Three apps move you around China: DiDi for taxis and ride-hailing, 12306 for high-speed trains, and Trip.com for flights and hotels. Install and set them up before you fly.
1 DiDi (ride-hailing)
DiDi (滴滴出行) is China’s Uber — use it for taxis, private cars, and airport runs. You type or pin a destination, see the fare up front, and pay through the app (Alipay or WeChat), so there’s no cash and no haggling.
Set up step by step
The left side explains every step; the right side shows what the screen looks like. Run through it at home, not after you land.
Tip: if a driver cancels or won’t accept your pin, try again or walk a short distance — some zones are restricted. At airports and stations, follow the colored signs to the designated ride-hailing pickup zone; drivers wait there, not at the taxi queue. DiDi is far safer and more predictable than hailing on the street.
2 12306 (high-speed trains)
12306 is the official booking system for China’s high-speed rail network — the fastest, cheapest way to travel between cities. The website (and the 12306 app) sell the same tickets you’d get at the station, often weeks ahead.
- Verify your passport early. 12306 requires real-name verification. Add your passport in the app and let it clear before your travel dates — this step can take a day or two.
- Book ahead for peak travel. Trains on holidays and popular routes sell out fast. Grab seats as soon as the window opens (typically 15 days before departure).
- Know your station. Big cities have several stations (Beijing has South, West, North, and more). Double-check which one — getting it wrong means a long cross-town taxi.
- Show the QR, not a paper ticket. After booking, the app generates a QR code you scan at the gate. Keep your passport handy too — staff may ask to see it.
3 Trip.com (flights & hotels)
Trip.com (the international arm of Ctrip) is the easiest Western-friendly platform for China flights and hotels. It has an English interface, accepts foreign cards, and lists many properties that don’t appear on global sites.
- Flights: compare carriers and book domestic hops — often cheaper than the airline’s own site, and in English.
- Hotels: filter by location, price, and guest rating; many listings include the Chinese name so taxi drivers can find you.
- Trains too: Trip.com also resells 12306 rail tickets with an English UI — handy if the 12306 app’s verification trips you up.
- Save confirmation offline. Download or screenshot your booking; mobile data can be patchy at the gate or front desk.
One account, everywhere: sign in to all three before you leave and run a test booking (you can cancel). You don’t want a first-time setup screen at a crowded station.