EasyCard Taiwan Guide: Where to Buy, Top Up, and Use Your 悠遊卡
The EasyCard (悠遊卡) is the one card you will tap a dozen times a day in Taiwan: MRT gates, buses, YouBike, convenience stores, even some night-market stalls. Getting one on day one makes everything smoother.
Where to buy
- MRT station service counters — every Taipei Metro station sells standard adult EasyCards for NT$100 (card cost, non-refundable). Staff can help in basic English.
- Convenience stores — 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, and OK Mart all sell them at the register. Same NT$100 price; some stores stock limited-edition designs.
- Airports — Taoyuan and Songshan airports have telecom and tourist counters selling EasyCards, sometimes bundled with SIM cards.
- Tourist version — short-stay visitors can buy a tourist EasyCard; functionally identical, but you cannot register it for loss-protection the way residents can with a registered card.
There are concession types (student, senior/disability) but as a newcomer you will use the standard adult card (普通卡).
How to top up (加值)
- MRT add-value machines — in every station; cash only at most machines, in NT$100 increments (some accept bills up to NT$1,000).
- Convenience store counters — hand the card and cash to the cashier; any amount in NT$100 units.
- Automatic top-up — link a Taiwanese credit or debit card to a registered EasyCard and it auto-reloads when the balance drops below a threshold. Worth setting up once you have a local bank account.
- Easy Wallet app (悠遊付) — the official app lets you check balances and manage a registered card from your phone.
Maximum stored value is NT$10,000. If your balance runs short mid-trip, transit gates allow a one-time overdraft of up to NT$60 so you can finish the ride — top up right after.
Where you can use it
- Taipei MRT, Taoyuan Metro, Kaohsiung MRT/light rail, and TRA trains (short-distance travel).
- City buses island-wide (tap on boarding; on some routes tap off too — watch what locals do).
- YouBike — the card must be registered on the YouBike website or app first.
- Convenience stores, supermarkets, drugstores, fast food, parking lots, and many taxis.
- Some night-market stalls — increasingly common in Taipei, but cash is still king there.
Using an EasyCard (rather than a credit card or QR code) on the Taipei MRT also unlocks the transfer discount: tap between MRT and bus within one hour and you save NT$8 per transfer. Credit-card tap payments do not get this discount.
Refunds
Leaving Taiwan? Get your remaining balance back at any MRT station service counter. A small handling fee applies, and the NT$100 card cost is not refunded on standard cards. Keep the card though — it never expires, and you will want it on your next trip.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use EasyCard outside Taipei?
Yes. It works on Kaohsiung's MRT and light rail, Taichung's MRT, TRA trains, and buses across Taiwan. Southern Taiwan also uses iPASS (一卡通), but EasyCard acceptance is now effectively island-wide for transit.
Do I need an ARC to buy one?
No. Anyone can buy and use a standard EasyCard — no ID required. Registration (for balance protection if lost) is the part that needs local ID.
What happens if I lose a registered card?
Report it through the Easy Wallet app or EasyCard customer service to freeze the balance, then transfer the remaining value to a replacement card.
Sources
- EasyCard Corporation, card usage information: https://www.easycard.com.tw
- Taipei Metro, ticket and transfer discount information: https://www.metro.taipei/cp.aspx?n=AB56163F79ECB2C2