Shanghai Taxi Guide for Malaysians: Fares, DiDi & Tips

The first time you arrive in Shanghai, taking a taxi can feel slightly intimidating 🚕. Unlike Malaysia, where most of us automatically open Grab, Shanghai has a mixture of traditional street taxis, ride-hailing apps, QR-code payments and designated pick-up zones.

Then there is the Mandarin language barrier. You might wonder whether the driver will understand your hotel name, whether your Malaysian bank card will work, or whether you need to prepare Chinese yuan before getting into the car.

Fortunately, taking a taxi in Shanghai is much easier than it initially appears ✅. Traditional taxis are widely available, DiDi works similarly to Grab, and international travellers now have several convenient payment options. The key is preparing your apps before leaving Malaysia and keeping your destination written in Chinese.

📱 How to Book a Taxi in Shanghai

🚕 Option 1: Hail a Taxi on the Street

Traditional taxis can still be flagged down throughout Shanghai. Look for a taxi displaying an available-for-hire light or sign, then raise your hand when the vehicle approaches.

Street taxis are especially convenient around:

✅ Hotels
✅ Shopping malls
✅ Tourist attractions
✅ Restaurant districts
✅ Metro stations
✅ Residential neighbourhoods

However, drivers are not allowed to collect passengers within 50 metres of an intersection, so walk slightly farther down the road before trying to stop one.

The biggest advantage of hailing a taxi is that you can leave immediately without waiting for an app driver. The main challenge is communicating your destination.

💡 Pro Tip for Malaysians: Save your hotel name, attraction or restaurant address in Chinese. Do not depend entirely on the English name because many drivers may only recognise the Chinese version.

For example, instead of only showing “The Bund”, save:

📍 外滩
📍 Wàitān
📍 The Bund

A screenshot of the address is also useful when your mobile connection is unstable.

📲 Option 2: Book a Ride Using DiDi

DiDi is the closest equivalent to Grab in China. It allows you to enter your destination, see the estimated price, track your driver and pay electronically.

DiDi offers an English interface and supports payment methods including Visa, Mastercard, Alipay and WeChat Pay. You can also access ride-hailing services through Alipay instead of downloading a separate app.

Using DiDi allows you to:

✅ Enter your destination without speaking Mandarin
✅ Check the estimated fare before confirming
✅ See your driver's location and vehicle number
✅ Choose between regular taxis and private cars
✅ Communicate through in-app messages
✅ Pay automatically after the journey

💡 Malaysian Traveller Tip: Set up DiDi or Alipay before flying to Shanghai. Register using your Malaysian mobile number and complete any card verification while you still have easy access to SMS codes.

When booking, pay close attention to the pick-up point. Shanghai's shopping malls, train stations and airports can have several entrances, basement levels and separate ride-hailing zones.

🏨 Option 3: Ask Your Hotel to Arrange a Taxi

Hotel receptionists can usually call a taxi and explain the destination to the driver. This is helpful when:

🧳 You have several suitcases
🌧️ It is raining heavily
🌙 You are leaving early in the morning
📍 Your destination is difficult to locate
🗣️ You are worried about the language barrier

Before leaving, ask the receptionist to write your destination in Chinese or give you the hotel's address card for the return journey.

✈️ Taking a Taxi from Shanghai Airports

**Penumpang Naik Teksi**

Shanghai has two major airports:

✈️ Shanghai Pudong International Airport
✈️ Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport

Always follow the airport signs leading to the official taxi queue. Avoid accepting rides from people approaching you inside the arrival hall, even when they claim that the queue is too long or that they can offer a “special price”.

🛬 Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Pudong Airport is where most Malaysians arriving on international flights will land.

Official taxi pick-up locations include:

📍 Terminal 1: Outside Arrival Gate 12
📍 Terminal 2: Outside Arrival Gate 25

A metered taxi from Pudong Airport to People's Square costs approximately RMB180 and normally takes around 50 minutes, although traffic can make the journey considerably longer.

💡 Pudong Airport is quite far from central Shanghai. During weekday rush hour, the metro or Maglev may be faster than travelling the entire distance by taxi.

🛬 Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport

Hongqiao Airport is closer to central Shanghai and is connected to the Hongqiao high-speed railway station.

Official taxi locations include:

📍 Terminal 1: Outside Gate 1 on the arrivals floor
📍 Terminal 2: Outside Gate 4 on the arrivals floor

A taxi into central Shanghai usually takes around 30 minutes and costs approximately RMB100–150, depending on traffic and your destination.

🚆 Taking a Taxi from Shanghai Train Stations

**Teksi Stesen Shanghai**

Shanghai's major railway stations have designated taxi waiting areas. These may be located underground or in a separate section of the transport complex.

