Can I use Didi without a Chinese phone number?

Yes, two ways: the Didi app itself accepts international phone numbers and foreign cards, or — usually easier — use the Didi mini-program inside Alipay, which inherits your Alipay login and payment, has an English interface, and needs no separate account.

How do I pay for the metro in Chinese cities?

The easiest method for visitors is Alipay's Transport feature: select the city, and a metro QR code appears that you scan at the gates, billed to your linked card per ride. Single-journey tickets from machines (cash or Alipay) and contactless foreign bank cards in some cities also work.

Does Uber work in China?

No. Uber sold its China operations to Didi in 2016 and the app does not function for rides in mainland China. Didi is the dominant ride-hailing platform, with English support built in.

Are Chinese taxis safe and can I still hail one on the street?

Street taxis are safe and metered, but drivers rarely speak English and increasingly dislike cash. If you use one, show your destination written in Chinese characters and pay by scanning the driver's QR code with Alipay. Most visitors end up preferring Didi because the destination is typed, the route is tracked, and payment is automatic.

How does airport pickup work with Didi?

Chinese airports have designated ride-hailing pickup zones, usually a numbered door or parking level distinct from the taxi rank. After matching, the app shows the pickup point and your driver's plate number; follow the signs for '网约车' (ride-hailing). Give yourself an extra ten minutes the first time.

Getting Around Chinese Cities: Didi for Foreigners, Metro QR Codes & More

Chinese cities are enormous, but moving through them is cheap and smooth once two tools are set up: Didi (ride-hailing) and a metro payment QR code. Neither requires speaking Chinese. Both run happily off the Alipay account you created in the payments guide.

Didi: the Uber that actually works in China

Uber doesn’t operate in mainland China; Didi does, everywhere. Two ways in:

Option A — Didi inside Alipay (recommended)

Open Alipay → find the Didi / Ride-hailing mini-program (search “Didi” or it’s on the home grid as Transport > Ride-hailing).
The interface follows Alipay’s English setting. Set your destination by searching in English — POI search handles hotels, stations, and attractions well — or paste the Chinese address.
Choose a tier: Express (快车) is the standard cheap option; Premier is nicer cars; carpool exists but skip it as a newcomer.
Pay automatically through Alipay when the ride ends. No cash, no card terminal, no tipping.

No separate registration, no Chinese number, and one fewer app — this is what I set up for every visiting relative.

Option B — the Didi app

Download Didi (English version), register with your international number, link a foreign card or your Alipay/WeChat. Functionally the same; useful if you want ride scheduling and saved places.

Didi street smarts

Match the plate number, not the car color. Plates are shown big in the app; drivers expect you to check.
The driver may call to confirm pickup. If you can’t talk, reply via the in-app chat — it auto-translates between English and Chinese, and drivers are used to it.
Pin placement matters more than in Western cities; malls and stations have specific pickup bays. When in doubt, walk to the suggested green pickup point in the app.
Rides are cheap by Western standards: a 25-minute crosstown ride is typically ¥30–60 (US$4–9).
Late-night availability is excellent in big cities; in small towns, expect waits.

The metro: best-in-class, QR-powered

Every major Chinese city has a modern metro — Beijing’s and Shanghai’s are among the world’s largest — with English signage, announcements, and numbered exits.

Paying, from easiest to most manual

Alipay Transport QR. In Alipay: Transport → choose the city → a rail QR code appears. Scan it on the gate reader going in and out; fare auto-bills. Works in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and dozens more — switch cities in the same screen when you travel. (WeChat has an equivalent.)
Contactless foreign bank card. A growing set of systems (Shanghai and several others) accept Visa/Mastercard tap directly at the gate — convenient, but coverage is patchy as of mid-2026, so don’t rely on it as your only method.
Single-journey tickets from vending machines (English UI; accept Alipay QR, small bills, and coins). The fallback that always works.
Physical transit cards (Yikatong in Beijing, etc.) and Apple Wallet transit cards exist, but the recharge flows can be unfriendly to foreign cards — most visitors never need them.

Riding tips

Security check at every entrance: bags through an X-ray, water bottles sometimes sniff-tested. It’s fast; budget one extra minute.
Fares are distance-based, ¥3–7 typically. Trains run roughly 05:30–23:00 — metros close earlier than you expect; check the last train if you’re out late.
Exits are lettered/numbered (Exit B2, Exit D). Navigation apps tell you which exit — follow that advice, big stations cover multiple blocks.
Rush hours (7:30–9:00, 17:30–19:00) in Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou are intense. Travel midmorning when you can.

Apple Maps (iPhone): accurate in China, English, good transit routing.
Amap English version (高德): the local gold standard, added an English mode in 2025; best live data, includes Didi-style hailing.
Google Maps: even with roaming internet, mainland data is stale and offset — don’t navigate with it on foot.

Always carry your destination in Chinese characters (screenshot or note) — for taxi drivers, security guards giving directions, and the occasional confused moment.

Buses, bikes, and the rest

City buses accept the same Alipay transit QR but routes are harder to parse — metro + Didi covers 95% of tourist needs. Shared bikes (HelloBike via Alipay, Meituan’s yellow bikes) are everywhere and great for the last kilometer, though deposits occasionally misbehave with foreign-card accounts. Intercity, take the high-speed trains.

The pattern you’ll settle into within 48 hours: metro for anything along a line, Didi for everything else, ¥10 bike rides when the weather’s nice. Total daily transport spend: usually under US$10.