- The city transport toolkit: what to set up before you need it
- Metro: the cheapest, fastest way across big cities
- DiDi: door-to-door rides without speaking Chinese
- Street taxis: fine from a rank, risky from a tout
- Scams and mistakes to avoid
- Airport to city: the first ride of the trip
- City differences at a glance
- Before you leave the hotel: checklist
- Frequently asked questions
- Related guides
Short answer: In most Chinese cities, use the metro for longer trips, DiDi for door-to-door rides, and street taxis only from official ranks. Pay for the metro with a transit code inside Alipay or WeChat Pay, or buy a single-journey ticket at the station machine. For DiDi, use the English app (or the DiDi mini-program inside Alipay or WeChat), set your pickup pin carefully, and save every hotel and attraction address in Chinese characters. That combination covers almost every city trip a first-time visitor needs.
Last updated: 29 October 2026. Fares, app menus and transit-code availability vary by city and change over time — check the in-app fare and the station signs on the day. Real-device screenshots will be added later; this guide is text-only for now.
The city transport toolkit: what to set up before you need it
- Alipay and WeChat Pay, set up at home. These are your metro, bus and taxi payment tools as much as your shop payment tools. See how to set up Alipay for foreigners and how to set up WeChat Pay for foreigners.
- DiDi, in English. Download the domestic DiDi app (DiDi Chuxing / DiDi-Greater China) before you fly, choose English, and register with a phone number that can receive SMS. You can also open DiDi as a mini-program inside Alipay or WeChat if you prefer not to install another app.
- A maps app that works offline. Download offline maps and save your hotel in Chinese characters before you leave the hotel each day.
- Your hotel address in Chinese characters. Screenshot it from your booking confirmation or ask the front desk to write it down. Drivers read Chinese, not English.
Metro: the cheapest, fastest way across big cities
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing and most other large cities have extensive metro networks. Trains are frequent, clean, air-conditioned, and signposted in English and Chinese. A typical city-centre ride costs only a few yuan; longer cross-city rides in Beijing or Shanghai commonly run around 3–9 CNY, but the exact fare depends on distance and city, so treat that as a range, not a price list.
How to pay for the metro
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Transit code in Alipay or WeChat Pay | Open the app, find the transport/transit section, select the city, and activate a metro (and usually bus) QR code. Scan it at the entry gate and again at the exit gate. | Most first-time visitors — no ticket machine, no change needed |
| Single-journey ticket | Buy from a ticket machine or counter at the station, usually with cash or a payment app. Keep the ticket or token for the exit gate. | One-off rides, or if your transit code will not activate |
| Transport card | A rechargeable city card, bought and topped up at stations. Some cities also let you add a virtual card to your phone. | Longer stays in one city, or frequent riders |
City differences to expect. Transit codes are city-specific: a code activated for Shanghai does not work in Beijing, and some smaller cities have no transit code for foreign accounts at all. If the code will not activate in a city, buy single-journey tickets instead — it is a normal fallback, not a failure. Also note that security checks (bag X-ray) are standard at metro entrances in many cities; allow a few extra minutes at busy stations.
Metro tips that save real time
- Travel outside the morning (roughly 7:30–9:30) and evening (roughly 17:00–19:00) rush if you have luggage.
- Stand on the right of escalators, queue at the marked door positions, and let passengers off before boarding.
- Note the last-train time on the station board — most metros stop around 22:00–23:30 depending on the city and line.
- If you get lost, show a station name in Chinese characters to staff; every station has staff who can point you to the right platform.
DiDi: door-to-door rides without speaking Chinese
DiDi is China’s main ride-hailing app and works much like Uber or Grab. The standalone app has an English interface, and you can register with an international phone number that can receive SMS. Payment is most reliable through Alipay or WeChat Pay; direct linking of an international card is officially supported but is reported to fail more often, so route the card through a payment app first.
Booking a DiDi, step by step
- Open DiDi and confirm the pickup pin is exactly where you are standing — drivers go to the pin, not to your description.
- Type the destination in English, or paste its Chinese name if you have it. At large stations, malls and attractions, choose the marked pickup point the app suggests.
- Pick a car type (Express is the standard choice; Premier is a nicer car at a higher price) and check the estimated fare shown before you confirm.
- Match the licence plate and car colour before getting in. Use the in-app chat, which translates messages, rather than calling if you do not speak Chinese.
