EasyCard Guide

An EasyCard is a smart card for cashless payments. It’s used for many goods and services in Taiwan.

When I moved to Taiwan 5 years ago, I bought an EasyCard first. I’ll explain why in this guide.

---

Key Takeaways

• EasyCard costs NT$100 with no expiration.
• Refund unused funds at MRT stations for NT$20 fee.
• Over 70,000 EasyCard transactions happen daily in Taiwan.
• 11 million EasyCards are used daily across Taiwan.
• Stored funds on EasyCard have increased 97% from 2022.
• Users can load up to NT$10,000 on a single card.
• Receive 10-15% transport discounts using EasyCard.
• EasyCard accepted in 2,300 brands and 350,000 stores.
• YouBike rentals require registering EasyCard online.

---

Essentials

---

What Do I Do With Unused Funds?

To get money back from your EasyCard, go to an MRT station. Pay NT$20 to refund up to NT$3,000 of unused funds.

---

What Is an EasyCard?

An EasyCard in Taiwan is a refillable, tap-to-pay card for transport and shopping. It’s used on buses, metros, and in stores across Taiwan. Some call it a Yo Yo Card or 悠遊卡 (Yōuyóu kǎ).

The card starts with no money. You can add funds in ways I’ll cover later.

Each card has a one-year warranty. If the card fails you for any reason, you can exchange it for free.

You don’t have to sign up your card.

But if you don’t, you can’t get money back if someone takes it. I’ll show you how to sign up in a bit.

Here’s where to get one.

---

9 Neat EasyCard Statistics

Here are a bunch of EasyCard statistics from 2023 [3, 4]:

1. Over 70,000 transactions happen daily nationwide.

2. 11 million cards are used every day.

3. Has a total of over 8 billion transactions.

4. Stores have sold more than 132 million EasyCards.

5. As of 2023, there are more than 23,914,000 users. A 24% increase from 2022.

6. Folks have stored more than NT$12,130,762,000 on their card. A 97% increase from 2022.

7. On average, each person has 4 EasyCards.

8. Number 1 with market share of active E-tickets.

9. There are 2.71 million EasyWallet users.

---

Where to Buy One

Here’s where you can get an EasyCard:

Try not to buy from unknown sellers. Hackers might put bad software on these cards.

Where would you get those cool-looking cards (e.g., Poké Ball)?

Mostly convenience stores — so long as you get them before scalpers. Mom and pop shops will seldom have them. And sometimes grocery stores will sell them.

For instance, my wife bought a 6-pack of Coca-Cola that came with a Coke-shaped card.

The underground mall in Taipei Main Station has shops that “resell” cool EasyCards from previous years. This is the safest way to get such cards.

Are you a student?

Your school will give you an EasyCard during orientation.

The easiest way to get an EasyCard is through KKday or KLOOK.

Both sites allow you to pick up the card at the airport. They’ll also often come with freebies like SIM cards.

If you use these sites often, you can get points for discounts.

New users get 5% off when booking through the app.

---

How to Use EasyCard

To use a Taiwan EasyCard, hover it over the IC card sensor. Wait for confirmation: balance display, green light with beep, staff approval, or gates opening. Look for surfaces others use or labeled “IC card” for sensor locations.

If you’re at a convenience store, look for a surface with various cards’ logos (e.g., EasyCard).

I usually say “悠遊卡 (Yōuyóu kǎ),” and act confused. From there, the cashier will show me where the sensor is.

Touch the card to the reader and wait for a green light and beep.

---

How To Check EasyCard’s Balance

To check your EasyCard balance, use ticket kiosks at metro stations. Smart card readers near MRT service counters also display your balance and transit history. The Easy Wallet app offers a free balance check function too.

The app is in Chinese but easy to use. You need your card’s nickname and number.

Find the number on the bottom of your EasyCard. Or use NFC to scan your card with your phone.

However:

EasyWallet doesn’t update your balance right away. It takes a day.

Not near a metro station?

Not near a metro? Ask at a store to check your balance. You might need a translation app.

Use a guide I wrote about using Google Translate in Taiwan to help you tinker with the settings.

