Using Didi as a foreigner

Didi (滴滴) is China's dominant ride-hailing app, comparable to Uber. As of 2026, it has a functional English mode and is the standard transport tool for most foreigners in China. Here is how to register and use it.

Setup

1. Download Didi from your home app store. 2. Open and switch to English. 3. Register with your foreign mobile number (or a Chinese SIM if you have one). 4. Add a payment method: - Alipay (linked from your foreign card) — works. - WeChat Pay (linked from your foreign card) — works. - Foreign credit card direct — sometimes works.

The app accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express via Alipay or WeChat. Direct foreign credit card binding is intermittent.

Booking a ride

1. Open the app. Your current location appears as the pickup. 2. Type the destination — Chinese characters work; English for major locations sometimes works. 3. Choose ride type: - **Express** (快车) — economy, the standard choice. - **Comfort** (优享) — slightly more, slightly nicer cars. - **Premier** (专车) — black car service. - **Taxi** (出租车 via Didi) — books a metered taxi via the app. - **Hitch / Shared** (拼车) — cheaper, longer. 4. Confirm. 5. The app assigns a car and driver; you see the licence plate, car model, driver photo and rating. 6. Driver communicates with you via in-app voice chat or text (templates work in any language).

Cost

For a 5 km ride in central Beijing: - Express: ¥18-¥30. - Comfort: ¥30-¥45. - Taxi: ¥18-¥30 (metered).

Surge pricing kicks in during rush hour (8-9am, 6-7pm), bad weather, and around holidays.

What works in English

• The app interface (most of it).
• Address typing of major landmarks ('Forbidden City', 'Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 3', 'Shanghai Pudong Airport').
• Basic in-app messages with the driver via templates.

What doesn't work in English

• Address typing of small streets, neighbourhood names, hotel names that aren't in the database. Have your destination in Chinese as a screenshot.
• Voice chat with the driver (most don't speak English).
• Driver finding your pickup location if it's a non-obvious spot.

The fix: when waiting for pickup, watch the map and walk to the driver's marker if they look confused. The driver app shows them your location; they should find you within 30-60 seconds.

What to do if it goes wrong

• Driver cancels: app will rebook automatically.
• Driver takes a long route: rate the trip and report via the app.
• Lost item: app has 'Contact Driver' for 24 hours after the ride.
• Emergency: in-app SOS button connects to 110 (police) and shares your location with emergency contacts.

Tips

• Pin your hotel in the app's saved locations on day one.
• Save common destinations (work, regular restaurants, the airport) as favourites.
• Check ride type before confirming — Premier costs 2x Express.
• Tip is not standard in China; don't add tip via the app.
• Some airports require you to use the dedicated airport pickup zone — Didi shows you which floor and gate.

Alternatives

• Metered taxi at the kerb: still works. Hand the driver your destination in Chinese characters.
• Cao Cao (曹操出行): Geely-backed ride-hailing alternative; sometimes cheaper.
• Meituan car: growing presence, comparable pricing.
• Hong Kong Taxi: HKTaxi or FlyTaxi apps for HK.

Cross-border

Didi works in mainland China. Hong Kong has Uber and HKTaxi/FlyTaxi (separate apps). Macau has limited ride-hailing; casino shuttles are the practical alternative.

What to know

Didi as a foreigner in 2026 works well for the standard urban-to-urban use case. Setup is one-time. Daily use is comparable to using Uber or Lyft at home.