Amap Brings Ride-Hailing to International Visitors in China

BEIJING, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Amap, Alibaba's location-based services platform, has rolled out ride-hailing services on its international app version 'Amap Global', allowing foreign travelers to China to book rides in their preferred language.

The new feature brings route planning and ride-hailing together in a single interface and supports one-tap sign-in with mobile numbers from 65 countries and regions, sparing travelers the hassle of switching SIM cards or registering a local account.

The app allows users enter a destination address and book a ride from a broad network of ride-hailing and taxi operators with a single tap. Pickup locations, routes and fare estimates appear instantly in English and other languages, and passengers can pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to their credit or debit cards. Amap Global is already available on Apple's App Store and Google Play; existing users simply need to update the app to access ride-hailing.

The ride-hailing service is built on the same technology Amap developed for its home market consumers. Features familiar to Chinese users — arrival-time estimates, real-time traffic-light countdowns and routing that adapts to live traffic — are now available to international travelers in China, helping them estimate journey times and follow the driver's route through unfamiliar cities.

In addition to its core mobility services, Amap now combines multilingual public transit and ride-hailing with integrated route and place search. For international visitors, it has launched HiChina, a one-stop inbound travel service covering everything from an arrival guide and trip management to an AI ordering assistant.

"Amap Street Stars", the company's AI-powered local lifestyle recommendation product, is also open to international users: straight from the app's home screen, visitors can browse data-driven popularity rankings for restaurants, attractions, hotels and cultural venues, then get directions or hail a ride with one tap — helping them find the real local favorites and explore the city the way residents do.

The rollout comes as China relaxes visa rules to attract more foreign tourists. Amap Global lets travelers get around China with a single app, everyday conveniences like this are becoming part of how visitors judge a destination. Amap is rolling out the feature to more international users, with support for more languages and broader coverage to follow.

SOURCE Amap