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Taiwan travel notes ​

Travel tips for Taiwan covering payments, transit cards, and eSIM data.

Notes from a 13-day trip across Taiwan. 🇹🇼

Cash is king ​

Cash is king in Taiwan - especially for night markets, small shops, and most local food stalls.

  • Withdraw New Taiwan dollars from an ATM on arrival.
  • Apple Pay covered larger shops, chains, and department stores.
  • Line Pay and EasyCard filled the gap for smaller shops that did not take Apple Pay but did want a digital option.
  • Credit cards work at the MRT gates and on intercity trains, so you do not need to top up an EasyCard for those.

EasyCard over iPass ​

  • The EasyCard is the most widely accepted transit card in Taiwan.
  • It works on buses, the MRT, trains, and at many shops, including convenience stores and some small restaurants.
  • iPass exists, but it only covers transit and coverage was noticeably worse during the trip. Stick with EasyCard.
  • MRT and trains accept credit cards, but buses do not, so an EasyCard is required for bus rides.
  • Top up at any MRT station or convenience store.

Klook eSIM ​

Stay connected with an eSIM. 📶

  • 20 GB lasted comfortably for 13 days of normal use, including maps, photos, and streaming.
  • Public Wi-Fi was limited and slow. The eSIM was a much better experience.

I recommend the Klook eSIM for Taiwan:

  • Buy and install the eSIM before arriving in Taiwan.
  • By far the cheapest data option I found (2026-06-14).
  • Speed and coverage were great across cities, smaller towns, and mountain areas.

TIP

I used a VPN while using the Klook eSIM for added privacy. Klook's eSIM ran all data through a Hong Kong cellular provider.

A little prep on payments and data goes a long way. Enjoy Taiwan.