Are taxis safe in China? How do I pay?

Licensed Taxis vs Black Cars

Licensed taxis: Have a distinctive roof sign (yellow/green/red depending on city), company livery, working meter, and driver ID displayed on dashboard. Safe, insured, and regulated.

Black cars (黑车): Unlicensed private cars soliciting passengers at airports, train stations, and tourist sites. NO meter, NO insurance, charge 2–5x normal price. AVOID at all costs.

How to spot a black car: Driver approaches you saying 'taxi? taxi?' in English, no roof sign, no meter, wants to negotiate a fixed price (always too high), car is a private vehicle (not taxi-colored).

Airport taxi stands: Follow signs to 'Taxi' (出租车) — there's an official queue with licensed taxis. Never accept rides from people approaching you inside the terminal.

If a licensed taxi driver refuses to use the meter: Get out and find another one. Some drivers near tourist sites try to negotiate flat rates (always overpriced).

Didi is the safest option: All drivers are licensed, rides are GPS-tracked, price is shown upfront, and you can share your trip with friends.

Payment & Pricing

Payment: 95% of taxi drivers accept Alipay/WeChat Pay. Scan the driver's QR code (usually on the sun visor or dashboard) and enter the meter amount. Cash is accepted but drivers rarely have change for large bills.

Cards: Almost no taxis accept credit cards. Do NOT rely on cards for taxi payment.

Starting fare: ¥10–14 (varies by city) for the first 3 km. Then ¥2–3 per km. Waiting time: ¥0.5–1 per minute when stopped.

Fuel surcharge: Some cities add ¥1–2 fuel surcharge during high oil prices. Included in the meter total.

Airport flat rates: Some cities have fixed airport-to-city rates (e.g., Beijing ¥120–150, Shanghai ¥150–200). The meter usually gives a similar price.

Tipping: NOT expected and often refused. Round up to the nearest ¥10 if you want — drivers appreciate it but don't expect it.

Receipt: Ask for 'fāpiào' (发票) if you need one for expense reports. Drivers can print from the meter.

Communication & Safety Tips

Show destination in Chinese: Have your hotel's Chinese name and address saved in your phone. Show it to the driver — don't try to pronounce it. Use Amap to show the location on a map.

Use Amap navigation: Open Amap, enter your destination, start navigation, and hand your phone to the driver. They'll follow the route. This prevents 'long way' scams.

Meter must be on: If the driver doesn't start the meter, point at it and say 'dǎ biǎo' (打表 = use meter). If they refuse, get out.

Sit in the back: Standard practice in China. Front passenger seat is for friends/family, not passengers.

Safety: Licensed taxis are very safe. Keep your bags on your lap, not in the trunk (if you can), to avoid forgetting them. Note the driver's ID and license plate (on dashboard).

Lost items: If you leave something in a taxi, call the taxi company hotline (on the door) or your hotel can help. Didi has a 'lost item' feature in the app.

Peak hours: 7–9am and 5–7pm are hard to find taxis. Use Didi instead — it shows wait time and surge pricing upfront.