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Calling a Didi Ride as a Malaysian

Late, limited Mandarin and a long taxi queue: here is the calm way to get a ride.

Plan my first ride

You can call Didi without a Chinese number by using the Alipay mini program, which charges your linked Alipay account[1]. Set it up at home, and keep a plain taxi plan ready for the evening it does not work.

If you do not speak Mandarin, the thought of standing outside a station with no ride is a real worry. It is easier when you prepare the app, the map and one Chinese address before you leave.

How do you call Didi through Alipay?

Foreign visitors commonly hail Didi through the Alipay mini program, which needs no Chinese phone number[1]. Install Alipay, verify your account and link a card before the trip.

Verification needs the name on your passport and a live selfie, and you should use the same name in both Alipay and Weixin Pay[2]. Cards from Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB (Japan Credit Bureau), Discover and Diners Club can be bound without a Chinese bank account[3]. Try one small test payment at home.

Which map app should you trust?

Google services, including Maps, are blocked in mainland China[4]. WhatsApp is blocked too, so tell family how to reach you before you cross the border.

Apple Maps still works[5]. Amap (Gaode) added English support in 2025, with ride-hailing in its English version in 360 or more cities[6], although you should verify this in the app. Download an offline map before you fly.

How do you tell the driver where to go?

Save your hotel’s Chinese name and address in a screenshot, and show it to the driver. If the app does the talking, the driver sees the pin and you only need to confirm the plate.

After a late arrival, the taxi queue can be slow. Our hotel pickup guide shows when a pre-arranged ride is kinder.

What if the app fails?

Fall back on a metered taxi. Taxi fares are metered and passengers pay the exact meter fare[7]. Keep some cash for the first ride, then read the metro guide as another option.

If you are carrying heavy bags, a taxi to the door is easier than the metro. Our heavy luggage guide covers it.

What should seniors and non-Mandarin speakers do?

Choose a station-to-hotel plan you can follow without typing. A pre-arranged pickup or a taxi with the address on your screen needs no Chinese.

Read how Alipay and WeChat work for transport fares before you go. For more on rides, see the getting around hub. Send us your arrival time and we can suggest the simplest way into town.

If you tell us your arrival time and who is travelling, we can suggest whether a ride app, a taxi or a pre-arranged pickup suits your first evening.

Ask about rides

Read next

  • GuideHotel Pickup or Station Taxi

    A calm comparison of a hotel pickup and a station taxi in China for Malaysian travellers: who each suits, what to confirm and how to protect a late arrival.

  • GuideTaking the Metro to Your Hotel

    How a first-time Malaysian visitor can use the metro from a Chinese train station or airport to the hotel, when it saves money and when a taxi is kinder.

  • GuideGetting Heavy Bags to Your Hotel

    How Malaysian families and seniors can move heavy luggage from a Chinese station to the hotel: limits to know, stairs to avoid and ways to send bags ahead.

  • GuideAlipay or WeChat for Getting Around

    Alipay or WeChat Pay for metro, taxi and Didi rides as a Malaysian visitor: what each does for transport, how to link a card and what to check first.

  • GuidePaying for the Chinese Metro Without Stress

    How Malaysians can pay for the metro in China: single-trip tickets, QR codes in Alipay or WeChat, local cards, and what to set up before the flight.

  • GuideWhere the Station Is Shapes Your Day

    A calm guide for Malaysians on why a Chinese train station's location matters, from the ride into town to passport checks, and how to plan the day around it.

Questions Malaysians ask

Do I need a Chinese phone number to use Didi?

Not necessarily. Foreign visitors commonly call Didi through the Alipay mini program, which charges the Alipay account you have linked and needs no Chinese phone number. Set up Alipay at home, because it is easier to fix problems before you land than on a station platform at night.

Which cards can I link to Alipay?

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover and Diners Club cards can be bound to Alipay and Weixin Pay without a Chinese bank account. A secondary source says so, so check the current wording inside the app. Use the name on your passport, since the verification checks it.

Can I use Google Maps to find my hotel?

Google services are blocked in mainland China, so do not rely on them. Apple Maps still works, and Amap (Gaode) has an English version. Download an offline map and save your hotel's Chinese name and address as a screenshot, so you can show it to any driver.

What if the app does not work?

Join the taxi queue at the station and show the driver your hotel's Chinese name and address on your phone. Taxi fares are metered and you pay the exact meter fare, so the driver should not need to bargain. Keep some cash for this moment.

Is it safe to use a ride app alone at night?

Check the plate number and the driver's name against the app before you get in, and share the ride with a family member. If you feel unsure, a pre-arranged hotel pickup is a calmer choice for a first night, and our transfer guide compares both.

Sources

  1. Wander in China, checked 2026-10-19
  2. MyChinaGuide, checked 2026-10-19
  3. MyChinaGuide, checked 2026-10-19
  4. Canberra Times (UNSW expert), checked 2026-10-19
  5. Canberra Times (UNSW expert), checked 2026-10-19
  6. Little Steps Asia, checked 2026-10-19
  7. China Xian Tour, checked 2026-10-19

Rules, schedules and prices change. Confirm with the official source before you travel.

Thinking about China?

If you tell us your arrival time and who is travelling, we can suggest whether a ride app, a taxi or a pre-arranged pickup suits your first evening.

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