thanks. I'll download it just in case.

ETA: I just downloaded the app, saved my Citi MC info in my wallet and appear to be good to go. I was able to get a FYI quote from PVG to the HIlton and it came back at 205 yuan which translated into $32. This was for an "express" car not luxury. Uber X equivalent perhaps? Is this moreorless the same price a taxi would charge me? If so I'll take the taxi rather than worry about a driver calling me and becoming frustrated since we can't understand each other.

Will I be able to use Didi to get a car from hotel to airport having registered with a US number with the English version of the Didi app? I don't plan on using a Chinese sim... thanks in advance!

My last trip in Shenzhen, I started using Didi more frequently instead of a taxi to go from my hotel to the office. It seems to me that the younger drivers tend to notice that I am using a foreign language version and use the Didi messaging to confirm the trip. The older drivers tend to call. I think the need to call is more out of habit or just being skeptical to confirm the pickup. At my hotel I was able to hand the phone over to staff if I got a call from the Didi driver. Anyway, none of this is scientific just purely anecdotal. Typical price for an express car is a few RMB more on short trips. Definitely cheaper on longer trips. My daily trip to the office is short, I could walk it but I don't want to suffer the flop sweat in the 95% humidity.

Didi is good again now that it has competitors, but airport pickups are not fun. Just take a taxi.

I think the poster is asking about hotel to airport, in which case Didi can be useful.

Agreed

Thanks for the responses! It sounds like if the Didi driver uses the app messaging to confirm the reservation, we'll be in good shape, but if they prefer to use voice call method and try to call my US number, my reservation may get cancelled right?

You can message him on WiFi.

I use Didi every day in Shenzhen. I never answer the call because there's no point.

Instead, as soon as the ride is accepted I send the first auto-translated instant message confirming my location.

If the driver still calls then I send the other auto-translated message saying I can't answer the phone right now. I then repeat the first instant message.

Never fails.

I prefer prefer voice calls most of the time because my apartment is hard to find, and my office has tons of people calling Didi after work.

Good tip, but depending on who the driver is, some very old school. I'm finding private Premium/Lux drivers are far better, younger and more professional, and often just a few RMB more, well worth it given the summer months and how cheap the Taxi guys seem to be with AC.

Just reporting back the English version of Didi worked great. Used it several times while in China. 1 driver texted, I used the english translation feature, 1 driver, texted, i texted back in Chinese, and 1 driver called my US cellphone to confirm my location (we were in-front of the hotel) but hey whatever. The rides were all fine, great value. Only issue I had was for some reason for the last ride, it would not run the payment through with the app in English. I was able to bum my way through with my Chinese with the app set to Chinese and it worked. So they do have a few bugs to work through but all in all, pretty descent.

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If you can read Chinese, switching your language to Chinese will avail you of more options.

My only issue with Didi is my apparent inability to get receipts. I had to screenshot all of my trips for receipt purpose.

I loaded the English Didi Android app on my USA phone and registered a credit card successfully in anticipation of a trip to Shanghai in a month or so. It appears that I can order a car from a location in China. So far, it appears to be working as expected. When I arrive at PVG, it was my intent to buy a pre-paid SIM. When I remove my US SIM and install my China SIM, my phone number will change, of course. Do I need to repeat the setup with the new phone number? Or do I need to use my USA SIM so I can receive calls & text messages at my USA phone number?

Thanks.

They send official fapiaos via email if you ask.

You can update your profile with you Shanghai number. This is useful because it saves both you and your drivers money.

FYI, meituan is a little more expensive than Didi, but I have found it useful during busy times. After the soccer games, Didi requires an hour wait, while meituan is around 5 minutes. I haven't tried dianping yet.

Good to know. I use meituan for some things, but there's very little english support for us non-speakers. I usually need local assistance when using meituan, more so than DiDi.