didi

First-time visitors always flag taxis at the airport. I stop them. Download Didi. English interface. Upfront price. International cards. Beijing airport to city: taxi 120-180 yuan with surge. Didi 90-120 yuan guaranteed. One Malaysian client: "Cheaper than Grab. How?" China built a ride-hailing system that is cheaper AND better.

Short answer: nope. Uber sold its China business to Didi in 2016, so the app won't work here. But honestly? Didi is better anyway. Works exactly like Uber with English interface and maps. I've been using it for years with clients who can't read a word of Chinese. One tip: link it to Alipay before you leave home. Saves the hassle of figuring out payment when you're jet-lagged at 2am outside the airport. Oh, and download the app BEFORE you land. Setting it up needs a SMS verification. Do it on WiFi at home.