Getting around Taipei: public transport, passes and taxis

Taipei is compact and the rail network covers nearly everything a visitor wants: Taipei 101, Ximending, Shilin, Beitou, Maokong and the main rail station. Pick by time of day and how far you are going, not by price alone — the gap between a metro ride and a taxi is small for two people and large for four.

The MRT is clean, frequent and signed in English. Trains run about 06:00 to midnight, with an all-night service only on New Year's Eve. Buy an EasyCard at a station machine or a convenience store, top it up there, and tap in and out at the gates. The card also works on city buses, YouBike and many small purchases, which is why most visitors keep one for the whole trip.

No food or drink past the gates, including bottled water and bubble tea. Fines apply. Station toilets are free and clean, and most stations have lifts if you are carrying bags.

A one-day pass can pay off if you plan four or more rides in a day, for example a morning in Beitou, an afternoon at Taipei 101 and an evening at a night market. For two or three rides, pay as you go — the pass rarely wins.

Buses fill the gaps the MRT leaves, especially in older districts and up toward Yangmingshan. Fare is NT$15 a section, and many routes are EasyCard only, so have the card ready. Board at the front or back depending on the route and watch the screen for your stop; announcements are in Mandarin and English.

YouBike stations sit across the city and along the riverside paths. You need to register with a phone number and a card before the first ride, and there is a small fee per 30 minutes after a free window. It is a good option for flat riverside stretches, less so in traffic.

Taxis are metered, with a flag fall of about NT$85–100 and a surcharge at night. They are cheap for three or four people and the obvious choice after the MRT stops, in heavy rain, or when you are carrying luggage. Show the address in Chinese characters — many drivers speak little English, and a phone screen solves it.

Ride-hailing apps work well in Taipei and remove the language problem: you set the pin, pay by card and skip the fare conversation. At peak hours and in rain, prices can rise above the taxi meter. Both are fine; use whichever app or rank is closer.

From Taoyuan (TPE), the Airport MRT reaches Taipei Main Station in about 40 minutes; a taxi takes longer in traffic and costs far more. If you land late, check the last train time before you book a hotel, because the metro does not run all night.

For day trips, the MRT and TRA cover Tamsui, Jiufen via bus from Ruifang, and Keelung. Longer west-coast legs — Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung — are THSR high-speed rail trips from Taipei Main Station, and the THSR stations outside those cities need a shuttle or local train at the far end.

A sightseeing day on the MRT usually lands between NT$60 and NT$200 per person, depending on how many rides you take. Add NT$15 per bus section. A taxi across the city centre is often NT$150–300, so splitting it three ways beats the metro only when you are going far or it is late.

Budget roughly NT$100–250 a day per person for city transport, plus the airport transfer on arrival and departure. Cash is still useful for small shops and some buses, but EasyCard covers most of it.

Keep your EasyCard topped up; machines take notes and cards, and convenience stores can add value too. Queues at the gate are orderly — stand to the right on escalators and let passengers off before boarding.

If you are staying a week, an EasyCard plus the occasional taxi is simpler than chasing passes. If you plan several day trips, buy rail tickets a few days ahead, especially for weekend trains to Hualien, which sell out.