DiDi a Ride for the Holidays

Yes, you can feel it in the air: The holiday season shopping spree mode has started. The sound of Jingle Bells drowns out Sanlitun and the Bund; the office buzz winds down; it is too cold to stand curbside and wait for that random taxi that never comes; and second cousin Lizzy, her husband, and their three kids are all on their way to China. It's about time to expand your expat survival kit and download DiDi, China’s catch-all mobility app to navigate this holiday season. Since May 2017, DiDi has rolled out a bilingual function on its app for foreign travelers and expat communities in China. DiDi's top four personal mobility options – Taxi, Express, Premier, and Luxe – now all have a fully English user interface.

Although you can’t grab a bike or minibus like Chinese users can, DiDi English offers many other Laowai-friendly features. Users can sign up with overseas mobile numbers registered in 22 countries and territories. The in-app message translation tool helps non-Chinese speakers communicate with local drivers via text. Major international credit cards and Apple Pay have been added, along with WeChat Pay, Alipay, and other popular local options. DiDi is doing a promotion over the holidays and first-time users – including second cousin Lizzy – may find discount coupons in ‘My Wallet’. Watch a tutorial on how to use the app.

This post is provided by Didi Chuxing

Photos courtesy of Didi Chuxing