When you use a bus or metro, the reader shows your balance briefly. Remember that number for later.

Let’s see how you’ll top up your card.

---

How to Top Up EasyCard

Top up your EasyCard at MRT stations, convenience stores, or kiosks in Taiwan. Use cash with a cashier or self-service machine. Place card on pad, insert money, and confirm. Balance updates instantly.

Here’s are other ways to top up an EasyCard:

• EasyWallet app (SuperCard only)
• Automatically with co-branded cards
• Samsung Pay (Samsung Wallet EasyCard)

Most convenience store clerks can’t speak English. Just give them your card and cash. They’ll likely know you want to add that amount.

Refilling your card at an MRT station is a different story.

All the staff I’ve encountered speak English. Tell them how much you want to add.

Your card’s topped up. Where can you use it?

---

Where Can I Use EasyCard

EasyCard is accepted on Taiwan’s public transport, including MRT, buses, and trains. You can use it at convenience stores, supermarkets, and some restaurants. It’s also valid for taxis, ferries, and various retail shops in Taiwan.

Other uses include:

You can also use it as a medium for the following:

• Taipei FunPASS: Free entry into many Taipei attractions
• Storing receipts: For the receipt lottery
• TPASS in most regions: Commuter pass

The EasyCard Corporation has partnered with more than 2,300 brands and 350,000 stores.

I can’t include all of them in this guide.

Here’s their partnered brands list. Read it for the most up-to-date information.

The following sections will cover some specific uses for EasyCards and potential discounts they offer.

---

Transportation That Accepts EasyCard

Use EasyCard to pay for the following public transportation.

---

1. Taiwan Railway (Local Train)

Use EasyCard to enter and exit the following Taiwan Railway Association (TRA) trains and lines:

* These include Mountain Coast lines.

If you use EasyCard to enter these trains and lines, you can get a 10% discount on trains traveling less than 70 kilometers (43 miles).

EasyCard won’t give you discounts on Taiwan High-Speed Rail (HSR) tickets.

And you can’t use an EasyCard to buy reserved HSR tickets.

Here’s a guide to help you save money when buying an HSR ticket.

---

2. City & Intercity Buses

The following city buses accepts EasyCard:

• Taipei
• New Taipei
• Keelung
• Tainan
• Yilan
• Matsu
• Taichung

Tap these cards on the IC card sensor when entering and exiting the bus.

The first tap notifies the bus you’re on.

The second will charge your card based on the distance traveled.

---

3. Subway Stations

Use an EasyCard to enter the following metro stations:

• Taipei & New Taipei Metro: MRT (all lines) along with Ankeng and Danhai LRT.
• Taoyuan Metro: Also works with the Airport MRT.
• Kaohsiung Metro: LRT and MRT.
• Taichung Metro

You’ll get a 15% discount off the Kaohsiung Metro (KRTC) when using EasyCard [1].

But you can’t get a discount when using this card on other metro systems.

Long-term stayers can get a rebate on the Taipei MRT. The amount is based on the number of trips taken in a month.

Here’s the rebate chart [2]:

Number of Trips Required	Cashback Percentage
11 – 20	10%
21 – 30	15%
31 – 40	20%
41 – 50	25%
51+	30%

Notes:

• Calculate your cashback for the current month by multiplying cumulative fare from the previous month by the cashback ratio.
  • Round this to the nearest dollar.
• You’ll get your rebate at the beginning of the following month.

Check the MRT ticket machines to see your rebated amount.

---

4. YouBike: Bicycle Rental Service in TW

You can use an EasyCard to rent any YouBike 1.0, 2.0, or 2.0E. YouBike is a bike-sharing system.

To use YouBikes, you’ll need to register your card online with a phone number.

This guide will show you how to register for YouBike.

---

Okinawa, Japan: EZ Card Use Outside Taiwan

EasyCard and SuperCard holders can pay for goods and services at over 2,000 stores throughout Okinawa, Japan.

I couldn’t find any list of places that accept this card on EasyCard’s website…

I know you can use the card to enter:

• Naha fish market
• Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium; and
• Kyoda Service Area

Whether an expat or traveler, you’ll benefit from this additional EasyCard support.

