A Taipei (Taiwan) MRT Guide: Navigate with Ease
- Andi Dela Torre Griffiths | Memento Vivere Blog
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Taking the MRT is the fastest and most affordable way to explore Taiwan. Their train system is very efficient, and we didn’t really have any issues moving around the whole time we were there. Even my senior citizen parents found it easy to commute. If you’re traveling there soon and plan to travel via MRT, you can start with this Taiwan MRT guide.
Taiwan MRT (Taipei) | Ways to Pay- Card, Tokens, or Unlimited Passes
There are different ways to pay for your fare. You can use a reloadable EasyCard, single-journey tokens from the ticket machine, or an unlimited travel pass from Klook.
Easy Card
An EasyCard is a reloadable card that you can use (as a mode of payment) in convenience stores, select restaurants, vending machines, public transportation, cafes, and local attractions that have the EasyCard sign. You can purchase it online or in-store at popular convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven. I got mine from the Sanrio 7-Eleven on Hankou Street, so cute! I like the design of this one. It has Kuromi, and it's purple. It looks way better in real life than in this photo hehe. Please note that these don't come with deposits (unless stated), so you need to top up your card to get credits. I got mine loaded at the same 7-Eleven where I got it from.
Tokens
If you run out of credits on your EasyCard or don't feel like getting an unlimited pass, you can purchase single-journey tokens from the machines at the station. Just look for the self-service kiosks (you can also load your EasyCard here if you don't want to get tokens). The Taiwanese writing was a bit intimidating, but the token machines were surprisingly easy to use and had English instructions.
Metro Taipei Unlimited Travel Pass ⭐
Making the most of your stay? I highly recommend getting the unlimited travel pass if you plan to visit as many places as you can- this is the most affordable way to do it. The passes come in 1-day, 24-hour, 48-hour, and 72-hour options. You can claim the passes at the MRT station closest to you, or at the Taoyuan Airport (TPE) right after you land.
The best thing about this is that it's unlimited. Unlike the EasyCard, where you get charged the amount of a single-journey trip per tap, you can ride all you can with the Unlimited Travel Pass. So you can keep going, or keep coming back to the places you want to see without the extra fare.
Taipei MRT Line Map
Below is a map that you can use as a reference in planning your trips.
Taiwan MRT Guide | The Metro Rail Lines
Taiwan MRT has five metro rail lines, one light rail line, and one special line going to the Airport Station.
🟤 Wenhu | Brown Line
🔴 Tamsui-Xinyi | Red Line
🟠 Zhonghe-Xinlu | Orange Line
🟢 Songshan-Xindian | Green Line
🔵 Bannan | Blue Line
🚈 Danhai LRT | Light Maroon Line
✈️ Taoyuan Airport MRT | Purple Line
What is a Transfer Station?
A transfer station is simply a station where you can switch lines.
So, let’s say you want to go to X, but it’s not along the line you’re currently on, what you should do is head to the nearest transfer station, so you can go on the line where your destination is at.
Bring a Journal for the Souvenir Stamps
You can bring your journal if you want to collect stamps at the stations; they're a good remembrance. It can be a nice little mission while you go around. If you don't see the stamp on the desk, ask the officer because they sometimes keep it inside the booth.
Here's what some of the stamps look like:
That's all for today. Thank you for stopping by! Feel free to browse the website for more write-ups. Take care 💜
