Your DiDi says the driver has arrived or is nearby, but you can’t see the car.

Don’t start chasing the car on the map. First make sure you and the driver are trying to meet at the same pickup point.

At airports, railway stations, shopping malls and other large places, being close on the map does not always mean you are standing where the car can actually pick you up.

Stop moving for a moment

If you keep walking while the driver is also moving, it can become even harder to find each other.

Stop somewhere you can describe clearly.

Look for something specific, such as:

  • an exit number
  • a gate
  • a floor or level
  • a pickup zone
  • a building entrance
  • a clear sign or landmark

Then check where you actually are.

Check the pickup point in DiDi

Open your current ride and look at the pickup point you selected.

Don’t only look at the driver’s car on the map.

Compare:

Where DiDi says you should be picked up

with:

Where you are actually standing

If those are different, the driver may be going to the correct pickup point while you are waiting somewhere else.

Message the driver

Use the in-app chat to tell the driver exactly where you are.

DiDi China says its in-app messaging supports English-Chinese translation, so you can write in English.

Be specific.

Instead of:

Where are you?

Try:

I’m at Exit 3, outside the station.

Or:

I’m at B2, Ride-Hailing Pickup Zone C.

An exit, floor, gate or pickup-zone name is usually more useful than saying you are “here.—/p>

Check whether the car can actually reach you

This matters especially at:

  • airports
  • railway stations
  • shopping malls
  • large attractions
  • large hotel or building complexes

The place where you are standing may not be a practical pickup point.

The driver may need you to go to another exit, floor, road or designated ride-hailing area.

If the driver is nearby but still cannot reach you, check the signs around you and read any message the driver has sent before moving.

If you still can’t find each other

Keep the conversation in the DiDi chat so you have written information you can check.

If the driver asks you to move, make sure you understand where they want you to go before leaving your current position.

If you still cannot resolve the pickup, use the customer-service option in DiDi. DiDi China says it provides 24/7 in-app online English customer service for inbound users.

If the ride has already been cancelled, stop trying to find that car. Check the ride status in DiDi and deal with the cancelled ride or arrange another ride from a pickup point you can identify clearly.