The completion of the much-anticipated Airport MRT Line has brought a speedy new option for travel between the Taoyuan Airport and Taipei.<\/p>\n
A number of interesting transport cards have been spotted since the new MRT line began service. This post will detail the range of new cards on offer, and compare them with the standard transportation options and metro cards sold in Taipei.<\/p>\n
Current options include:<\/p>\n
When you get into the city you have a few options.<\/p>\n
If you want to blend in with the locals (is that possible?) you will want to grab an EasyCard<\/strong>. The EasyCard is a reloadable IC card that is wildly popular in Taipei. The card has a variety of uses ranging from bus and MRT fare payment, UBike rentals, and it can even be used to pay for purchases in Taiwan’s numerous convenience stores<\/a>! Note that new cards cost 100ntd to activate. This cost can be refunded if you return the card in usable condition at an MRT station leaving Taiwan.<\/p>\n The City Pass<\/strong> is a popular choice for short-term travel around Taipei. Information on the Taipei City Pass can be found here<\/a>.\u00a0 Visitors can choose between 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, and 5-day cards. These cards are valid for unlimited rides during this time period. These options cater to tourists looking for a simple solution to Taipei’s busy public transport. They can be good if you make frequent trips on the MRT, but won’t be worth the price if you plan on traveling slowly.<\/p>\n Recently a number of new Joint Passes have been advertised around MRT stations. These passes allow visitors to take a variety of transportation options with a single card. They are essentially a Taipei City Pass with the added benefit of the Taoyuan MRT (you would normally need separate cards for the Taipei and Taoyuan MRT).<\/p>\n Taiwan High-Speed Rail\/Taipei Metro Joint Ticket<\/strong><\/p>\n These passes offer:<\/p>\n The cost will range from\u00a0NT$860-NT$2,850 depending on the length of the HSR ride. These passes are great for those visiting Taipei from the south of Taiwan – but likely won’t do much for international visitors.<\/p>\n Taoyuan Airport MRT\/Taipei Metro Joint Ticket (2-Day) NT$520<\/strong><\/p>\n These passes offer:<\/p>\n The cost of the ticket is NT$520. It’s a good buy for short-term visitors to Taipei. It’s especially good for those looking to hit many of the popular destinations along the MRT (such as the Taipei 101, Longshan Temple, and Shilin Night Market<\/a>).<\/p>\n Taoyuan Airport MRT\/Taipei Metro (3-Day) NT$600<\/strong><\/p>\n These passes offer:<\/p>\n This ticket costs an even NT$600. It costs NT$80 for an extra day of subway use, pretty cheap in my opinion. This is a great choice if you’re here for 3 days.<\/p>\n To get the full value out of the cards you will need to take the Taoyuan Airport MRT as well as a number of trips around the city. Currently, the passes are only usable for 2 or 3 days which may not suit all visitors. However, the Joint Pass will save you some money if you are making a quick trip to Taipei.<\/p>\n 2-day City Pass NT$310 + Airport MRT NT$160 (each way) = NT$630<\/p>\n 3-day City Pass NT$440 +\u00a0Airport MRT NT$160 (each way) = NT$760<\/p>\nTaiwan’s New Joint Passes<\/h2>\n
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Is the Taipei City Joint Pass Worth It?<\/h2>\n
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