Complete Guide to Ride-Hailing in China for Foreigners

In China in 2026, ride-hailing basically equals getting a car. Cash payments and street-hailing taxis have almost disappeared. In terms of market share, Didi Chuxing firmly holds the top spot (over 70%), covering more than 400 cities, usable from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to small county towns.

Among all the ride-hailing apps, Didi is the most foreigner-friendly choice:

• Didi supports registration with international mobile numbers
• Like Uber, it offers multiple car types including Express, Premier, and Taxi
• Like Grab, it deeply integrates local payments, with a dedicated English version and support for international credit cards
• Although China's overall public security and travel environment are already very safe, Didi's safety features are particularly comprehensive: automatic trip sharing, adding emergency contacts, one-tap emergency call (directly to 110), number protection, and recording protection are all available, so you can travel with peace of mind even alone.

In short: if you can only download one ride-hailing app, make it Didi—easy to use, safe, and with the widest coverage.

Two Ways to Use the Didi App

1. Mini-Programs

If you have already registered for WeChat or Alipay and completed real-name verification and bound a bank card, you can directly use Didi's mini-programs. The advantage of this method is that you don't need to download an additional app, saving phone storage space.

However, since mini-programs are embedded within WeChat or Alipay, each can only use its own payment method. For example, in the WeChat mini-program, you can only use WeChat Pay, and in the Alipay mini-program, you can only use Alipay Pay, which limits payment diversity to some extent.

Moreover, since mini-programs are embedded within mobile apps, the search and usage process may be relatively cumbersome.

2. Download the App

The user experience of the app is usually better. Moreover, the Didi app supports more diverse payment methods, including not only WeChat Pay and Alipay Pay, but also binding bank cards for payment, making payment methods more flexible and diverse, without being limited to a single payment channel.

Registering and Using Didi

Registration

1. After downloading, open the app, tap the bottom right corner 【Account】 and you will directly enter the login page
2. Select the corresponding country's mobile number prefix, enter your mobile number, and complete registration after verifying the QR code

Setting Up Payment Methods

1. Tap 【Account】> 【Wallet】> 【Payment Methods】
2. Next, you can choose and set up a suitable payment method

Currently supported payment methods include Visa, MasterCard, JCB, Diners Credit/Debit Cards, as well as WeChat Pay, AliPay, Apple Pay, and other methods.

The author recommends enabling automatic password-free payment, so Didi will automatically deduct the fare after your trip ends, and you can get off and head to your next destination directly. Moreover, password-free payment only supports up to 500 RMB, so it is very safe and convenient.

Starting a Ride

1. Enter your destination on the homepage
2. Choose your preferred route and favorite car type
3. After tapping confirm, a vehicle will be automatically called for you
4. When the vehicle arrives, you can find it based on the car model information on your phone

In China, ride-hailing drivers most likely do not speak English, so it is recommended that you save the last 4 digits of your mobile number as an image, so that every time you get in the car, you only need to show the image to the driver.

5. After reaching your destination, unless you chose a cash-settled taxi, you can get off and leave directly.

Ride-Hailing Costs

1. Set your Didi app location to the city where you want to check the fare
2. Tap 【Account】> 【Settings】> 【User Guide】
3. After selecting the car type you want to check, you can view the starting fare and corresponding surcharge fees

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ride-hailing safe? In 2026, ride-hailing is generally safe. The current platform compliance rate exceeds 85%; and Didi monitors trips throughout, with one-tap emergency calls directly to 110, recording protection, and emergency contacts all available.

Can I use cash for Didi rides? Currently, only the taxi car type supports cash payment.

Is automatic password-free payment safe? Yes, automatic payment is very safe, and there is a maximum payment limit of 500 RMB.

How do I call a ride-hailing car at the airport? Chinese airports generally have dedicated ride-hailing pickup areas, and you can reach that area by following the airport signs.