Accessible routes on public companies guarantee anybody can get round in Taipei. If you happen to get caught, you’ll haven’t any problem discovering assist from enthusiastic locals. In need of having somebody to point out you round, Taipei’s easy-to-navigate and uber-efficient public transport system is the following smartest thing, twin lingual and air conditioned all through.
Tips on how to discover Taipei
East to west, from Xiangshan to Ximen, Taipei metropolis heart could be traversed in round 40 minutes by bike, bus or MRT (subway). New Taipei Metropolis is broader nonetheless, with Tamsui to Xindian navigable in round 1 hour half-hour by MRT. A automotive or scooter will get you to your vacation spot faster however solely when avoiding rush hours (early morning and early night).
Is public transport in Taipei good?
A powerful sure from me. Not solely is Taipei public transport inexpensive, clear and handy, however it’s also very punctual. You possibly can set your watch to the practice and bus schedule and all info could be discovered on Google Maps, often up to date with correct timetables and switch info for journey planning.
Passes for public transit in Taipei
You’ll see numerous promoting for the limitless Enjoyable Go, however except you might be planning on doing the entire huge sights (together with the Nationwide Palace Museum and Taipei 101), then an EasyCard will suffice, reducing common ticket costs for bus and metro companies by 10 to 30%, plus reductions for a number of use in someday.
An EasyCard could be purchased for 100NTD plus top-up quantity in any metro station or at any 7-Eleven comfort retailer round city. You can too use EasyCard rather than a rail ticket on TRA (Taiwan Railway Administration) companies.
Three selections for airport switch: low cost, cheaper and reasonable
The most affordable option to get from Taoyuan Worldwide Airport into Taipei Metropolis heart is to take the 1819 Kuo Kuang bus service to Taipei Fundamental Station, paying on the sales space contained in the bus terminal (135NTD; $4.60USD). The glossy new Airport MRT line is doubly fast however solely barely costlier (at 160NTD; $5.50) taking simply 35 minutes (in comparison with one hour by bus).
These prepared to splurge $30 to $40 after their long-haul flight can take a taxi from Taoyuan Worldwide Airport into Taipei Metropolis heart inside an hour.
Most worldwide flights arrive at Taoyuan Worldwide Airport. These in search of Taipei Airport ought to look into Songshan Airport which is moderately nearer to town heart however principally serving home and regional airways.
For accessible routes, select Taipei’s subway
The Taipei Metro (aka MRT) is a complete subway system linking the entire of Taipei and New Taipei Metropolis. There are accessible routes and elevators in all stations and wonderful facilities for the disabled throughout the Taipei Metro map.
When the scorching temperatures outdoors threaten to overwhelm you, the 131 Taipei Metro stations supply respite, kitted out with bathrooms, snack shops and even underground malls between a handful of stations.
How to slot in on the Taipei subway
Bear in mind that ingesting, consuming and chewing gum are all banned on the Taipei Metro. Touring throughout rush hour is finest prevented the place doable (7-9AM and 5-7PM weekdays) and it is best to stand on the right-hand aspect of the escalators when not strolling.
To slot in seamlessly, chorus from loud conversations and keep away from sitting at midnight blue precedence seats (for aged, pregnant or passengers with disabilities) except you want them.
Board the bus for metropolis views
There’s an absence of sightseeing bus excursions within the metropolis however Taipei’s public buses are the following smartest thing. Most bus stops function digital screens that record the timings of upcoming buses, in English and Mandarin.
Tip for boarding Taipei’s buses
When taking the bus wherever in Taipei, the same old course of is to swipe your EasyCard as soon as upon boarding and once more when alighting, or put the proper change (often 15NTD) within the silver field up entrance once you board.
Get your strolling sneakers on
You received’t get to date so quick, however, nonetheless, strolling Taipei is a free and unassuming delight, providing lantern-lit alleyways and tiny temples at each flip.
If planning on doing numerous strolling, ensure you defend your pores and skin from robust UV rays (even on cloudy days) and drink numerous water to keep away from dehydration, significantly in the summertime months from June to August.
Respect the moped insanity
Mix the scooter streams of Vietnam with the driving rules of Japan and you could be near envisioning the chaotic good of Taipei’s visitors system.
At lengthy vary, Taipei has the principles of the highway perfected; a grid system with numerous one-way roads and pedestrian crossings in full impact, visitors lights timed to make peak visitors move as easy as doable.
At shut vary, nevertheless, Taipei visitors shouldn’t be with out its surprises. Purple-light-running vehicles will fly within the face of your Proper of Manner and complete households balanced precariously on one scooter might around the curb at any second, full with a Shiba Inu pet, with its tongue out, on the helm.
Pay attention to these hazards when strolling in Taipei or in any other case be courageous and lease a scooter your self (utilizing WeMo if you happen to learn Chinese language, SKRT if you happen to don’t).
Why biking is my favourite option to journey in Taipei
Just like a scooter however with out the carbon footprint, biking is my favourite option to navigate Taipei. Newcomers to town are welcomed to hop on a YouBike and discover totally free (at the very least for the primary half-hour, 10NTD each half-hour thereafter) touring as far south as Yingge Ceramics Village and as far north as Tamsui alongside the Taipei Riverside Bikeway.
Designated cycle paths run sporadically by town – each on and off the highway – with docking stations virtually at all times out there outdoors MRT stations, and everywhere in the metropolis.
You will notice locals biking on the sidewalk to keep away from the visitors fumes, nevertheless it’s not advisable to affix them. As a substitute, get pleasure from a detour alongside the river, a protracted stretch made for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting prime places corresponding to Dadaocheng Pier (Pier 5), Ximen, Gongguan, and Xindian.
Tip for renting a YouBike in Taipei
If you wish to lease a YouBike, you’ll have to both register your EasyCard with an area cellphone quantity for verification and an ID quantity for insurance coverage functions on the kiosk beside most docking stations. You can too use a bank card rather than an EasyCard if you happen to don’t maintain an area SIM.
There are at present two YouBike methods in operation in Taipei, YouBike 1.0 and YouBike 2.0. You possibly can solely dock your YouBike on the corresponding dock.
Take a day journey by rail
Heading out of Taipei for the day is straightforward and inexpensive with the Taiwan Railway. Use the TRA to move to Keeling, Yilan or Jiufen (transferring at Ruifang for the shuttle bus) for low costs. See our record of day journeys from Taipei for choices.
Locations corresponding to Hualian and Taichung are additionally made accessible on the TRA system however for west coast locations additional afield (corresponding to Tainan and Kending), you could wish to splash out on the Excessive-Pace Rail (HSR) to get there quicker.
For locations the place the Taiwan Railway service doesn’t enterprise, the bus could be your subsequent most suitable choice. Get the bus to Yangmingshan from Shilin or to Wulai from Xindian, utilizing your EasyCard the entire method. Taxi pooling is one other option to journey if you happen to’d desire to not wait in a queue. Merely wave on the taxi scouts hanging out round key bus terminals corresponding to Xindian.
