Can I use DiDi without a Chinese phone number?

Install the right app. The one that works in mainland China is listed on foreign app stores as “DiDi China: Ride Hailing” (滴滴出行, developer 滴滴出行(北京)…). “DiDi Rider” (滴滴国际版) is DiDi's app for Australia, Japan, Mexico, Egypt and other overseas markets and does not serve the mainland.

The store listing says “English interface supporting global mobile number login”. The Chinese government's 2025 guide for foreigners says the DiDi Greater China app “supports foreigners to use foreign mobile phone numbers and international credit cards to register”. Sign up before swapping SIMs: your number must receive the verification code, which a data-only eSIM cannot do. Some accounts need extra verification. The app also offers Alipay or WeChat login, but there is no documentation saying this lets you skip the phone number.

DiDi and the government guide list international bank cards for in-app payment. Alipay and WeChat Pay also appear as options. The payment page shows which card brands you can link and whether Apple Pay is available. Travellers most often report Visa and Mastercard; DiDi's January 2025 statement also named them.

No app at all: open Alipay (which accepts a foreign number, passport and foreign card), search “DiDi” and hail from the mini-app; the fare goes to whatever card is linked in Alipay. The government guide names this route explicitly. The WeChat mini-app is also listed, but traveller reports suggest it is less reliable without a Chinese number.

On the ride: 24/7 in-app English customer service is on the store listing. Number masking, in-app chat with translation and airports' marked ride-hail pickup points are what travellers and DiDi promotions describe; details differ by city and app version.

Tiers you will see, per the government guide: Express, Taxi (a metered street cab hailed through the app), Premier and Luxe. The fare or estimate is shown before you confirm.