I use a power wheelchair and I’m planning to travel to Beijing and Shanghai next year. Do they have any wheelchair taxis there?

In theory there are accessible taxis in those Chinese cities, but in practice they are sometimes difficult to find.

Thanks to the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, accessible London type taxis were introduced there in 2008. Some are still in operation today, but they are difficult if not impossible to hail on the street, so you will have to call the dispatcher to order one. Beijing Yinjian Taxi Company (96103) is your best bet, as not only do they have accessible vehicles, but they also have English speaking dispatchers.

Shanghai also got an influx of about 50 accessible taxis in 2008. Qiangsheng (62580000) and Dazhong (96822) taxi companies operated these vehicles for many years, but they were expensive to maintain so the majority fell into disrepair, and they were retired when the fleet was replenished. There may be one or two still around, so I’d have your concierge check with those companies.

It’s also important to note that most taxi drivers in China do not speak English, so you’ll also need to take along a piece of paper with your destinations written in their native language. Most hotel clerks are happy to do this for you, and they also have cards with the hotel address written on it in Chinese. Additionally, many guidebooks list the local attractions in the native language.