Taxis & Ride-Hailing

Taxis in Shanghai are metered, plentiful and honest — with one exception described below. Ride-hailing apps are cheaper and remove the language problem entirely, because you type the destination.

The one rule: never accept a ride from someone who approaches you inside an airport or station arrivals hall.

Use the app

A ride-hailing app with an English interface removes every negotiation: destination typed, price fixed, payment automatic. Set it up with your card before you need it.

The pickup point matters. Airports and big malls have designated ride-hailing zones, usually signed in English — follow the signs rather than standing at the curb.

Street taxis

Hail on the street or use the rank. Metered, and drivers generally cannot refuse a fare within the city. Have your destination written in Chinese — on a phone screen is fine.

Airport ranks are the exception to "plentiful": queues can be long at peak times, and unlicensed drivers work the queue. Use the official rank only.

The one scam worth knowing

The most common problem starts with someone approaching you — at the airport, outside a station, or near a major attraction — offering a ride, a tour, or a "tea ceremony". It is not a taxi. Politely decline and keep walking.

Genuine taxi drivers do not solicit inside terminals. That single distinction avoids almost every bad outcome.

What it costs

Short central hops are cheap compared with most international cities; airport runs cost more and are quoted by the app in advance. Toll charges may be added — normal, not a trick.