How to Use DiDi in China as a Foreigner: 10 Practical Steps

Before flying: pass these five DiDi checks

• Login — PASS only if the official DiDi China app reopens and your account remains signed in.
• SMS — PASS only if the international number you will carry receives a verification code.
• Mobile data — PASS only if roaming or your travel eSIM will work before you leave the terminal.
• Payment — PRELIMINARY PASS only if a card or payment method remains visible after reopening the app; only a completed ride proves the charge works.
• Pickup — PASS only if you know whether your airport or station uses a designated ride-hailing floor, zone, or bay.

DiDi verification code not arriving? Follow this order

1. 1Confirm the country code and the masked phone number shown by DiDi. Correct the number before requesting another code.
2. 2Keep the registered SIM switched on, confirm it has a mobile signal, and check that international roaming and incoming SMS are available on your plan.
3. 3Check spam, blocked senders, and SMS filtering. A code can arrive from an unfamiliar sender and may not appear with normal conversations.
4. 4If the phone has no network registration, briefly use airplane mode and reconnect once. Then request one new code and use only the newest message.
5. 5If the code arrives but DiDi rejects it, set the phone date and time to automatic, wait for a fresh code, and avoid entering an older message.
6. 6If no code arrives after these checks, do not create several accounts or keep resending. Use your transport backup now, then contact your carrier or DiDi support from a stable connection.

Step 1: choose the transport before you request a car

• Choose DiDi: data and payment work, battery is above 20%, and you can identify the pickup point.
• Choose the taxi queue: the ride-hailing zone is unclear, far away, or inside an unfamiliar car park.
• Choose rail or metro: the route is direct, signs are clear, and the luggage is manageable.
• Choose a prearranged transfer: late arrival, children, mobility needs, or several large bags.

Step 2: reopen the app and verify the setup

• Open the map and confirm that the blue location marker is near your actual position.
• Search for the saved hotel and compare the Chinese name and map location with the booking confirmation.
• Open payment settings and confirm that the intended card or payment path is present.
• Keep the banking app, another physical card, and some RMB cash available.

Step 3: verify the destination, not only its English name

• Match the Chinese hotel or venue name.
• Match the district, street, and building number when available.
• Compare the map pin with the location in Apple Maps, Amap, or the hotel's booking page.
• Keep the phone number ready so a driver or nearby staff member can call the venue.

Step 4: confirm payment before requesting the ride

• Confirm which payment method is selected before tapping the final request button.
• Read the service type and estimated fare; do not select a premium option accidentally.
• Keep the ride open until the final fare and payment status appear.
• If payment fails, use in-app support and your bank app; do not cancel the ride and pay outside the app.

Step 5: stand at the pickup point before booking

• Use the main hotel entrance rather than your room-side street or a rear service road.
• Choose one of the app's designated pickup points when a venue restricts stopping.
• Check the road direction and median before confirming the pin.
• Read any photo, level, gate, or bay instructions attached to the pickup point.
• Do not keep moving after booking unless you update the driver with a message and a new pin.

Step 6: locate the airport or station pickup zone first

• Do not request the ride from baggage claim or while still walking through the terminal.
• Note the terminal, floor, zone, bay, and nearest numbered pillar or gate.
• Send a photo of the sign or pillar when the app allows it.
• Allow extra time at railway stations because the pickup area may be several hundred meters from the exit.
• Never accept an unsolicited off-app ride inside the terminal.

Step 7: use a failure rule instead of repeated retries

• No SMS code: check country code and roaming once, then use another transport route.
• No data: connect to official Wi-Fi or use a staffed taxi queue; do not enter a car park offline.
• Drivers keep cancelling in rain or a major event: walk to a permitted road only if safe, or use metro/taxi queues.
• Payment rejected: try the prepared backup once, then contact support or the bank from a stationary public place.
• Pickup dispute: cancel only through the app when appropriate and request again from a clearer point.

Step 8: send a translated message before taking a call

• Send the terminal, floor, gate, bay, hotel entrance, or shop name.
• Send one clear photo of the sign or the place where you are standing.
• Do not send a long itinerary or several changing locations.
• If a nearby hotel or restaurant employee is willing to help, show them the live pickup screen.

Step 9: match the car and keep the trip in the app

• Read the full license plate, not only the last two digits.
• Check the car description and confirm it arrived through your active booking.
• Do not accept off-app ride offers from strangers.
• Do not agree to cancel the ride and pay the driver directly outside the app.
• Use the in-app trip-sharing or safety tools when appropriate.

Step 10: complete one first test ride

• Start with working data, more than 50% battery, and no deadline.
• Stand at the hotel entrance before requesting the car.
• Send one message only if the driver needs help finding you.
• Match the plate, watch the route, and confirm the final payment status.
• If any step fails, fix that one dependency before using DiDi for an airport or railway trip.