EasyCard Taipei: How to Buy, Use & Refund (2026 Guide).

The single best NT$100 you’ll spend on a Taipei trip is on an EasyCard. The contactless smart card is the universal payment system for public transport across Taiwan — Taipei MRT, city buses, the Maokong Gondola, intercity buses, the High-Speed Rail, ferries, and the YouBike rental network all accept it. It also works as a stored-value card at the big convenience-store chains (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK Mart) and at plenty of other shops. One card, and no fumbling for change.

For tourists, the case is convenience more than savings. Ordinary adult EasyCard fares on the MRT are the same as single-journey tokens, but you skip the ticket machine on every trip, and switching between the MRT and city buses within an hour takes NT$8 off. Contactless bank cards and phone wallets now open the gates on every MRT line as well, yet they pay the full single-journey fare with no transfer discount, so the card still earns its place. Almost every Taipei travel guide will tell you to buy one — the question is just where, when, and how to use it well.

This EasyCard Taipei guide covers all of it for 2026: how to buy one (at the airport, MRT stations, or a 7-Eleven), what the NT$100 card price covers, how to top up at machines or stores, where to use it beyond the MRT, how to refund unused balance before you leave, and the comparison with iPASS and the new TPASS unlimited monthly pass. By the end you’ll know exactly how to handle the EasyCard side of your Taipei trip.

EasyCard at a Glance

• What it is: A contactless smart card for transit, retail, and small payments across Taiwan
• Card cost: NT$100 (non-refundable)
• Stored value: Top up in the amounts the machine or counter accepts (NT$300–500 is enough for most short trips)
• MRT fares: Same as single-journey tokens for ordinary adults; NT$8 off an MRT–bus transfer within one hour
• Where to buy: Taoyuan Airport (Kuo-Kuang sales points in Terminals 1 and 2), Taipei Metro stations, participating 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK Mart stores
• Where it works: Taipei MRT, buses, Maokong Gondola, ferries, YouBike, intercity buses, HSR, all major convenience stores, many supermarkets and shops
• How to refund: Taipei Metro station service counters; NT$20 fee unless the card qualifies for a waiver, max NT$3,000 cash refund

What Is the EasyCard?

The EasyCard (悠遊卡, yōuyóu kǎ) is a stored-value contactless smart card issued by EasyCard Corporation, the dominant transit payment provider in northern and central Taiwan. The card was first introduced in 2002 for the Taipei MRT and has since expanded to cover almost every form of public transport plus a huge range of retail uses.

For tourists, it functions like a universal “tap to pay” card. You load it with credit, then tap it at every gate, register, or vending machine that accepts it. The system automatically deducts the correct fare or price.

The closest international equivalents: London’s Oyster Card, Tokyo’s Suica, Hong Kong’s Octopus, Seoul’s T-Money. EasyCard is the same kind of system.

Where to Buy an EasyCard

Multiple options, listed in convenience order:

Option 1: Taoyuan Airport (TPE) — On Arrival

Both terminals at Taoyuan Airport sell EasyCards at:

• The EasyCard customer service counter (T1 and T2 arrivals area)
• Airport MRT service counters at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 stations
• 7-Eleven and FamilyMart inside the airport

This is the most convenient option for first-time visitors. You buy the card on arrival, top it up to NT$300–500, and use it immediately on the Airport MRT to Taipei.

Option 2: Any MRT Station

Every Taipei MRT station has an information / customer service desk that sells EasyCards. Just say “EasyCard” — you pay NT$100 for the card itself (a purchase price, not a refundable deposit, and the new card holds no credit), and they’ll ask how much you want loaded on. Most stations also have automated EasyCard vending machines.

Option 3: Convenience Stores

The most widespread option. Participating 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK Mart stores sell EasyCards at the cashier, and in Taipei you are rarely far from one. Opening hours vary by branch, though many never close.

