Taxis are a good, cheap, and easy way to get around Chinese cities, and frankly sometimes, to get in between them, as long as you know a few guidelines so you don’t get caught off guard. Read on so you are prepared to use this convenient way to get around China.
Write down your destination
Assuming you don’t speak Mandarin, it is essential that you have your destination written in Chinese. Sounds complicated? It is not
First, most large hotels have a convenient “taxi card” for you to take with you when you walk out the door. In big cities like Shanghai and Beijing, these cards have the hotel (so you can come back) written on one side and usually 10-15 tourist destinations on the other side. If the card doesn’t have where you want to go, just ask the concierge to write it for you. This is a common practice, so don’t feel like it’s a weird request.
Even if your hotel does not have a pre-printed taxi card, the staff will be happy to write down your destination for you to give the driver. Usually the hotel staff calling the taxi will also tell you where you want to go.
Call a taxi on the street
If you are trying to hail a taxi from the street (not outside of a hotel with a taxi queue) this can be frustrating. People will stand in front of you and take “their” taxi and taxis with their lights on will pass immediately. It can be difficult, but you must be patient.
What to expect inside the taxi
Taxis, of course, vary from city to city, but in most cases, they are clean and the seats are covered with a white cloth, which usually hides the seat belts in the back. Many Chinese jump in front with the driver, it is not unusual.
The driver will expect all people to enter from the passenger side, therefore the rear door on the driver’s side may be closed.
Conversing with the driver
The driver won’t expect you to be fluent, but a polite ni hao , “nee how,” which means “hello,” is always pleasant. Don’t be surprised if the driver looks at your written destination and returns it to you silently or simply by nodding.
Paying the fee
It is best to have small bills with you for taxi fares, as many drivers will not have change for the large bills (100 renminbi) that you will get from an ATM. For example, the base rate in Shanghai is only 14rmb and that gets you pretty far.
You will not need to haggle and the driver will use the meter. If the driver does not use the meter, you should insist that he stop (see vocabulary below) and take another taxi.
Do I tip the driver?
Happily not! Tipping is generally not something you need to worry about in China. Taxi drivers are certainly not expecting you and would not know what you intended. They would probably get out of the car to return your change.
Obtain and keep the receipt
After paying the fee, wait for the receipt to print and take it with you. This has the number of the taxi, so if you have a complaint or if you forget something in the car, you can call the central number to report it. This can be convenient for forgotten purchases in the trunk.
Mandarin Taxi Vocabulary
- Ni que na li? (pronounced nee chew nah lee?) Where are you going?
- Wo qu… (pronounced woh chew…) I’m going to…
- Zhe li hao de (pronounced juh reads how duh) Stopping here is fine.
- Ting! Stop!
- You guai (pronounced yoh gwai) Turn right.
- Zuo guai (pronounced zoh gwai) Turn left.
- Yi zhi zuo (pronounced ee zheh zoh) Go straight on.
- Xian jin (pronounced shen jeen) Payment with cash.
- Xie xie (pronounced shay shay) Thank you.
- Zai jian (pronounced zye jee-ahn) Goodbye.
