Transport in Taiwan: HSR, Metro, and the EasyCard

Transport is one of the reasons Taiwan is so easy to travel. An excellent rail network crosses the island, the city metros are clean and simple, and a single card solves almost everything.

The high-speed rail (HSR)

The backbone of long trips. The HSR runs the length of the west coast and links Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. Taipei to Kaohsiung at the southern tip takes about 90 minutes to two hours, around 1,490 NT$ (roughly ₪170) in standard class. You can buy at the station, or book a HSR ticket or tourist rail pass ahead to skip the queue. The stations usually sit outside the city centre, linked by local train or MRT.

The regular train (TRA)

Slower and cheaper, but it reaches places the HSR doesn’t: the east coast (Hualien) and the small towns. The train ride along the east coast counts as one of the prettiest in the country.

City metros (MRT)

Taipei and Kaohsiung have a clean, punctual MRT, signed in English. A single ride costs 20–65 NT$ (about ₪2.5–7.5) by distance. It’s the best way to move around within cities.

From the airport to the city

From the main airport, Taoyuan (TPE), the Airport MRT reaches central Taipei in 35–50 minutes for about 160 NT$ (roughly ₪18). There are also cheap buses that run around the clock, handy for night flights. If you’d rather have ease with luggage, you can book a private airport transfer.

Buses and taxis

Within cities and between nearby destinations, buses are cheap and work with the EasyCard. Taxis are available and relatively cheap; apps like Uber operate in the big cities.

Carry on to the SIM card and internet, the money guide, or back to the main guide.