• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechLyft

Lyft Opens Its Car Doors To Chinese Travelers Who Need a Ride

By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kia Kokalitcheva
Kia Kokalitcheva
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 11, 2016, 6:00 PM ET
Courtesy of Lyft

Chinese travelers who use the Didi Kuaidi ride-hailing app will able to use it to book a ride on Lyft when visiting the U.S.

The integration, announced Monday, will let Didi Kuaidi passengers more easily hail ride in the 200 U.S. cities where Lyft is available starting later this week. The goal is to increase the utility of both services by creating a sort of airline-like alliance, whereby companies can funnel their customers to one another.

Didi users will be able to use the same app they always have. It will remain in Chinese, display fare prices and fare estimates in Chinese RMB, and let them pay via Alipay and WeChat Pay.

Additionally, Didi will provide its traveling customers with not only its usual round-the-clock customer support service, but also live interpretation service that they can access by tapping a button. When using the translation service, passengers will be connected via a three-way call to an interpreter from a third-party provider in China who can help them communicate with their U.S. driver.

“We hope to really provide them with as seamless an experience they have back home,” Lyft head of international products and payments Kristina Gibson said during a press event on Monday.

Didi-Lyft screen shot
Courtesy of Didi Kuaidi
Courtesy of Didi Kuaidi

 

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Under the deal, the work flow for Lyft drivers will be unchanged including the rates and commissions they usually earn, the company confirmed. And while Didi Kuaidi passengers will pay through their local accounts, Lyft will pay its drivers directly.

Lyft and Didi Kuaidi declined to share specifics about any financial arrangement between the two companies.

Lyft plans to roll out information and training materials to its drivers this week, while Didi Kuaidi says it plans to alert its users that the service is now available to them if and when they travel to the U.S.

The cross promotion is the first concrete result of a partnership first announced by Didi and Lyft in September. They were soon after joined by Grab in Southeast Asia and Ola in India in creating an international alliance.

Both Lyft and Didi emphasized the huge potential market for international travelers. According to figures shared by Lyft, 9.64 million people traveled from Asia to the U.S. in 2014, and 5.46 million from the U.S. to Asia that same year.

However, executives declined to share how many Didi Kuaidi users they expect will book Lyft rides or how frequently.

 

One obvious advantage the alliance brings for Lyft is that it’s now partnered with the largest ride-hailing service in China and doesn’t have to take on Uber in that market. Lyft has conspicuously decided against opening for business in China, presumably because of the high cost of setting up operations there and competing with established local services.

Although they disagree about the exact figures, Didi is still undisputedly far ahead of Uber in terms of market share in China. Didi says it completes 10 million rides daily, has 13 million car owners and drivers in its networks, and completed 1.43 billion rides in 2015.

In the coming weeks, the companies expect to add similar cross promotion for Lyft passengers traveling to China, as well as for Grab and Lyft customers. Though Ola was not discussed during the press event, a Lyft executive confirmed that the company is still a partner and expects to introduce similar integrations with the company down the line.

About the Author
By Kia Kokalitcheva
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Image showing multiple computer screens with code.
CybersecuritySecurity
Mercor, a $10 billion AI startup that works with companies including OpenAI and Anthropic, confirms major data breach
By Beatrice NolanApril 2, 2026
5 hours ago
picture of the word "solana"
CryptoCryptocurrency
Latest crypto hack sees thieves make off with $280 million from Solana DeFi platform Drift
By Carlos GarciaApril 2, 2026
6 hours ago
Jack Dorsey and Roelof Botha think AI can make middle management obsolete 
AIBlock
Jack Dorsey and Roelof Botha think AI can make middle management obsolete 
By Jacqueline MunisApril 2, 2026
7 hours ago
china
AIChina
Meet China’s AI-powered recycling robot that sorts 220 pounds of clothes in 2 to 3 minutes
By Tian MacLeod Ji and The Associated PressApril 2, 2026
7 hours ago
In the age of vibe coding, trust is the real bottleneck
AIEye on AI
In the age of vibe coding, trust is the real bottleneck
By Sharon GoldmanApril 2, 2026
8 hours ago
A photo illustration of two laptops with eyeballs over a red background with alert signs.
CryptoNorth Korea
I knew about North Korean hackers—they still tricked me and got into my computer
By Ben WeissApril 2, 2026
9 hours ago

Most Popular

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
Real Estate
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
By Fortune EditorsApril 2, 2026
17 hours ago
Current price of gold as of April 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of April 1, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
Success
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
2 days ago
The tax escape map: Billionaires are bolting for Florida from the West Coast and taking billions in tax revenue with them
Real Estate
The tax escape map: Billionaires are bolting for Florida from the West Coast and taking billions in tax revenue with them
By Fortune EditorsApril 2, 2026
17 hours ago
Deutsche Bank asked AI if it’s true that AI will solve the economy’s inflation problems. The robots answered
Economy
Deutsche Bank asked AI if it’s true that AI will solve the economy’s inflation problems. The robots answered
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of April 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of April 1, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.