Quick Answer

Open the active order and use the chat to describe a specific pickup point. DiDi’s publisher advertises bilingual messaging, which may be easier than a phone call. Keep the message short and match the car plate before boarding.

If this happens, do this

If the table extends beyond the screen, scroll sideways to read more.
Situation What to do next
You do not speak Chinese Send: 我不会说中文，请发信息。 (I do not speak Chinese. Please send a message.)
You are by a known entrance Send the entrance name or pickup-bay number exactly as displayed.
The driver requests the last four digits Check the trip’s verification prompt; do not send banking or SMS security codes.
You and the driver cannot find each other Use a staffed meeting point and in-app support; review any cancellation fee before cancelling.

Make a Chinese address card.

What to Do Immediately

Step 1: Do not move randomly

If you keep walking, the driver may arrive at the original pickup pin while you are somewhere else. Stay in the designated, permitted pickup area shown for your active order. If the map pin is on a restricted road or the wrong level, stay in a safe staffed place and confirm the correct pickup point with the driver or airport staff before moving.

Step 2: Open the license plate screen

Confirm the plate number, car color and driver information. Never enter a car just because someone says your name or destination. Match the plate in the app.

Step 3: Use in-app chat

Send a simple message:

Sorry, I cannot speak Chinese. I am at the pickup location. Please use chat translation.

If the app translates the message, the driver can respond in Chinese and you can follow the translation.

Step 4: Send a landmark

At airports and malls, send the gate, door number, hotel lobby name or a nearby shop name. Examples:

  • Gate 5
  • The terminal, floor and numbered ride-hailing bay shown in your order
  • Starbucks entrance
  • Hotel lobby
  • The signed ride-hailing pickup zone for your terminal

Step 5: Use a photo carefully

If the app allows it, send a photo of the pickup area sign, not your passport or private information.

Compare your physical location with the pickup pin and describe a visible meeting point.

DiDi in Alipay: the pickup pin and destination field.

DiDi in Alipay: the pickup pin and destination field.

Image source: Shanghai International Services. Screenshot rights remain with the publisher. Reference example; screens can vary by device, account and app version. Dates and prices shown are not live.

Why Drivers Call

The pickup pin is not precise

Airport roads, malls, office towers and hotels can have several entrances. A pin on the map may not tell the driver which side of the building you are on.

The road has restrictions

Some areas do not allow pickup or stopping. The driver may ask you to walk to a legal pickup point.

The driver wants to confirm you are there

If the driver is close, they may call to avoid waiting charges or cancellation.

Messages You Can Copy

English message for the app

I cannot speak Chinese. I am waiting at the pickup point. Please message me here and use translation.

Chinese version

我不会说中文。我在上车点等您。请在这里发消息，我会用翻译。

At an airport

我在机场上车点。请告诉我具体几号门。

I am at the airport pickup area. Please tell me the exact gate number.

At a hotel

我在酒店大堂门口。

I am at the hotel lobby entrance.

When the pickup is not working

Stay in a safe, staffed place and use in-app support if:

  • The driver asks you to pay outside the app.
  • The plate number does not match.
  • The driver asks you to walk to an unsafe or unclear area.
  • You cannot communicate after several messages.
  • Airport staff tell you the pickup point is wrong.

Review the cancellation screen and any fee before confirming. A wrong pickup point may be fixable through chat or support. Do not enter a car with mismatched details; if you cancel, confirm that the old trip has ended before booking again.

Safety Rules

  • Match the license plate before entering.
  • Do not share passport photos in chat.
  • Do not pay outside the app unless you intentionally chose a taxi/cash flow.
  • Sit in the back seat if traveling alone.
  • Keep your hotel address saved in Chinese.

Sources and review

Sources reviewed on 2026-09-30. These sources support the service or policy facts; the practical fallback steps are editorial guidance. This is not a recorded field test.