SIM Card and Internet in Taiwan

Mobile coverage in Taiwan is excellent, in the mountains and on the high-speed rail alike, and the internet is fast and cheap. The only question is how you connect. There are three ways, and each has an upside.

eSIM — the most convenient

If your phone supports eSIM (most models from recent years), this is the easiest option. You order a package online from home, scan a QR code, and the moment you land the internet already works, no queue at the airport and no swapping out your Israeli SIM. An unlimited weekly package runs around 300–500 NT$ (roughly ₪35–60). You can book a Taiwan eSIM ahead and activate it the moment you land.

A physical local SIM

At Taoyuan Airport there are booths from the big providers (Chunghwa, Taiwan Mobile, FarEasTone) selling tourist SIMs with unlimited data. The upside: usually slightly cheaper, and you get a useful Taiwanese phone number for bookings. The downside: you have to queue and swap the SIM physically.

Pocket Wifi

A portable device that shares internet to several devices. It makes sense mainly for a family or group that wants one shared connection, but you have to remember to charge it and carry it. You can book pocket wifi for airport pickup. For one person or a couple, an eSIM or SIM is simpler.

Our recommendation

For one person or a couple with a supported phone: an eSIM, simple and instant. For anyone who also wants a local number, or whose phone doesn’t support it: a physical SIM at the airport. Either way, don’t rely only on public Wi-Fi; navigation, transport, and bookings need a constant connection.

Carry on to the transport guide, to safety and health, or back to the main guide.