- Payment is automatic through the app. Check the receipt in the app before your next ride.
What DiDi costs (ranges, not guarantees). Short city rides of about 10 minutes in a city like Chengdu or Xi’an commonly cost around 15–25 CNY; a cross-city trip around 40–70 CNY; a 40-minute airport run around 100–150 CNY. The app shows a fixed estimate before you book, and surge pricing exists but is usually modest. Prices vary by city, time of day and car type.
Street taxis: fine from a rank, risky from a tout
- Use official taxi ranks at airports, train stations and hotels, and queue like everyone else. Never follow a driver who approaches you inside the terminal offering a ride — those fares are almost always inflated.
- Insist on the meter. Say “请打表” (qǐng dǎ biǎo — “please use the meter”). If the driver refuses, get out and take the next taxi.
- Show the destination in Chinese characters and keep the receipt (ask for “发票”, fāpiào, if you need one for expenses).
- Pay with cash or a payment app. Cash in small bills is universally accepted in taxis; Alipay and WeChat Pay QR payments are also common in cities.
Scams and mistakes to avoid
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Driver approaches you inside the airport or station | Walk past to the official taxi rank or book DiDi. Do not negotiate a flat fare for a routine city trip. |
| Driver refuses the meter or quotes a fixed price | Leave the taxi and take the next one. A metered ride is the norm. |
| Driver claims the meter is broken | Same answer: get out and take another taxi. |
| Wrong pickup pin in DiDi | Cancel quickly if the driver has not arrived, fix the pin, and rebook. Standing exactly on the pin matters more than describing where you are. |
| Getting into the wrong car | Always match the plate number and colour shown in the app before getting in. |
Airport to city: the first ride of the trip
- Metro or airport express train is usually the cheapest option where it exists (for example, the Airport Express in Beijing and the Maglev/metro link in Shanghai), but check the last-train time if you land late.
- DiDi or an official taxi is the simplest late-night option and the easiest with heavy luggage. Book DiDi only after you have collected your bags and are standing at a clear pickup point.
- Hotel transfer costs more but removes all first-night stress. If your hotel offers one, compare it with the DiDi estimate before you pay.
- Ignore touts in the arrivals hall. This is the single most common first-night mistake, and it is entirely avoidable by walking to the rank.
City differences at a glance
| City | What first-timers notice |
|---|---|
| Beijing | Huge metro network; airport express useful; allow extra time for station security checks. |
| Shanghai | Metro reaches both airports and most sights; Maglev runs to Pudong Airport but is not the cheapest option. |
| Xi’an | Compact centre; metro plus short DiDi rides cover most sights. |
| Chengdu | Metro growing fast; DiDi rides are comparatively cheap for city trips. |
| Chongqing | Hilly, multi-level city — trust the app’s pin and the metro map, not your sense of direction on foot. |
| Smaller cities | Metro may be small or absent; DiDi and taxis matter more, and transit codes may not be available. |
Before you leave the hotel: checklist
- Hotel address saved in Chinese characters (screenshot + paper copy)
- Alipay/WeChat Pay transit code activated for today’s city, or coins/notes for a ticket machine
- DiDi installed, in English, with a working payment method
- Offline map downloaded for the city
- Phone charged, and a small amount of cash in small bills as backup
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Chinese phone number for DiDi?
No. An international number that can receive SMS works for registration. A local number helps in some situations (for example, some app registrations), but it is not required for DiDi.
Can I pay for DiDi with a foreign card?
Direct card linking is officially supported, but the most reliable route is to pay through Alipay or WeChat Pay with your international card linked there.
Does one metro transit code work in every city?
No. Codes are city-specific, and availability for foreign accounts varies. Activate the code for each new city, and fall back to single-journey tickets if it will not activate.
Are taxis safe in China?
Licensed, metered taxis from official ranks are generally safe and cheap. The risk is almost entirely from unlicensed touts and refused meters — both avoided by using the rank.
What if my phone dies mid-trip?
Carry the hotel address on paper, carry small-bill cash, and know the nearest metro station name in Chinese. That combination gets you home without any app.
Related guides
- How to Set Up Alipay for Foreigners — set up the payment app that powers metro codes and DiDi payments.
- How to Set Up WeChat Pay for Foreigners — your backup payment app.
- How to Book China Train Tickets as a Foreigner — for travel between cities.
- First Time in China — homepage — the full first-timer guide index.