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Does Uber work in China? What travelers need to know
Uber does not operate in mainland China as it sold its China business to Didi Chuxing. Learn what happened and how to use Didi to hail rides instead.
No, Uber does not operate in mainland China, as it sold its billion-dollar China business to local ride-sharing giant Didi Chuxing back in 2016. Travelers in China can use Didi to book rides instead.
In this guide, we explain why Uber is no longer available in China, how Didi works, and what travelers need to know before booking a ride. We’ll also cover how a Holafly eSIM can help you stay connected while you’re in China.
Peace of mind before you fly
Set up before you fly so you're connected the moment you land in China.
Why Uber doesn’t work in mainland China
Uber doesn’t operate in mainland China because it sold its local ride-hailing business in 2016, not because the app was blocked by the Great Firewall. Unlike WhatsApp or Telegram in China, Uber’s absence from the mainland follows its exit from the market rather than internet censorship.
Didi Chuxing took over Uber’s mainland China operations as part of the deal, in exchange for a 20% stake in Didi. Today, travelers in mainland China can use Didi to book rides instead of Uber.
Keep in mind, however, that Uber still operates in Hong Kong and has a limited presence in Macau. Both are special administrative regions with their own regulations, separate from mainland China.
What to use instead of Uber in China: Didi and other options
Didi is the main ride-hailing travel app in mainland China. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play, or access it through the Didi mini programs in Alipay and WeChat.
Didi offers an English-language interface, so you can enter pickup and destination details in English, and the app includes in-app translation for messages between you and your driver. You can sign up with a foreign phone number, Apple, Alipay, or WeChat.
If you’re signing up with your phone number, set the account up before traveling to China while verification codes still reach you easily. You’ll also need mobile internet in China to hail a ride at all, since Didi has no offline booking option.
Payment options include credit cards, Apple Pay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay, though available methods vary and international cards aren’t always accepted. Fares are shown in CNY.
Alipay and WeChat Pay dominate everyday spending across the country, and both now allow foreign cards to be linked. Getting one set up before you arrive makes paying in China considerably easier, in a Didi and everywhere else.
Didi has several ride types:
- Economy: Lower-cost option, with potentially longer waits
- Standard: Regular ride with faster pickup
- Priority: Higher-priority pickup
- Taxi: Licensed taxi; cash accepted
- Premium: Newer, higher-end cars
- Premium XL: Premium option for up to six passengers
- Luxe: Luxury cars
- Luxe XL: Luxury cars for up to six passengers
Other ride-hailing options include Meituan Dache, which also lets you book taxis and private rides, and CaoCao Chuxing, a ride-hailing app that focuses on electric vehicles.
No connection method makes Uber available in mainland China. Understanding what is an eSIM or what is data roaming helps here: both change how your data reaches the network, but neither changes the fact that Uber no longer operates a ride-hailing service in the country.
Knowing what is a VPN makes the same point, since rerouting your connection through another country still leaves you with an app that has no local service to connect to. This is a market exit, not a block. Use Didi or another local ride-hailing app instead.
Stay connected in China with a Holafly eSIM
Stay connected wherever you go in China with Holafly’s eSIM for China. You get unlimited data, 24-hour chat support, data for hotspot sharing, and up to 5G speeds — enough to hail a Didi, follow the route, and message your driver without worrying about your allowance.
Every plan also includes Always On: 1 GB of backup data each month across 150+ destinations at no extra cost, so you keep a connection after your main plan runs out.
If China is one stop on a longer trip, Holafly Plans is a pay-monthly subscription covering 170+ destinations on a single eSIM.
Peace of mind before you fly
Set up before you fly so you're connected the moment you land in China.
FAQs about Uber in China
Uber does not operate its ride-hailing service in mainland China. The company sold its China operations to Didi in 2016, so travelers should use Didi or another local ride-hailing service instead.
Uber Eats does not operate in mainland China. Uber’s exit from the Chinese market included its local operations, so you’ll need to use local food-delivery services instead.
Didi is the main ride-hailing app in mainland China. It lets users book taxis and private rides, with options that range from economy cars to premium and larger vehicles. Other apps include Meituan Dache and CaoCao Chuxing.
Yes, foreigners can use Didi in China. The app supports English and allows users to sign up with a foreign phone number, Apple, Alipay, or WeChat. Payment options can include international credit cards and mobile payment services.
No, Didi and Uber are separate ride-hailing companies. Didi took over Uber’s mainland China operations in 2016 after Uber sold its China business and received a stake in Didi.
Which apps work in China?
Most Western apps are blocked in mainland China, though a few are unavailable for entirely different reasons. Here’s where each one stands.
- Does WhatsApp work in China? — No, blocked by the Great Firewall
- Does Instagram work in China? — No, blocked by the Great Firewall
- Does Snapchat work in China? — No, blocked by the Great Firewall
- Does Telegram work in China? — No, blocked since 2015
- Does Discord work in China? — No, blocked by the Great Firewall
- Does Gmail work in China? — No, blocked as a Google service
- Does YouTube work in China? — No, blocked since 2009
- Does iMessage work in China? — Yes, not blocked
- Does Netflix work in China? — No, but not blocked. Netflix never launched in China
- Does Spotify work in China? — No, but not blocked. Spotify never launched in China
- Does Uber work in China? — No, Uber sold its China business to Didi in 2016
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I am a Liverpool-based SEO content specialist with years of experience crafting content that connects. I combine my love for clear communication with a passion for travel and languages (currently diving into Japanese!). At Holafly, I'm here to help you understand everything about staying connected abroad, turning technical jargon into straightforward advice you can actually use.
