Last updated: July 22, 2026. Disclosure: this guide contains affiliate links — if you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Fares and fees can change — always confirm on the official EasyCard site before you travel.
If you do one practical thing in your first hour in Taiwan, make it buying an EasyCard. This little rechargeable tap card is the key to getting around the whole island: the Taipei Metro, city buses, the YouBike share bikes, convenience stores, and even some intercity travel all run on it. It turns Taiwan — already one of the easiest places in Asia to travel — into a genuinely effortless trip. This guide covers where to get the card, how to load it, how to ride the spotless Taipei Metro, and the little tricks that make the EasyCard so useful.
Quick summary
Buy an EasyCard at any convenience store or metro station the moment you arrive, load 500 NT$ in cash, and tap it on every metro gate and bus. The Taipei Metro (MRT) is clean, cheap and fully signed in English. Tapping the EasyCard even gives you a 20% discount on metro fares versus single tokens. The same card works on buses, YouBikes, convenience stores, and metros in other Taiwanese cities. Eating and drinking are banned on the MRT — there are fines.
What the EasyCard is and why you need one
The EasyCard (悠遊卡, EasyCard) is Taiwan’s main stored-value transit card. You load cash onto it and tap it on a reader to pay. One card covers an impressive range of things:
– The Taipei Metro (MRT) and metros in Kaohsiung, Taichung and other cities
– City buses across the island
– YouBike public share bicycles
– Convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK Mart) and many shops and vending machines
– Some Taiwan Railway (TRA) local trains and parking
Beyond convenience, there is a real discount: paying metro fares with an EasyCard gets you roughly 20% off the single-journey token price, and it unlocks small transfer discounts between the metro and buses. Over a few days of city travel, that adds up.
There is also a similar card called iPASS, which works almost identically and is more common in the south (Kaohsiung). Either one works nationwide; just pick whichever you find first.
Where to buy and how to load it
You can buy an EasyCard at any convenience store — they are on nearly every corner — and at MRT station information counters and machines. The card costs 100 NT$, which is a non-refundable fee for the card itself (it does not expire and is reusable on future trips).
To load it, hand the card and cash to a convenience-store clerk, or use the add-value machines in any metro station, which have an English option and take cash. Loading 500 NT$ to start is about right for a few days of city travel, and topping up takes seconds. Note that the add-value machines are cash only — keep some small bills handy.
One thing to know at the end of your trip: you can get an unused balance refunded at metro counters, though a small handling fee may apply, so it is often simplest to spend the last of it at a convenience store on the way out.
You will want data working the moment you land for maps and bus times. Set up an eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi before you fly, and a power bank keeps your phone alive through a full day of sightseeing.
Riding the Taipei Metro (MRT)
The Taipei MRT is one of the cleanest and most user-friendly metro systems anywhere, and it is wonderfully simple to use:
1. Find your line and direction. Each line has a color and a name; platforms show the terminal-station name so you know which direction you are heading.
2. Tap in at the gate. Hold the EasyCard flat on the reader until it beeps and the gate opens.
3. Ride to your stop. Announcements and screens are in Mandarin and English, and stations are clearly numbered and color-coded.
4. Tap out at your destination. You tap again on exit; the distance-based fare is deducted automatically.
A few local rules worth respecting. Eating and drinking are strictly banned inside MRT stations and trains — that includes chewing gum and water — and there are fines, which is exactly why the system stays so spotless. Taiwanese commuters also queue neatly at the marked spots on the platform and stand to one side on escalators. Follow the locals and you will fit right in.
Beyond the metro: buses, YouBikes and more
The same card stretches across the whole transport ecosystem. On city buses, tap when you board and, on many routes, tap again when you get off. YouBike, Taipei’s excellent bike-share, lets you register your EasyCard and grab a bike from docks all over the city — perfect for riverside paths and short hops the metro does not cover. And at convenience stores, you can tap to pay for a drink, a snack, or a SIM top-up, which is a handy way to use up a small leftover balance.
The card also works on metros in other cities, so if your trip includes Kaohsiung or Taichung, the same EasyCard taps you straight through their systems — no need to buy a new card city to city.
Where to base yourself in Taipei
Staying near an MRT station is the single best decision for an easy Taipei trip. Two areas stand out. The Taipei Main Station area is the transport heart of the island — multiple metro lines, the airport MRT, and high-speed rail all converge here, making day trips effortless. Ximending, a few minutes away on the metro, is the lively, walkable shopping and street-food district that is popular with first-time visitors.
For unbeatable connections, these hotels around Taipei Main Station put every line at your feet.
If you want the buzz of the night-market district, browse options in Ximending.
