Getting Around Taipei: Transport Apps & Your First 48 Hours
Taipei has one of the world's best metro systems — spotless, punctual, cheap, and signposted in English — plus night markets that stay open long after it closes. One EasyCard covers everything from trains to shared bikes. Here's what actually works.
The best default: the MRT with an EasyCard
The MRT reaches every neighbourhood you'll want — Ximending, Da'an, Shilin's night market, the Taipei 101 district. Buy an EasyCard at any station or convenience store, tap everywhere, and enjoy the 10–20% fare discount it gives on the metro.
One EasyCard for everything
About NT$100 for the card, then top up with cash at machines or 7-Elevens. It covers the MRT, buses, YouBike bike-share, and convenience-store payments — one card, whole city.
Getting in from the airport
The Taoyuan Airport MRT runs from TPE to Taipei Main Station in about 36–40 minutes (express) for NT$150. Buy an EasyCard at the airport station and tap straight in.
Flying into Songshan (TSA)?
Taipei's downtown airport sits directly on the brown MRT line — you're in the centre within 15 minutes for pocket change.
Rules and rhythms worth knowing
- No eating or drinking past the MRT fare gates — it's enforced, and locals take it seriously.
- Stand on the right of escalators; queue at the platform floor markings.
- The MRT winds down around midnight — after night-market hours, taxis and Uber take over.
Apps you can reuse
- Google Maps — accurate MRT and bus routing, including which numbered exit to take
- Uber — works widely, often dispatching licensed taxis; the local 55688 app is the taxi-booking alternative
Arrived launches soon. Get the right transport setup the moment you land.
Join the waitlistYour first 48 hours
- At Taoyuan Airport, buy an EasyCard and take the Airport MRT express to Taipei Main Station.
- Default to the MRT everywhere; the EasyCard discount stacks up.
- Try a YouBike along the riverside paths — same card.
- After midnight (and the night markets), switch to Uber or a metered yellow taxi.
Do those four things and Taipei's transport is sorted from the moment you land. Knowing the last MRT time from Shilin and when YouBike beats the bus is exactly what Arrived works out for you.
Frequently asked questions
- Which transport app is best in Taipei?
- Google Maps routes Taipei's MRT and buses accurately, including exits — which matters in the huge interchange stations. Uber works widely for rides, alongside local taxi apps like 55688.
- Do I need an EasyCard in Taipei?
- Yes — buy one at any MRT station or convenience store (about NT$100 for the card, then top up). It covers the MRT, buses, YouBike rentals, and even convenience-store payments, with a small discount on MRT fares.
- How do I get from Taoyuan Airport (TPE) to Taipei?
- The Taoyuan Airport MRT runs to Taipei Main Station in about 36–40 minutes on the express for NT$150. Trains every 7–15 minutes; tap in with an EasyCard or buy a token.
- How much is the Taipei MRT?
- Fares run about NT$20–65 by distance, with a 10–20% discount when you use an EasyCard. A 24-hour unlimited pass costs NT$180 if you're cramming sights into one day.
- Does Uber work in Taipei?
- Yes — Uber operates widely and often dispatches licensed taxis. Yellow taxis are also cheap, metered, and honest; the local 55688 app books them if you don't want to hail.
- Can I eat or drink on the Taipei MRT?
- No — eating and drinking (even water) are banned past the fare gates, with fines enforced. Finish your bubble tea before you tap in.
- What is YouBike?
- Taipei's public bike-share — thousands of docks citywide, first 30 minutes cheap, and it takes your EasyCard directly. Riverside cycle paths make it genuinely useful, not just a novelty.