Large stations include:

🚆 Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station
🚆 Shanghai Railway Station
🚆 Shanghai South Railway Station

Follow signs marked:

🚕 Taxi
🚕 出租车
🚕 出租汽车

Do not immediately follow drivers who approach you near the station exit. The official queue may involve more walking, but it is the safest way to get a licensed, metered taxi.

💡 Pro Tip: At Hongqiao Railway Station, follow the taxi signs carefully before leaving the building. Once you exit through the wrong door, finding the correct pick-up area can become unnecessarily confusing.

💰 Shanghai Taxi Fares Explained

Shanghai taxis are reasonably priced, particularly when two to four passengers are sharing the fare.

📊 Current Metered Taxi Charges

The night surcharge applies to journeys beginning between 11 pm and 5 am. Slow-moving traffic is charged every four minutes at an amount equivalent to 1.5 kilometres of the normal distance fare. A RMB10 surcharge may apply during the Spring Festival, while Labour Day and National Day journeys may have a RMB5 surcharge.

Because long trips receive an additional distance surcharge, airport journeys can become noticeably more expensive than the same distance travelled by metro.

📲 Are DiDi Prices the Same as Taxi Meter Prices?

Not necessarily.

When booking through DiDi, you may see several vehicle choices:

🚕 Taxi
🚗 Express
🚙 Premium or larger vehicle
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Six-seater vehicle

A traditional taxi booked through DiDi normally follows the taxi meter. Private ride-hailing vehicles may instead display an estimated or upfront price, which can change according to traffic, demand, vehicle category and pick-up location.

Before confirming, compare the available options. Sometimes a metered taxi is cheaper, while at other times a DiDi Express vehicle offers better value.

💡 Money-Saving Tips for Malaysians

💰 Use the metro during weekday morning and evening rush hours.

💰 Take a taxi when travelling with three or four people, especially when the fare can be shared.

💰 Compare the different vehicle categories inside DiDi.

💰 Avoid selecting a premium or six-seater vehicle unless you need the additional space.

💰 Use a taxi for the first or last kilometre instead of travelling across the entire city by car.

💰 Check whether your hotel is located near a metro station before booking an airport taxi.

💰 Avoid unnecessary airport expressway or toll routes when you are not rushing.

Shanghai Metro fares start from RMB3, making the train significantly cheaper for solo travellers and longer journeys.

💳 How Malaysians Can Pay for Shanghai Taxis

📱 Option 1: Alipay — Best Overall Choice

Alipay is generally the most useful payment app for Malaysians visiting Shanghai.

International travellers can register using an overseas mobile number and link eligible international debit or credit cards. Alipay can then be used for taxis, ride-hailing, shops, restaurants and public transport.

Before leaving Malaysia:

✅ Download Alipay
✅ Register using your Malaysian number
✅ Complete identity verification when requested
✅ Add a Malaysian Visa or Mastercard
✅ Notify your bank about overseas transactions when necessary
✅ Test that you can access the app

During the taxi journey, you may either pay automatically through a ride-hailing booking or scan the taxi's official payment QR code.

💡 Check the amount carefully before pressing the final confirmation button.

🚗 Option 2: Pay Directly Through DiDi

For rides booked through DiDi, the easiest method is usually in-app payment.

DiDi supports international cards as well as Alipay and WeChat Pay. Once your card is linked, the final fare can be charged automatically without scanning the driver's QR code.

This is particularly convenient because:

✅ The payment amount is recorded in the app
✅ You do not need to handle cash
✅ You can report a fare problem through the booking
✅ The driver does not need to explain the payment process

🇲🇾 Option 3: Touch ’n Go eWallet

Touch ’n Go eWallet supports overseas QR payments at participating Alipay+ merchants in mainland China. Payments are converted and deducted in Malaysian ringgit, with the exchange information shown during the transaction.

However, I would treat TNG eWallet as a useful backup rather than the only taxi payment method.

It should work when the taxi displays a compatible merchant Alipay+ QR code, but it may not work when a driver presents a personal money-transfer QR code. Alipay's international payment system also distinguishes normal merchant purchases from person-to-person transfers.

For the smoothest experience, prepare Alipay or DiDi in addition to TNG eWallet.

💵 Option 4: Chinese Yuan Cash

Licensed Shanghai taxis accept RMB cash. Carrying some cash is still useful as an emergency backup, particularly when:

📶 Your mobile internet stops working
🔋 Your phone battery is low
💳 Your card transaction is declined
📱 The payment app requires additional verification

Try to carry smaller notes such as RMB10, RMB20 and RMB50. A driver may not have enough change for an RMB100 note, especially early in the day.

💳 Option 5: Physical Credit or Debit Card

Do not assume that every taxi accepts a physical Malaysian bank card.

