How to make a Chinese hotel address card for taxis and arrival
A bilingual, offline address-card workflow for taxis, ride hailing, staffed transport desks, and hotel arrival.
Ask the hotel or booking provider for its exact Chinese name, full Chinese address, and current phone number, then save them together with a short arrival note in an offline card. Show the original Chinese details instead of translating or shortening the place name, and keep the booking confirmation because an address card is not proof of a reservation or accommodation registration.
Get the destination from the responsible provider
Use the hotel, host, venue, airline transfer desk, or booking provider as the source of the destination. Beijing's official visitor guidance advises travelers to prepare the destination address in Chinese because many drivers do not speak English.
- Copy the complete Chinese property name and street address without translating it yourself.
- Keep the English name as a recognition aid, not as a replacement for the Chinese destination.
- Add the property's current phone number or official contact route so staff can confirm details.
- Recheck the address when a booking changes or a chain has several branches in one city.
Make the card useful at the first handoff
The State Council's 2025 guide describes ride-hailing flows that require a pickup point and destination. Build the card so a taxi-queue attendant, driver, station desk, or hotel receptionist can identify the destination without reading a long itinerary.
- Put the Chinese property name first and make the full Chinese address easy to enlarge or show.
- Add a short request only after the destination details.
- Keep terminal, station, entrance, building, or gate instructions on a separate line.
- Save a screenshot or paper copy for a dead battery, missing data connection, or locked account.
Separate navigation from check-in evidence
An address card helps communication; it does not prove a booking, identity, permission to stay, or completed accommodation registration. The NIA says hotels register foreign guests, while people staying outside hotels generally need to complete local accommodation registration within 24 hours.
- Carry the valid passport or travel document required for hotel registration.
- Keep the booking confirmation and guest name available separately from the public-facing address card.
- Ask the accommodation provider how registration is handled when staying outside a hotel.
- Use current official or local public-security guidance for the live registration case.
Protect unnecessary personal information
A card shown to a driver or transport desk should contain only what is needed to reach the destination. Do not add passport numbers, payment details, room numbers, door codes, passwords, or full itinerary history.
- Use a booking surname only if the property needs it to confirm the destination.
- Keep access codes and identity documents in a separate secure location.
- Delete or replace stale cards after changing accommodation.
- If the destination is a private home, share the minimum address and contact details needed for that journey.
Apps for this step
Install only what this guide actually uses
AMap / Gaode
China map search, navigation, transit, traffic, and car-hailing entry points
Local routing and pickup-zone checks
DiDi China
Ride hailing, pickup points, and driver messaging
First-city transport and late arrivals
Google Translate
Downloaded languages, camera translation, and typed phrases
Signs, menus, labels, and staffed helpBefore you rely on this answer
China travel rules and app behavior can change by city, route, account, passport, airline, and local inspection practice. Treat this page as a traveler-friendly starting point, then verify official or provider details before booking or packing anything important.
Sources checked
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Frequently asked questions
What should a China hotel address card include?
Include the exact Chinese property name, full Chinese address, current property phone number or official contact route, and an optional short arrival note. Keep the English name for recognition and store booking evidence separately.
Can I use an English hotel name with a taxi driver in China?
Do not rely on it alone. Beijing's official visitor guidance recommends preparing the destination address in Chinese because many drivers do not speak English.
Is an address card proof of my hotel booking?
No. It is a communication aid, not a reservation, identity document, navigation result, or accommodation-registration record. Keep your valid passport and booking confirmation available for check-in.
Should I put my passport number on the address card?
No. A driver-facing card does not need passport, payment, room, access-code, or password details. Keep identity and booking records in a separate secure location.