• Basic info about the bus system in Taiwan

• How to take the city bus

• How to take the highway bus

Other than the MRT and Rail System, buses are the best form of travel in Taiwan, not to mention the fact that they are the most economical way! From city buses to highway buses, Taiwan has an extensive network. The main routes are on the west coast of Taiwan, while the east coast routes are mainly from the north to Yilan.

There are city bus systems in the main cities in Taiwan such as Taipei, Tainan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. They are convenient and can take you places within the city that are not as easily reached by walking or taking the MRT. These days, you can easily get the route information and estimated bus arrival time through the bus App for your city (each city has a different app). Unlike other types of transportation, most bus drivers are unable to communicate in English, so it is better to confirm your route before you take the bus.

As an example, there are two payment options to take the bus in Taipei. The most common way is by electronic payment, such as EasyCard or iPASS. Just lightly tap your card over the sensor, and the payment will be automatically completed when you hear the beep of the sensor. When you get off the bus, don’t forget to tap your card over the sensor on the way out too! A perk of using electronic payment: if you are transferring from the MRT to the bus (and vice versa), you can get a discount on your ride! The other payment option is by using coins. The regular single zone price is NT$15, and two-zone price is NT$30. You can just put the exact coins into the collector on the right side of the bus driver as you enter the bus through the front door (not the middle). NOTE: you’ll need to have the exact payment amount since buses will not give change.

In Taipei, you can easily check the bus arrival times on the LED boards located at each bus stop. They are updated in real time and extremely helpful! Busses will not stop at each stop automatically, so you will need to flag your bus when you see it approaching by waving your hand to let the bus driver know you would like it to stop for you. To get off the bus, just press the ‘get-off button’ before your stop - there are buttons at each seat and also all around the inside of the bus. For foreigners who want to use the bus as a way of transportation in Taipei, here is a useful site below. You can use it to search the route you would like to take or plan your bus trip through Trip Planner. You can also select the bus option in GoogleMaps and it will show you which busses/routes to take.

For long distance travel, you can choose highway buses. They are the cheapest way to travel, and for some special routes, the bus companies even have luxury buses, which have large, comfortable, airplane-style reclining seats. And the most essential information for travelers: most of the highway buses have a toilet inside!

To take the bus, you can head to the main train stations near you, since most highway bus stations are clustered near the main train stations. In Taipei, you can go to Taipei Main Station, the buses here can lead to everywhere in Taiwan. If your destination is in Central Taiwan, Taichung is the transit point of Nantou, Sun Moon Lake, Taroko Gorge, etc. And for destinations in Southern Taiwan, Kaohsiung is the transit point of Kenting, Guanshan, Foguanshan, etc.

Two of the biggest companies are Kuo Kuang(國光) and UBus(統聯), and you also can choose Aloha and Ho-hsin. Kuo Kuang(國光) has the most economic fare. Aloha/Ho-hsin(阿囉哈/和欣) has the most comfortable seats, but the price is higher than Kuo Kuang(國光). UBus(統聯) is somewhere in-between the above companies. For taking the highway bus, you will need to buy the ticket at the office near bus stations or you can reserve the seat online and remember to sit in the seat number on your ticket. Little tip: the round-trip ticket is cheaper than buying two single tickets!

For taking highway buses or buses that cross cities, you can check on iBus Information System. It is a great site that you can use to prepare yourself well for bus trips.

DON’T FORGET: Most buses are severely air-conditioned, so it is wise to bring a jacket or blanket with you.