Getting Around by MRT in Taipei
Part of the Taipei travel guide — see every topic in All Taipei Guides.
The Taipei MRT is one of the easiest metro systems in Asia. Trains are clean, safe and frequent. Signs and announcements are in Mandarin and English, and each station has a number and a colour. Most places a visitor wants to see are close to a station. With one stored-value card you can ride the MRT, city buses and even some trains outside the city.
The lines
Each MRT line has a colour and a short code. The red line, Tamsui–Xinyi, runs from Tamsui in the north, through Taipei Main Station, to Taipei 101 and Xiangshan. The blue line, Bannan, runs east to west and also stops at Taipei Main Station and Taipei City Hall. The green line goes to Ximending and Songshan. The orange line serves Zhongshan and Xinzhuang. The brown line, Wenhu, is an elevated driverless line that goes past Songshan Airport and the Taipei Zoo. The yellow Circular line serves New Taipei. Stations have numbers, such as R10 or BL12, which makes them easy to find on a map.
How to pay
The easiest way to pay is the EasyCard. You can buy one at MRT stations and convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and FamilyMart. Top it up with cash at station machines or at the shop counter. Tap the card at the gate when you enter and again when you leave. The fare depends on distance, and using the card is a little cheaper than buying a single ticket. The same card works on city buses, YouBike shared bikes and in many shops. Single-journey tokens are also sold at machines if you only need one ride. Day passes exist too, but check if they save you money.
From the airport
Taoyuan International Airport is about 40 kilometres west of the city. The Taoyuan Airport MRT connects both terminals to Taipei Main Station. Take the purple express train, which makes only a few stops and takes around 35 to 40 minutes. The commuter train is slower and stops at every station. You can pay with an EasyCard. Some airlines let you check in your bags at Taipei Main Station before your flight home. Songshan Airport is different. It is inside the city and sits on the brown line, so you can reach it in minutes from the centre.
Rules and manners
There are clear rules on the MRT. You may not eat, drink or chew gum inside the paid area or on the train. This includes water. Fines are possible. Dark blue seats are priority seats for older people, pregnant women and people with small children, and locals usually keep them empty. Stand on the right on escalators so people can walk on the left. Wait at the marked lines on the platform and let people get off first. Trains are quiet, so keep phone calls short and speak softly. The system is very clean because people follow these rules.
Hours and other options
The MRT runs from about 6am until around midnight. Check the last train time at your station if you plan a late night. Trains come every few minutes at busy times. City buses fill the gaps and show stops in English on screens. YouBike shared bikes are everywhere and are good for short trips and riverside paths. Taxis are yellow, use meters and are not expensive for short rides. For trips outside the city, the High Speed Rail and the regular trains leave from Taipei Main Station. Google Maps gives accurate MRT and bus routes in Taipei.
Getting Around by MRT at a glance
| Getting there | Airport MRT express to Taipei Main Station, about 35–40 min |
|---|---|
| Hours | About 6am–midnight; check the last train at your station |
| Cost | Fare by distance; EasyCard is cheaper than single tickets |
| Best time | Avoid 8am–9am and 5:30pm–7pm rush hours |
| Remember | No eating or drinking, even water, in the paid area |