• Basic info about the MRT

• How to get and use tickets

• How to take the MRT 

If you have travelled to other cities around the world, you might be wary of taking the subway here in Taiwan. Well, don’t be – like everything else, it is easy, fast and well maintained! As an English speaker, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT for short) is also the easiest form of transportation available in Taipei.

It consists of 5 lines, identified by color (Ex. the blue line) and has approx. 117 stations. You can pick up a free paper map at both airport MRT stops near the entrance, google a picture of the map, or it’s also integrated with Google Maps, so you can just type in your destination and the MRT options will show up in public transportation routes. It runs from 6am – 12am and there are frequent trains, you never have to wait long. It is also quite affordable. Ticket price is based on the distance you travel, starting at $20NTD one way and going up to $65NTD one way for the further away stops. 

All signs and info inside the MRT are in both Chinese/English and stations are clearly marked, clean, well lit and have AC. A good number of stations have lockers for travellers and some even have 7-11s or bakeries or small shops inside. ALL stations have elevators, turnstiles and ​well-marked paths available for people with disabilities. Easy data reception is available in all MRTs, even in tunnels. They also have free public Wifi, sometimes easier to connect to than others, so it’s a nice surprise, but don’t count on it. Once you go through the turnstiles, you cannot eat or drink unless you want to pay a fine. There are maps at each stop of the outside area around the station so you can see what’s around or which exit to get out at since most stops have multiple entries/exits. NOTE: Always look at the direction key on the map, they’re not always pointing North! 

Once you decide which line you need to take, the wall or the sign above each platform inside the station will tell you which direction that train is going. Like New York or London, the direction is noted by the name of the last stop in either direction, so for example on the green line you can take the Songshan train or the one headed to Xindian. EXCEPTION: the yellow line forks into 2 directions at one end, so make sure to get on the correct train when you’re headed north. TV screens along each platform tell you how long the wait is until the next train. Also like New York and London, inside the train cars there are ‘priority seating’ areas for elderly/children/pregnant people that are always near the doors and are usually a different color with a sign above them. Unlike New York, people are actually respectful and leave them open (even during rush hour) for those that need them, so you should too! 

If you are a tourist, you might want to look into the different Fun Passes, where they bundle MRT fare and attraction entry fees to different places around Taipei all in one card. You can also get unlimited MRT travel passes for 24/48/72 hours, more information. Note both of these options are single use cards, they can’t be topped up like an EasyCard. They’re also best to use if you’ll spend 1-3 days in Taipei. 

If you plan to spend 3+ days in Taipei, definitely get an EasyCard to use. It gives you a 20% discount for each ride and you can top it up with whatever money you want to put on, or if you’ll be using the MRT regularly for work, you might want to consider a 30-day unlimited pass for $1,280 NTD / month. You can buy single ride tickets or top up your Easycard at the machines located inside each station (the machines are in English and walk you through step by step) or you can go to the information kiosk and buy them from the attendant. I usually top up my card at the machines and add a 30 day pass at the kiosk with the attendant’s help. 

You’ll tap the ticket/Easycard at the turnstiles when you enter and exit the stations, so keep it somewhere easy to pull out again when you’re leaving!