Using Gas Stations in China: A Refueling Guide for Foreign Drivers

Refueling in China is usually straightforward once you know the vehicle’s fuel requirement and the station’s workflow. The expensive mistakes come from assumptions: choosing a familiar-looking grade, starting the car after a wrong-fuel error, or discovering at the counter that a payment method is not accepted.

Confirm the vehicle requirement first

Check the owner’s manual, fuel-door label, dashboard, rental agreement, or written message from the rental company. Record the fuel type and minimum grade in Chinese and English. Do not infer it from the car’s size, model name, cap color, or what you normally buy abroad.

For a rental car, ask whether the return policy requires a full tank, a specific nearby station, or a fuel receipt. Photograph the fuel gauge at pickup and return. The car rental guide covers license, inspection, insurance, and handover records.

Plan fuel stops before entering a remote or controlled-access road. Map listings may be outdated, and a station can close or lack the required fuel. For long journeys, save a backup station and combine the plan with the toll-road and ETC checklist.

Communicate the grade and amount

At a staffed station, stop where directed, switch off the engine, and open the fuel door. Show the attendant the exact grade plus either a currency amount or a request to fill the tank. Look at the pump label before fueling begins and confirm the displayed amount and volume afterward.

Useful information to prepare in a translation app includes:

• the required fuel type and grade;
• “fill the tank” or a specific amount in yuan;
• the fuel-door release location;
• a request for a receipt or fapiao;
• the vehicle plate number and invoice title if needed for work.

Payment support differs by operator and location. Keep a backup accepted payment method and do not leave a passport, phone, or bank card as informal security. For reimbursable driving, ask your employer what receipt or invoice details are required before the trip and use the expense reimbursement guide.

Follow station safety rules

Obey posted instructions and staff directions. Turn off the engine, do not smoke or use a flame, and avoid unnecessary phone use around the pump. Keep children and pets in the vehicle or designated safe area as instructed. Do not decant fuel into an unapproved container or improvise after a spill.

If you smell strong fuel, see a leak, or notice fuel flowing where it should not, alert staff immediately and follow their emergency instructions. Do not start or move the vehicle until staff say it is safe. National transport information is available from the Ministry of Transport, while station operations and emergency arrangements are local and operator-specific.

Wrong-fuel and breakdown checklist

If you realize the wrong fuel was selected, do not start the engine or switch on the ignition. Tell station staff, keep the receipt and pump details, and call the rental company, vehicle manufacturer, insurer, or roadside provider. The correct response depends on the vehicle and whether fuel has circulated; professional recovery is safer than attempting to drain it yourself.

Before leaving any station:

• confirm the nozzle has been removed and the cap and fuel door are secured;
• check the pump total against the payment record;
• save the receipt and invoice request;
• glance under the vehicle for an obvious leak;
• reset the route and rejoin traffic carefully.

Fuel specifications, station procedures, payment support, and vehicle requirements vary. Treat the manufacturer’s or rental company’s written requirement and the station’s safety instructions as controlling.