Shared Bikes in China with a Foreign Passport: Start and Finish a Ride

Step by step

1. 01

   Choose one operator and the correct entry point

   Identify the actual bike brand and open its official service. A general scanner may redirect you to a mini-program with different onboarding from the full app. Read the service name before entering documents or purchasing a pass.

   CHECK BEFORE CONTINUINGYou know which operator holds the rental and which app or mini-program contains the order.

2. 02

   Check your eligibility before planning around the bike

   Follow the operator's phone, age and identity process. Look for a passport or non-mainland/manual route where the official service offers one. A payment wallet's identity check does not automatically approve a bike account.

   CHECK BEFORE CONTINUINGThe service confirms you can rent this type of bicycle, or you choose an alternative before an urgent departure.

3. 03

   Inspect the price and the return map

   Check current charges, any pass conditions, the operating area and the allowed return points. Do not assume a bike can be left at your destination just because it can physically reach it. Avoid buying a long pass until the service works for you.

   CHECK BEFORE CONTINUINGYou understand the charge basis and have identified a permitted place to finish the journey.

4. 04

   Inspect the bicycle and unlock the correct one

   Check obvious damage, tyres, brakes and saddle position. Scan the code on the bike you intend to use, confirm the service's instruction, and verify that its lock releases. If the bicycle is unsuitable, report it and select another.

   CHECK BEFORE CONTINUINGA usable bike is unlocked and the app shows the active rental for that bike.

5. 05

   Ride within local access rules

   Use a route appropriate for bicycles, obey traffic controls and avoid roads or pedestrian areas where riding is prohibited. A navigation suggestion does not override signs or the operator's boundary. Dismount where necessary.

   CHECK BEFORE CONTINUINGYou reach a permitted return area without relying on access that the local rules prohibit.

6. 06

   Lock, end and check the order

   Park as directed, secure the lock or use the operator's required finish action, and inspect the app. A closed lock alone is not sufficient evidence that billing has stopped. Check the final status and charge before walking away.

   CHECK BEFORE CONTINUINGThe service confirms the ride ended and no parking or payment action remains outstanding.

If it does not work

Words that help

Show the Chinese text when speaking is difficult. Copying happens on your device.

Hello, Meituan and Qingju are different accounts and routes

Shanghai's June 2026 guidance identifies Hello through its app or Alipay, Meituan through the Meituan app, and Qingju through the Qingju or DiDi apps. Those are documented entry points, not a promise that every passport or phone number will complete every current flow. Availability also depends on where the operator runs.

Choose one route to set up when you have time. If a mini-program only shows a mainland identity option, check the operator's official full app or help channel for a non-mainland route. Do not fabricate a Chinese identity number, borrow another person's account or assume changing a passport's spelling is a valid workaround.

What the passport evidence establishes—and what remains unknown

A Tianjin government guide dated 18 January 2024 explicitly describes passport authentication for the three services. It is useful evidence that passport routes have existed, but its age, local scope and older brand terminology make it insufficient to guarantee today's result everywhere. We have not completed live foreign-passport onboarding for these operators.

Qingju's provider rules updated 13 August 2025 describe collecting other identity-document details from non-mainland users. That documents a process, not guaranteed approval for every passport. Meituan's public bike-service policy explains real-name and age checks without establishing a universal current passport interface. Follow your actual official account instructions.

The destination must also be a permitted return location

Before unlocking, inspect the operator's map for both the riding area and permitted parking. A scenic promenade, transport hub or bridge can have restrictions even when there are bikes nearby. Check the physical signs too, and keep pavements, entrances and accessible routes clear. Another abandoned bicycle is not evidence that parking there is allowed.

Prices and extra charges vary by city, product and offer. Read the current screen rather than relying on an old introductory price. If the app requests a different return point, follow its instructions or contact support. Preserve the bike identifier, order, time and location when reporting a problem so that the operator can find the right rental.

Keep a fallback that does not require the same approval

If identity review is pending, a bike-dependent airport or railway connection is a poor first test. Check a second official operator only if you have time. A metro ticket, accepted bus payment, walking route or taxi can solve the immediate journey without waiting for bicycle approval. A staffed rental is another possibility when its actual passport, deposit and return terms have been confirmed.

Do not treat an ordinary shared bicycle as a luggage vehicle or assume your account can open bikes for several people. Each companion needs arrangements that the service permits. Children, shared electric bikes and mobility needs require separate checks; the presence of a scan code does not settle eligibility.

Common questions