A car-free day the EasyCard makes easy
Here is how smoothly the card knits a day together. Tap onto the MRT to Taipei 101 for the observatory, ride a couple of stops to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, hop a bus toward the Beitou hot springs in the afternoon, then grab a YouBike along the river at sunset — all on one card, all for a few hundred NT$. For a popular evening out, the metro and a short bus or YouBike ride also reach the famous Jiufen and Shilin Night Market trips.
If you would rather have a guide handle a day trip out to Jiufen and the northeast coast, it is a relaxed way to see the highlights without planning each connection.
A universal travel adapter is worth packing — Taiwan uses the US-style flat two-pin plug (Type A/B) at 110V, which differs from Europe, the UK and much of Asia.
Quick checklist before you ride
– Buy an EasyCard at a convenience store or MRT station on arrival; load about 500 NT$ in cash
– Tap IN and tap OUT on every metro ride for the correct fare and the 20% discount
– Keep small cash bills — add-value machines are cash only
– No eating, drinking or gum on the MRT; there are fines
– Use the same card for buses, YouBikes, convenience stores and other cities’ metros
– Spend down or refund your balance before you leave
EasyCard Prices at a Glance — as of July 22, 2026 (USD)
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Card fee (non-refundable, no stored value included) | NT$100 | ≈ $3.1 |
| Typical starter top-up | NT$500 | ≈ $15 |
| Minimum top-up at station machines | NT$100 | ≈ $3.1 |
| Max stored value on card | NT$10,000 | ≈ $309 |
| MRT/bus fare discount vs. single-journey ticket | ≈ 20% off | — |
| Metro↔bus transfer discount (within 1 hr) | NT$8 off | ≈ $0.25 |
| Refund handling fee (unused balance, at counter) | NT$20, max refund NT$3,000/visit | ≈ $0.6 |
Fees, top-up limits and discounts can change — reconfirm on the official EasyCard site or at any MRT station before you travel (checked July 22, 2026).
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an EasyCard cost and is the fee refundable?
The card costs NT$100 (≈ $3.1), a non-refundable fee for the card itself with no stored value included. The card does not expire and is reusable on future trips. Unused stored value is refundable at metro counters for a NT$20 handling fee (waived after 5+ transactions and 3+ months of use).
How do I top up an EasyCard?
Hand cash and the card to a convenience-store clerk (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK), or use the add-value machines at any MRT station — these take cash only, with a NT$100 minimum top-up and a NT$10,000 maximum balance.
Does the EasyCard give a discount on the metro?
Yes. Paying MRT fares with an EasyCard gives you roughly 20% off compared to buying single-journey tokens, plus an NT$8 transfer discount between the metro and buses within one hour.
Can I use one EasyCard in cities other than Taipei?
Yes. The same EasyCard works on the metros and buses in Kaohsiung, Taichung and other cities, as well as YouBike and convenience stores nationwide. No need to buy a separate card per city.
EasyCard or iPASS — which should I get?
Either works. They function almost identically and are accepted nationwide. EasyCard is more common in the north, iPASS in the south; just buy whichever you find first.
Why can’t I eat or drink on the Taipei MRT?
Eating and drinking — including water and gum — are banned inside stations and trains, and violations carry fines. The rule is a big reason the system stays so clean.
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FAQ
How much does an EasyCard cost, and can I get a refund on the card itself?
The physical EasyCard costs NT$100, and this card fee is non-refundable. Cards usually come with no stored value, so you’ll need to top up after buying — top-ups generally require cash and can be done at MRT station machines, MRT service counters, and convenience stores. The maximum you can load is NT$10,000. For the current refund policy on your remaining balance, check the official EasyCard website.
Where can I buy an EasyCard right after landing at Taoyuan Airport (TPE)?
At Taoyuan International Airport you can buy one at the joint electronic-ticketing service counters in Terminals 1 and 2, and at the Taoyuan Airport MRT stations. The EZfly counter at the Airport MRT station (B2) accepts credit cards, which is uncommon for EasyCard purchases elsewhere. You can also buy cards nationwide at 7-Eleven and FamilyMart, at MRT information counters, or pre-order via platforms like Klook or KKday for airport pickup.
Does using an EasyCard actually save money compared to paying cash?
Yes — paying with an EasyCard on the MRT and buses gives roughly a 20% discount versus cash. You also get a transfer discount when switching between the Taipei Metro and a bus within one hour (NT$8 off for adult cards, NT$6 for student cards, and NT$4 for concessionaire cards). Note one catch on the MRT: a NT$20 fee is deducted if you spend more than 15 minutes entering and exiting the same station. Discount rules can change, so confirm current fares on the official EasyCard website.
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