Maps & Didi: How to Get Around China Without Google

Navigation is the first thing that goes wrong on a China trip. Not because the maps are bad — Chinese map apps are better than Google — but because the app you have does not work here, and the one that does is in Chinese.

Here is the setup I use, in the order I set it up.

Step 1: Accept That Google Maps Won’t Save You

• Road and transit data is thin, offset, and sometimes years out of date.
• It needs a VPN to load at all, which means it dies exactly when your data is flaky.
• Walking directions frequently place you on the wrong side of a block.

Use it only to save places in advance and to screenshot your route before you leave Wi-Fi. Do not rely on it live.

Step 2: Install Amap (高德地图)

Amap (Gaode Maps) is the most accurate app for walking, driving and public transit. The interface is mostly Chinese, but the map itself is readable and the transit times are reliable.

1. Install Amap from your app store (iOS and Android both work).
2. Allow location access — without it, the walking arrow does not rotate.
3. Set your hotel, the airport and two or three key sights as favourites while you still have help or Wi-Fi.
4. Switch the map to English labels if your build offers it, but keep street names in Chinese for taxi drivers.

Step 3: Use Apple Maps as Your English Layer

On iPhone, Apple Maps uses local Chinese map data, so it is accurate and in English. It is not as detailed as Amap for transit, but it is the least stressful option for walking directions and for reading a neighbourhood.

Step 4: Set Up Didi Before Your First Ride

Didi is the Chinese equivalent of Uber, and it has an English interface inside the main app. Set it up at home, not on a curb at 11pm.

1. Install Didi (the international build supports English).
2. Register with your home mobile number and confirm the SMS code.
3. Add a foreign credit card in the payment settings — no Chinese bank account needed.
4. Set your pickup point on foot, then watch the driver’s plate number in the app.

• GPS drift is real near malls and stations. Move to a corner or a named entrance before ordering.
• Match the plate, not the car model. Drivers often run a different car than the app shows.
• In-app chat has canned translations — use it rather than calling.

Step 5: Always Carry the Address in Chinese

Taxi drivers do not read pinyin, and a surprising number will not open a translation app. Keep a screenshot of your hotel’s name and address in Chinese characters, plus the phone number.

• Screenshot it — do not rely on a note that needs data to open.
• Add the nearest metro station and exit letter; it is often more useful than the street address.
• For restaurants, screenshot the listing from Dianping or the map app.

Step 6: The Metro Is Still the Default

For anything under 8–10 km, the metro beats a car in rush hour and costs under $1. Use a QR code in Alipay rather than queuing at a ticket machine — the subway guide covers the gate and security steps in detail.

⚠ Crucial Tips

• Never take an unmetered taxi from someone who approaches you inside a terminal.
• Airport taxi ranks are signed — follow the arrows, ignore the touts.
• Screenshot your route before leaving Wi-Fi; tunnels and stations kill signal.
• Download offline maps for the city you land in, not the whole country.