Ask a first-time visitor what actually confused them in China and the Great Wall rarely comes up. It is the taxi rank at 11pm: a queue of unmarked cars, a driver waving you toward the kerb instead of the meter, and a number on the dashboard that you have no way to check.
That gap is worth real money. Chinese taxi tariffs are public, cheap and strictly regulated — a cross-town ride in Shanghai is usually under ¥60. The same journey costs two or three times as much if you accept the first "taxi?" shouted at you outside a station. Ride-hailing solves most of it, but sits behind an app most guides describe in one sentence.
Below: published fares, airport prices from official sources, a DiDi setup that works on a foreign phone, the 2026 payment options and the scams worth knowing before you land.
Every licensed taxi in China runs a sealed, inspected meter. The tariff is set by the city's transport and price authorities, printed on a sticker on the rear window, and identical for every legal cab in that city. There is no surge, no negotiation and no tipping: a flat price instead of the meter is a private fare, not a taxi fare.
Three things to check before you open the door:
The fleet is now almost entirely electric — Shenzhen went fully battery-electric years ago (mostly BYD, built there) — which is why some drivers decline long runs they cannot make on a charge.
Published metered tariffs for the four main hub cities. Each charges a flagfall covering the first few kilometres, then a per-km rate, plus a night surcharge and an empty-running surcharge on longer trips.
| City | Flagfall (first km included) | Per km after | Night surcharge | Long-trip surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | ¥13 (3 km) | ¥2.30 | +20% from 23:00 to 05:00 | +50% on the distance beyond 15 km |
| Shanghai | ¥16 (3 km) | ¥2.70 | +30% on fare and distance, trips starting 23:00–05:00 | +50% per-km rate beyond 15 km |
| Guangzhou | ¥12 (3 km) | ¥2.60 | +20% from 23:00 to 05:00 | Empty-running fee applies on longer runs |
| Shenzhen | ¥10 (2 km) | ¥2.60 | +30% from 23:00 to 06:00 | Empty-running fee applies on longer runs |
Typical city-centre runs, daytime and without a jam:
| Typical journey (daytime, no traffic jam) | Metered cost | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing: Wangfujing to Sanlitun (7 km) | ¥28–36 | Flagfall plus roughly 4 km of metered distance |
| Shanghai: the Bund to Jing'an (6 km) | ¥26–34 | Short hops stay near the flagfall |
| Guangzhou: Tianhe to Shamian Island (10 km) | ¥35–45 | River crossings add a kilometre or two |
| Shenzhen: Futian to Shekou (18 km) | ¥65–85 | Crosses the 15 km threshold in some cities |
Two rules for budgeting: a metro ticket on the same routes costs ¥3–8, so the taxi is a convenience purchase, not a saving; and traffic is charged — meters bill waiting time once the car drops below walking pace, which is why a 9am cross-town run can beat these numbers by 30%.
Suburban cabs are a separate case: in Shanghai, taxis registered in Pudong, Minhang, Baoshan, Jiading, Jinshan, Songjiang, Qingpu, Fengxian and Chongming have district-set fares, so the sticker on the window is the authority for that car.
Airport transfers are where the pricing gap is widest, because the unofficial offers are most aggressive there. Use the marked taxi rank — the queue immediately outside arrivals, staffed, with a barrier — and ignore anyone inside the terminal offering a car.
| Airport to city centre | Metered taxi | Time | Cheaper alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing Capital (PEK) → city centre | ¥100–140 | 40–60 min | Airport Express train ¥25 to Dongzhimen |
| Beijing Daxing (PKX) → city centre | ¥180–250 | 50–70 min | Daxing Airport Express; or the intercity rail to Beijing West |
| Shanghai Pudong (PVG) → city centre | ¥170–180 including motorway toll | 45–70 min | Metro Line 2 or the Maglev to Longyang Road |
| Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) → city centre | ¥94–133 including toll | 40–60 min | Metro Line 3 |
| Shenzhen Bao'an (SZX) → Futian / Luohu | ¥90–140 | 40–60 min | Metro Line 11 |
The toll is the item that starts arguments: airport runs use a toll motorway, the toll is added to the meter total, and the receipt shows it as a separate line. Cash toll demanded on top of a metered fare, with no line on the receipt, is not a toll.
Late arrivals change the maths: metro lines shut between roughly 22:30 and 23:30, so a flight landing after 23:00 means a taxi or DiDi, plus the night surcharge after midnight.
DiDi (滴滴出行) is China's dominant ride-hailing platform and, for a visitor, the single most useful app you can set up before landing. You do not need the standalone DiDi app, a Chinese phone number, or a Chinese bank account: the version that lives inside Alipay has an English interface and charges the foreign card already linked to your Alipay account.
Compare the app quote with the meter on your first day. In normal traffic they match within a few yuan; in heavy rain or on holiday evenings the app charges a multiplier while the rank stays on the fixed tariff. In China the meter is the price ceiling — the opposite of what Uber-trained travellers expect.
| Option | Best for | Cost signal | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Street hail | Short hops, no signal, rank at a station | Metered, fixed tariff, no surge | No English, no price shown up front, destination must be in Chinese |
| DiDi via Alipay | Airports, late nights, anywhere you cannot pronounce | Fixed in-app quote, occasionally surged | Needs Alipay set up in advance; pickup pin discipline |
| DiDi standalone app | Frequent users, business receipts | Same as in-app | Foreign number and card support varies by market |
| Hotel car / private transfer | Very early flights, groups of 4+, fixed-price peace of mind | ¥200–500 to the airport | Two to four times the metered fare |
| Chauffeur by the day | Multi-stop sightseeing outside a city | ¥600–1,000 per day | Cheaper than it sounds for four people; book through the hotel |
For intercity legs, none of these is the right answer: Shanghai to Hangzhou is ¥600+ by road and 45 minutes by high-speed rail for ¥73. For overnight legs see the sleeper train guide; to drive yourself, the rental and permit guide.