Option 4: Pre-Order Online

Klook and KKday sell EasyCards online with various pre-loaded values, ready to pick up at Taoyuan Airport when you land. Useful if you want to skip the airport queue or grab a special-design card. Cards through these channels are often the same price as standard cards but with the value preloaded.

Special-Design Cards

Limited-edition EasyCards come in a changing range of themed designs. Cost is higher (NT$200–500+) but they’re popular souvenirs. The standard plain card works just as well functionally.

How to Top Up Your EasyCard

Multiple ways to load credit onto your card:

At MRT Stations

Every MRT station has automated Add-Value Machines. Insert your EasyCard, feed in the notes the screen says it accepts, and the machine adds the credit. Touch-screen interface in English. Coins are not accepted at most add-value machines — bring bills.

You can also top up at MRT customer service desks if you prefer human service.

At Convenience Stores

Hand your EasyCard to the cashier at a 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, or OK Mart, say how much credit you want added (e.g. “jiā zhí wǔ bǎi” — “add 500 value”), pay in cash, and they’ll tap your card on the register.

Via the EasyCard App

The EasyCard mobile app (iOS and Android) lets you check your balance, view recent rides, and in some cases top up via mobile payment. The mobile top-up function works for some Taiwanese banking customers but is harder for international visitors without a Taiwan-issued credit card. For tourists, the cash top-up at a 7-Eleven is the easier option.

How Much to Load

For a typical 3–5 day Taipei trip, NT$300–500 is enough for most travelers — that covers about 15–25 MRT rides plus a handful of convenience-store purchases. Top up again as needed; you can carry as little or as much credit as you want.

How to Use EasyCard for the Taipei MRT

It’s almost too simple to need explaining, but here’s the standard flow:

1. Walk up to any MRT gate.
2. Tap your EasyCard on the round circle reader at the top of the gate. The display shows your remaining balance.
3. Walk through.
4. At your destination station, tap the card on the exit gate. The fare is automatically deducted; remaining balance shown.

Fares: For ordinary adults, an EasyCard ride on the MRT costs the same as a single-journey token. What you gain is speed: no stop at the ticket machine and no token to keep hold of.

Bus + MRT transfer discount: If you tap from MRT to bus (or vice versa) within 1 hour, you get an automatic NT$8 transfer discount.

Where Else Does EasyCard Work?

Beyond the MRT, the card works at an impressively broad range of places:

• Taipei City Buses: All buses. Tap on entry; tap on exit (some routes are flat-fare and only require tap on entry).
• Intercity Buses: Most major intercity bus routes accept EasyCard.
• Maokong Gondola: Tap to enter the gondola system at any station.
• YouBike (the city’s bike-share system): Use your EasyCard to unlock bikes at any YouBike station.
• Tamsui-Bali Ferry: Tap on boarding.
• High-Speed Rail (HSR): Most trains accept EasyCard for non-reserved standing-class travel; you’ll need to buy a ticket separately for reserved seats.
• Convenience stores: 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK Mart all support EasyCard at checkout, though it depends on each branch’s equipment.
• Many parking lots: Tap to pay parking fees.
• Some taxis: Look for EasyCard logos on the taxi window.
• Many supermarkets: PX Mart and others.
• Tourist attractions: Some accept EasyCard for entry; look for the logo at the ticket desk.
• Airport MRT: Both express and commuter trains.

Where EasyCard Doesn’t Work

• Most sit-down restaurants (use cash or credit card)
• Most night-market food stalls (cash only)
• Small independent shops (cash)
• Some traditional taxis (look for the logo first)
• Reserved-seat HSR or Taiwan Railway tickets (you can buy with credit on EasyCard at some kiosks but the standard process is a separate ticket)

How to Refund Your EasyCard at the End of Your Trip

The refund process is straightforward but has a few rules:

Where to Refund

• Any MRT station’s customer service desk (during operating hours)
• The Taoyuan Airport MRT service booth (for departing travelers)
• Some EasyCard service centers in Taipei

Refund Process

1. Go to a customer service desk with your EasyCard.
2. Tell the agent you want to refund the card.
3. They check the remaining balance.
4. You get back the stored value, minus a NT$20 processing fee unless the card qualifies for a waiver (see below).
5. The original NT$100 card cost is not refunded (this is the new policy as of recent years).