Shanghai has introduced international card terminals in around 2,000 taxis operated by Dazhong, supporting networks such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay and Diners Club. However, this facility is not available in every vehicle.

Look for card-acceptance stickers before depending on this method.

⭐ Best Taxi Payment Methods for Malaysians

My recommended combination would be:

📱 Primary: Alipay or DiDi
🇲🇾 Backup: TNG eWallet
💵 Emergency: RMB100–200 in smaller notes

🗣️ Dealing with the Language Barrier

Many Shanghai taxi drivers speak little or no English. Fortunately, you normally only need to communicate your destination and payment method.

Prepare the following before entering:

✅ Destination name in Chinese
✅ Full Chinese address
✅ Hotel telephone number
✅ Screenshot of the entrance
✅ Nearby landmark or metro station
✅ DiDi booking page, when applicable

Avoid simply saying an English hotel name. Shanghai may have several hotels with similar names or different branches of the same chain.

📝 Useful Taxi Phrases

请打表。
Qǐng dǎ biǎo.
Please use the meter.

去这个地址。
Qù zhège dìzhǐ.
Please go to this address.

可以用支付宝吗？
Kěyǐ yòng Zhīfùbǎo ma?
Can I use Alipay?

请给我发票。
Qǐng gěi wǒ fāpiào.
Please give me a receipt.

在这里停车。
Zài zhèlǐ tíngchē.
Please stop here.

⚠️ Common Taxi Problems and How to Avoid Them

🚫 Unofficial Airport and Station Drivers

The most important rule is to use the official taxi queue at airports and railway stations.

Be cautious when someone approaches you saying:

❌ “Taxi, taxi!”
❌ “No need to queue.”
❌ “Official taxi is finished.”
❌ “Special fixed price.”
❌ “Your hotel is very far.”

Politely decline and continue following the taxi signs.

💰 Driver Does Not Start the Meter

For a traditional street taxi, check that the meter is activated after the journey begins.

If the driver proposes a fixed fare, confirm whether you have entered an official taxi or a privately arranged vehicle. Unless you have knowingly booked a fixed-price transfer, it is safer to use a metered taxi or DiDi.

🛣️ Unexpected Route

Shanghai is enormous, and drivers may choose different routes depending on congestion, road restrictions and tolls. A route that looks longer is not automatically a scam.

Nevertheless, you can:

✅ Follow the journey inside DiDi
✅ Check the route on your preferred navigation app
✅ Compare the estimated arrival time
✅ Ask the hotel to explain the preferred route
✅ Keep the receipt after the trip

Some newer Shanghai taxis also display a service QR code that allows passengers to view an estimated fare and suggested route.

🧾 Driver Does Not Offer a Receipt

Ask for a receipt before leaving the taxi.

A Shanghai taxi receipt can contain:

✅ Fare amount
✅ Pick-up and drop-off time
✅ Travel distance
✅ Waiting time
✅ Driver or vehicle information

This can be extremely helpful when reporting a fare dispute or recovering something left inside the vehicle.

📱 Incorrect QR Payment Amount

When scanning a QR code manually:

🔍 Confirm that the amount is in RMB
🔍 Check every digit before paying
🔍 Make sure you are using the correct payment page
🔍 Keep the digital transaction record
🔍 Avoid paying twice when an in-app charge is already pending

For DiDi bookings, check whether the fare has already been charged automatically before scanning anything inside the vehicle.

🚇 Taxi or Metro: Which Is Better in Shanghai?

🚕 Choose a Taxi When:

✅ You are travelling with parents or young children
✅ You have large suitcases
✅ Three or four people can share the fare
✅ It is raining
✅ Your destination is far from a metro station
✅ You are returning to the hotel late at night
✅ You need door-to-door convenience

🚇 Choose the Metro When:

✅ You are travelling alone
✅ It is weekday rush hour
✅ You are crossing a large part of the city
✅ Your destination is beside a station
✅ You want to keep your transport budget low
✅ Road traffic is extremely heavy

For many Malaysian families, the best strategy is to combine both: use the metro for long journeys and take a short taxi ride for the final section.

✅ Final Thoughts

Taking a taxi in Shanghai is not as complicated as it first appears. Traditional taxis are widely available, official fares are clearly regulated, and DiDi removes most of the language barrier by placing your destination directly into the booking.

For Malaysians, the most important preparation is sorting out your payment apps before the trip. Set up Alipay or DiDi with a Malaysian card, keep Touch ’n Go eWallet as an additional option, and carry a small amount of RMB cash for emergencies.

As long as you use official taxi queues, keep your destination written in Chinese and check the fare before confirming payment, getting around Shanghai by taxi should be comfortable, convenient and relatively stress-free 🚕✅.