taxis display a driver ID card on the dash; if the driver's face and the card disagree, cancel and rebook. Small talk happens via translation apps and always lands well. If a driver takes a longer route, the in-app fare is fixed for Express anyway — another reason the app beats the curb.
Verifying current information
Fare rules and app features change; confirm the latest through:
- Didi's in-app fare estimator: real-time quotes for your exact route
- 12328 transport service hotline: taxi complaints and fare rules by city
- City transport authority sites: published taxi tariff tables (Beijing, Shanghai post updates)
- Your hotel front desk: the current pickup zone at the nearest station
- Recent traveler forums: app registration quirks change month to month
Putting it all together
Install Didi at home, register with your passport, load a card plus an Alipay backup, and practice one ride near your hotel on day one. Use the official rank when you land, the app pin for pickups, and 打表 for any street-hailed cab. In my experience the entire taxi problem in China reduces to one habit: never negotiate a fare with a stranger when an app can quote it.
FAQ
Which taxi app works for foreigners?
Didi is the standard. Its international app accepts foreign numbers and cards; the Alipay mini-program is the backup that bills rides to Alipay directly.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Yes — Visa/Mastercard in the international Didi app, or through Alipay/WeChat Pay after you link your foreign card to those.
Do I need a Chinese phone number?
Not for the international Didi app. A Chinese number unlocks the domestic app and the aggregators (Amap, T3), which are useful backups.
Are taxis metered?
Licensed taxis are, by law. Insist on 打表 (use the meter) or walk away; refuse-meter cabs cluster around tourist spots and late-night zones.
Is Didi cheaper than a regular taxi?
Usually for cross-town rides, especially off-peak. During surge it can exceed taxi fares — the in-app Taxi option gives you the metered alternative.
How do I tell the driver where to go?
You don't: the destination is in the order, and drivers navigate from the app. For stops or changes, show the Chinese address in your map app.
Is ride-hailing safe?
Trips are tracked, drivers are registered, plates are verified in-app, and there is an SOS button and live trip sharing. It is the most accountable way to ride in China.