Refund Limits

• Maximum cash refund: NT$3,000 in cash. Higher balances are refunded by bank transfer (which is harder for international tourists without a Taiwan bank account).
• Processing fee: NT$20, waived only when the card has been used at least five times and held for at least three months. A card bought for a week of sightseeing and day trips won’t have been held long enough, so expect to pay it.

Should You Even Refund?

For most tourists, the math doesn’t really make refunding worthwhile if you only have NT$50–100 left on the card. Several alternatives:

• Use up the balance at a 7-Eleven before leaving. Buy water, snacks, or small souvenirs. Easy and zero hassle.
• Keep the card as a souvenir. The card stays valid for many years, so if you return to Taiwan you can use it again.
• Give the card to a friend who’s heading to Taiwan.

EasyCard vs iPASS vs TPASS

Three stored-value cards work on the Taipei MRT (EasyCard, iPASS and icash), while TPASS is a monthly pass loaded onto a compatible card. Tourists almost always want EasyCard.

EasyCard (Recommended for Tourists)

• Originated in Taipei (north Taiwan)
• Accepted on transport and at merchants across Taiwan
• Standard tourist choice
• NT$100 card cost

iPASS

• Originated in Kaohsiung (south Taiwan)
• Also accepted on the Taipei MRT
• Nearly identical functionality to EasyCard
• NT$100 card cost

For tourists who’ll be mostly in Taipei or the north, EasyCard is the clear pick. For travelers who’ll be mostly in Kaohsiung or the south, iPASS is a fine choice. Either card works on the Taipei MRT.

TPASS (Northern Taiwan Megacity Pass)

Launched in 2023, TPASS is a monthly unlimited-rides pass for transit. The Northern TPASS covers Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, and Taoyuan — including the Airport MRT — for NT$1,200/month.

Is TPASS worth it for tourists? Usually not. The math: a NT$1,200 monthly pass requires you to make about 60 NT$20 MRT rides in 30 days for the math to break even (vs an EasyCard). TPASS only makes sense if you’re staying 3+ weeks and using transit constantly. Tourists almost always come out ahead with EasyCard.

EasyCard Tips for Tourists

Buy at the airport, not after you arrive in town. Saves time and lets you use it on the Airport MRT.

Top up NT$300–500 to start. You can always add more. Carrying too much credit means a refund hassle later.

Don’t lose the card. Anonymous EasyCards (the standard tourist version) can’t be replaced — anyone who finds your card can use the remaining balance. Treat it like cash.

Carry it in a pocket. The card works through some clothing and most thin wallets, so you can tap with the card still in your wallet.

Don’t put two transit cards in the same wallet. Two cards (e.g., EasyCard + iPASS) in the same wallet can confuse the gate reader and result in a “card error” or double-charge.

Auto-load is for residents. Auto-recharge from a Taiwanese bank account isn’t really an option for international visitors.

Children’s EasyCards. Special-design “child” EasyCards exist for under-12s with discounted fares — buy at MRT customer service desks if traveling with kids.

Common Questions and Mistakes

Forgetting to tap out at the MRT. The system charges you the maximum possible fare for the line if you don’t tap out. Always remember the exit tap.

Trying to share one card between two people. Each person needs their own card — only one tap per gate.

Putting the card too close to a magnetic strip. Generally fine, but very strong magnets can demagnetize the chip. Most regular phones, keys, and wallets are no problem.

Not topping up before a long trip. If you run out of credit mid-trip, you can’t pass through the exit gate. Top up before you go below NT$30.

