Inside TaipeiA Local Field Guide

Getting around

EasyCard, iPASS and Tapping Your Card

One card for the MRT, buses, YouBike and the convenience store.

For most visitors, the first thing to buy in Taipei is an EasyCard (悠遊卡). It pays for the MRT, buses and YouBike, and at convenience stores too. Since July 2026 you can also tap your own contactless credit card or phone at the MRT gates, which is handy if you are only in town for a day or two. Here is how each option works.

EasyCard

  • Buy at Taipei Metro stations and at convenience stores showing the EasyCard mark (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK Mart)
  • Card price NT$100 or NT$120 for an adult card, depending on the design; the card price is separate from the stored value
  • Top up at MRT station information counters and add-value machines, and at convenience store counters
  • Maximum balance NT$10,000

You tap the card on the reader, the fare comes off the balance, and the screen shows what is left. On the MRT you tap in and out; on buses, you tap when you board and when you get off.

Where it works

  • The MRT, the Circular Line, the Danhai and Ankeng light rail, and the Maokong Gondola. On the MRT, an EasyCard earns cashback the following month once you take more than 10 trips in a month.
  • City buses, with NT$8 off when you change between bus and MRT within an hour.
  • YouBike, once the card is registered to a YouBike membership. → YouBike
  • The Taoyuan Airport MRT and Taiwan Railway trains.
  • Shops, including convenience stores, up to NT$1,500 a purchase and NT$3,000 a day. Transport isn't subject to that limit.

Topping up

The add-value machines in MRT stations take NT$100 notes and multiples. At station information counters and convenience store tills there is no minimum: say the amount and pay at the counter.

Getting your money back

Leaving Taiwan with money on the card? You can hand it in to end the card and get the balance back at a Taipei Metro information counter, which handles EasyCard refunds. Ask about any handling fee when you do.

iPASS

iPASS (一卡通) is Taiwan's other main stored value card. In Taipei it works the same way as an EasyCard on the MRT, it is accepted for YouBike membership, and both earn the MRT frequent rider cashback. If you already have one from Kaohsiung or Tainan, keep using it.

Tapping a credit card or your phone

Since July 1, 2026, the Taipei MRT gates take contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover and Diners Club cards, and Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay linked to them. On iPhone, setting the card as your Express Transit card lets you tap through without unlocking the phone. The Taoyuan Airport MRT also takes contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB and UnionPay credit cards and phone wallets.

Two catches. Card rides on the MRT don't earn the frequent rider cashback, because the system can't store bank card numbers. And for buses and YouBike, a stored value card is still the simple way to pay. Check with your bank about foreign transaction fees, too.

Taipei Fun Pass and day passes

The Taipei Fun Pass is the city's official visitor pass. Its transport versions give unlimited rides on the MRT, city buses and a set of Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes for the days it covers, and other versions add free entry to a list of attractions. On the official site in October 2026, the Transportation pass cost NT$210 for one day, NT$340 for two, NT$470 for three and NT$730 for five, and the Unlimited pass (transport plus attractions) cost NT$1,300, NT$1,700 or NT$2,000 for one, two or three days for an adult. Prices change, so check before you buy, and compare with the Taipei Metro's own passes: a One-Day Pass at NT$150 or a 24-hour pass at NT$180, both for the MRT only.

Good to know: a pass only pays off if you ride a lot. If a day's MRT rides would add up to less than NT$150, paying as you go beats even the One-Day Pass.

Which should I get?

  • A few days or more: an EasyCard. It covers everything, and the MRT cashback adds up.
  • A day or two, MRT only: your contactless credit card or phone is enough.
  • Lots of sights in a short time: price out the Taipei Fun Pass against your plan.

Sources: EasyCard how to top up, how to use and service points; Taipei Metro Metro tickets, Frequent Passenger Program and travel pass guide; Taoyuan Metro credit card payment; YouBike registration; Focus Taiwan on credit card and phone payments (June 30, 2026); Taipei Fun Pass. Checked October 2026.

Questions

Where can I buy an EasyCard in Taipei?

At Taipei Metro stations and at convenience stores with the EasyCard mark, such as 7-Eleven and FamilyMart. Top up at MRT add-value machines (NT$100 notes and multiples), station information counters or convenience store counters.

Do I still need an EasyCard if I can tap my credit card?

For a short stay using only the MRT, your contactless card or phone is enough. An EasyCard is still better for buses and YouBike, and only stored value cards earn the MRT's monthly cashback.

Can I get the money left on my EasyCard back?

Yes. Return the card at a Taipei Metro station information counter to end it and get the remaining balance back. Ask about any handling fee at the counter.

Is the Taipei Fun Pass worth it?

Only if you will ride a lot or visit several of the included attractions. Compare its current price on the official site with what your planned rides and entry tickets would cost paying as you go.