Every licensed taxi must accept RMB cash, though drivers may lack change for a ¥100 note. Three methods work in practice:
| Method | How it works in a cab | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alipay / WeChat Pay | Scan the QR code stuck to the dashboard or the driver's phone, enter the meter amount | Fastest and most common; needs your card linked first |
| Cash | Hand over notes, take the change | Carry ¥20 and ¥50 notes; ¥100 notes are the usual friction point |
| Foreign card, tapped | Available in a growing subset of cabs (see below) | Not universal; ask before you start moving |
Shanghai leads on cards: about 2,000 Dazhong taxis take UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, Diners, JCB and Amex, and all cabs accept the Shanghai Public Transportation Card. Elsewhere, assume QR or cash.
Always take the receipt — 发票 (fāpiào). It carries the fare, times, distance, operator and driver licence number: exactly what you need to recover a left bag or challenge a fare. The meter slip is not a tax invoice; ask the driver separately if you need one for expenses.
No tipping — not for luggage, not for waiting. Offering it marks you as a soft target for the next fare.
And a classic at the airport rank: the driver who "helps" with an ATM, or insists your ¥100 note is a ¥10. Count your change, keep small notes, pay by QR where you can.
China's transport complaint system is unusually accessible for a visitor.
| Problem | Where to go | What to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Refused meter, overcharge, detour | 12328 (national transport service hotline) or 12345 (city services) | Receipt, plate number, time, pickup and drop-off |
| Left property in the car | 12328 with the receipt; the operator is identified on it. Shenzhen also runs the 95128 taxi booking and enquiry line | Receipt, description of the item, rough time |
| Accessible taxi needed | 12385 (disabled persons' service line) for bookings and complaints | Pickup address, wheelchair dimensions |
| English-speaking cab in Shanghai | Qiangsheng's English booking line 62580 | Pickup time and address |
| Payment dispute on DiDi | In-app trip record → "Report an issue", or the Alipay mini-program's customer service | Trip ID from the app |
The receipt is the whole case — without it a complaint is your word against an unidentifiable car. Photograph it before you put it away.
Two calendar items affect taxi and ride-hailing in the next few months.
Shenzhen, November 17–20, 2026. For APEC's 33rd leaders' meeting, non-"粤B" passenger cars are barred from all roads in Futian, Luohu, Nanshan, Bao'an, Longgang and Longhua between 06:00 and 22:00. Taxis and DiDi keep running — so expect emptier roads and discounted metro fares. See the Shenzhen APEC traffic guide.
Spring Festival 2027, February 5–13. Nine days, the longest holiday of the year. Cities have historically added a small per-trip surcharge (Guangzhou: ¥10), but supply is the real issue — drivers go home and station ranks empty out. Book early and do not count on a hail after 21:00. Full dates in the 2027 holidays guide.
Between roughly 23:30 and 05:00 the metro is closed and you are on taxis, DiDi and night buses, with a 20–30% surcharge from 23:00. If you land after midnight, pre-book through the hotel rather than gambling on the rank; for cancellations and reroutes see the disruption guide.
Show the driver the Chinese on your phone rather than attempting the tones.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning / when to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 请打表 | qǐng dǎbiǎo | "Please use the meter" — say it before the car moves |
| 空车 | kōngchē | Empty car (roof sign) |
| 起步价 | qǐbùjià | Flagfall |
| 到这里 | dào zhèlǐ | "To here" — with the pin on a map |
| 停车 | tíngchē | Stop here |
| 发票 | fāpiào | Receipt / invoice |
| 我要去机场 | wǒ yào qù jīchǎng | "I want to go to the airport" |
| 快车 / 专车 | kuàichē / zhuānchē | DiDi Express / Premier class |
| 别绕路 | bié rào lù | "Don't take a detour" |
| 我的行李在后备箱 | wǒ de xíngli zài hòubèixiāng | "My luggage is in the boot" |
Yes — that is why the Alipay mini-program beats the standalone app. Your Alipay account is passport-verified and the trip is booked and paid inside Alipay, so no Chinese SIM is needed; a data connection is.
In normal traffic they land within a few yuan of each other. In rain, on holidays and after events DiDi's multiplier can beat the metered rate — the meter has no surge, so the rank wins then. The app's real advantage is a fixed price up front and no language barrier.
Nothing. Rounding up to the nearest yuan when paying cash is the ceiling of local practice.
Yes, for licensed cabs and DiDi. Both are tracked: cabs carry a driver ID card and a metered receipt, and DiDi records the plate, route and driver identity in the app. The risk is unlicensed cars soliciting at station and airport exits, not the regulated fleet.
Related reading: the metro guide, airport arrival guide, domestic flights guide, high-speed rail guide, sleeper trains, self-drive and rental, left luggage, Shenzhen APEC traffic, the 2027 holidays calendar, the disruption guide and the land border entry guide.
Last updated: November 13, 2026. Sources: Shanghai Municipal Government English portal, "Taking a taxi in Shanghai" (September 2025) — 30% night surcharge, 50% long-distance rate, Dazhong card acceptance; Beijing municipal transport tariff summaries (¥13/3 km, ¥2.30/km, 20% night, 50% empty-run beyond 15 km); Guangzhou city transport tariff and Baiyun transfer ranges; Shenzhen municipal and district portals on tariffs, the electric fleet and the 95128/12385 lines; National Immigration Administration Q3 2026 arrivals (11.601 million, +15.6%). Tariffs and hotlines are set locally and change without notice — the sticker in the cab and the meter receipt are authoritative.