Trying to use EasyCard for the HSR reserved seats. EasyCard works for HSR standing-class travel only; reserved seats need a separate ticket.

Buying iPASS in Taipei because it was on sale. Functionally fine, since iPASS works on the Taipei MRT too. Stick with EasyCard if you’ll be mostly in the north, where it originated.

Topping up is easiest at the counter of any convenience store rather than at a station machine – hand over the card and a note, say jiazhi, and you are done, at any hour. That is one of a long list of things these shops quietly handle; our guide to Taiwan’s convenience stores covers the rest.

The obvious alternative to all of this is the Taipei Fun Pass, which bundles unlimited transport with entry to thirty-odd attractions — and which, for most visitors, loses to the card in your hand. It only pays back on a day with three paid attractions in it, one of them Taipei 101, started before lunch. We do the arithmetic in full, including the two-day and three-day versions where the numbers genuinely improve, in is the Taipei Fun Pass worth it.

Related Taipei guides

• Songshan Airport Guide: Taipei’s City Airport
• Taipei Taxi Guide: Fares, Apps & Safety
• Does Uber Work in Taipei?
• Taiwan High Speed Rail from Taipei: Booking & Tips
• Car Rental in Taipei: Do You Actually Need One?

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an EasyCard cost?

NT$100 for the card itself (non-refundable), plus whatever stored value you choose to top up. Most tourists start with NT$300–500 of credit.

Where can I buy an EasyCard in Taipei?

At the Kuo-Kuang sales points in Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminals 1 and 2, at Taipei Metro stations, and at participating 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK Mart stores. Convenience stores are the easiest fallback; if you land late, check the nearest branch’s hours.

How do I top up my EasyCard?

Use the Add-Value Machines at MRT stations or hand the card to the cashier at a 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, or OK Mart. The mobile EasyCard app is also available but more useful for residents than tourists.

Can I get my EasyCard deposit back?

There is no deposit to get back: the NT$100 is the card’s purchase price and isn’t refunded. Stored-value credit can be refunded at Taipei Metro station service counters, up to NT$3,000 in cash, with a NT$20 processing fee unless the card has been used at least five times and held for at least three months.

Does EasyCard work outside Taipei?

Yes. EasyCard is accepted across most of Taiwan — Taichung, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Kenting, and most major cities.

What’s the difference between EasyCard and iPASS?

EasyCard originated in Taipei and iPASS in Kaohsiung, and both work on the Taipei MRT. For tourists who will spend most of their trip in Taipei, EasyCard is the usual choice.

Can I use EasyCard at convenience stores?

Yes — 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life and OK Mart support it at the checkout register, though what a given branch offers depends on its equipment. You can also top up the card at the same registers.

How much should I load on my EasyCard?

For a 3–5 day Taipei trip, NT$300–500 is usually enough. You can always top up more — there’s no rush to carry a large balance.

Can I use one EasyCard for two people?

No. Each rider needs their own card. The MRT gate only allows one tap per pass-through.

What happens if my EasyCard runs out of credit?

You can’t pass through the exit gate. Top up at the MRT station’s customer service desk or Add-Value Machine. Some stations also have a “Negative Balance Refund” lane for emergencies.

Final Take

The EasyCard is the single most useful purchase any tourist makes in Taipei. Pick one up at Taoyuan Airport on arrival, load NT$500, and you’re set for almost everything: MRT, buses, the Maokong Gondola, the Tamsui ferry, every convenience store snack, and many tourist attractions. At the end of your trip, just spend the last few hundred NT at a 7-Eleven on water and souvenirs and call it done. NT$100 well spent.

Photo Credits

EasyCard machines at Taipower Building Station: Taipower Building Station ATVM 20240311 by MAm ROFOW 022, CC0, cropped, via Wikimedia Commons.

An adult EasyCard: EasyCard Adult 5290925063 rear by Solomon203, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.