Taxis and Didi (ride-hailing)

Metered taxis

Easy to flag in any city. Standard metered. Starting flag-fall ¥10–¥15 in most cities, ¥15–¥18 in Beijing/Shanghai. Per-km after the first 2–3 km is ¥2–¥3.

How to use them

• Show the driver the destination in Chinese characters (screenshot from the map app, or written down).
• The driver may not speak English.
• Pay by metered fare. WeChat or Alipay scan for payment is universal.
• Many drivers will refuse cash for small change reasons; have an electronic option.

Scams to know

• Airport tout: a man at arrivals offering 'taxi'. Use the official taxi rank (排队) instead. The metered taxi is far cheaper.
• Unmetered ride: in Beijing and Shanghai some 'gypsy' drivers don't run the meter. Insist on the meter (打表) or get out.
• Long route: less common with GPS-equipped taxis, but possible. Watch the route on your map.

Didi

Didi is the dominant ride-hailing app. The Didi app has an English mode that works for most foreigners. Steps: 1. Download the Didi app, register with a foreign mobile number. 2. Add a payment method (Alipay/WeChat link, or sometimes direct card). 3. Set pickup and destination by typing Chinese or English. 4. Choose Express, Comfort or Premier (different price tiers) plus the option for 'metered taxi via Didi' if you prefer. 5. Confirm; the system assigns a car and driver. 6. Driver doesn't see your phone number; communication via in-app voice.

Didi is generally cheaper than metered taxis for the same trip and avoids any language friction at the start.

Hong Kong and Macau

HK Taxi (red, urban; green, New Territories; blue, Lantau) — flag-fall HK$29. No Didi; Hong Kong has Uber but with limited fleet. The HKTaxi app and the FlyTaxi app book taxis.

Macau taxis ride-hailing is limited. Most travellers use the casino shuttle buses.