First Stop China

Taxis & ride-hailing in Beijing

DiDi versus street taxis, what it costs, and how to avoid the classic airport overcharge.

Last reviewed for the 2026 season · Taxis & ride-hailing across all of China →

In Beijing specifically

In Beijing, DiDi works well and removes the language barrier — the app translates your destination for the driver.
From Beijing Capital / Daxing (PEK) to central Beijing, expect ¥100–200 by meter; use the official rank only.
Beijing traffic peaks at 07:30–09:30 and 17:30–19:30; add 50% to journey estimates then.

What everyone needs to know

DiDi has an English app, shows the price upfront and records the route — it removes almost all friction.
Street taxis are metered by law; refuse any driver who wants a flat fare.
At airports and stations, use the official taxi rank, never someone approaching you inside the terminal.
Keep your destination in Chinese characters; almost no driver reads English addresses.

The numbers

Item	Typical value
Flagfall	¥13–16 in tier-1 cities
Per km	¥2.3–2.6
Airport to centre	¥100–200 in tier-1 cities
Night surcharge	≈20% after 23:00

Do it in this order

Install DiDi, register with your international number and add a card.
Set your pickup point by map pin, not by typing an address.
If hailing a street taxi, confirm the meter is running before the car moves.
Photograph the licence plate if you leave anything behind — DiDi makes this trivial, street taxis do not.

Mistakes that cost money or time

Accepting a fixed price from a driver at the airport — it is usually double the meter.
Getting into an unlicensed car that looks like a taxi.
Forgetting that the return trip from a tourist site may have no passing taxis; book DiDi instead.

Check it at the source

DiDi

Questions people actually ask

Do taxi drivers accept Alipay?: Most do, and many accept the QR. Small notes are still useful as a fallback.
Can I tip?: Tipping is not expected and often declined; the meter fare is the price.

More about Beijing

Taxis & ride-hailing in other cities