Say you’re island hopping in Asia.

Go to Taiwan, get an EasyCard, fly for 1.5 hours to Okinawa, and use the card.

But:

To use the card in Okinawa, you must register your EasyCard on the company’s website.

Cardholders CAN’T add value while in Okinawa. Unless you have a Co-branded card.

You’ll need to use your crystal ball to guess how much you’ll spend in Okinawa, then add the balance.

Let’s check out other places in each city you can use EasyCard.

---

Where to Use the EasyCard in Taipei & New Taipei

Service/Store	Category
Maokong Gondola	Attraction
Taipei City Hospital	Hospital
New Taipei City Hospital	Hospital
Guandu Nature Park	Attraction
National Taiwan Museum	Attraction
Taipei Fine Arts Museum	Attraction
Taipei Children’s Amusement Park	Attraction
Taipei Zoo	Attraction
Mackay Memorial Hospital	Hospital
Taipei 101	Food Court
Tri-Service General Hospital	Hospital
Fullon Hotel	Attraction
Yehliu Geopark	Attraction
The Landis Taipei	Bakery
Taipei City Bike Rent Station	Bicycle rental

Where to Use the EasyCard in Other Cities

Service/Store	Category	City
Hamasen	Attraction	Kaohsiung
Lihpao Resort	Resort park in Taichung	Taichung
Taimall	Food Court	Taoyuan
Scenic Area Service Industry	Attraction	Taoyuan

There are plenty of other places to use it. These are examples.

Do you really need an EasyCard, though?

Let’s see how it compares to other card types.

---

EasyCard vs. Other Taiwanese Smart Cards

Taiwan has many smart cards. You should know their differences to avoid mix-ups.

I’ll compare these cards more deeply in another post.

This guide will just tell you which to get and why.

---

1. Taipei EasyCard vs. iPASS

Get an iPASS if:

• Any bus or MRT gives iPASS users a discount.
• You find a cool card you want as a keepsake.
• You need coverage for places EasyCard doesn’t work with.
• It’s the only way to pay for some TPASS types.

Otherwise, just get an EasyCard.

These are by-far my favorite cards to keep as souvenirs.

iPASS collaborated with a couple of the more popular VTubers to create neat-looking 3D passes.

These are impossible to find unless you want to sell your kidneys to get one.

Check out a separate piece I wrote about this pass.

---

2. iCash 2.0 vs. EasyCard

Get an iCash 2.0 if you:

• Find a neat-looking card for a souvenir.
• Want to earn points with Open Point.

Otherwise, get an EasyCard.

I talk more about iCash in another post. Check it out.

The iCash 2.0 doesn’t work with YouBike, making it less useful than other cards.

You decided to go with EasyCard? Great.

Let’s register it.

---

How to Register Your Name on an EasyCard

I don’t recommend that tourists register their name on an EasyCard. This is only useful for students and expats with lots of money on their card.

Supposedly only 0.02% of EasyCards are registered.

This entire process is in Chinese. It sucks. But Taiwanese folks are the site’s target audience.

1. Go to the registration website..

2. Select the type of card you’re registering:

• Left: Adult and concessionaire cards
• Right: Student card

3. Fill everything out.

The first page will ask you for the 10 – 16-digit number on your EasyCard.

4. Receive a SMS 2-factor authentication code.

You’ll need a Taiwan phone number for this.

5. Enter more details:

• Name
• Birth date
• Phone number (again)
• Address
• Email
• ARC number and date
• And more

Use the camera function of Google Translate to translate each piece of information.

If you can read Chinese, I don’t know why you’re still following this guide.

6. Verify your ID

That’s a lot of details just to register a card. I’m surprised they also don’t want my US birth certificate and access to my bank account.

That’s why I said only do this if you have a large balance.

You made it through the meat of the article.

Let’s cover the less important — but great-to-know — details.

---

Types of Cards Available

Depending on what group you fall under, you can get one of these cards:

• Adult EasyCard
• Student EasyCard
• Co-branded credit card
• Concessionaire EasyCard

Taiwanese citizens can get these:

• New Taipei City Children’s Card
• Welfare EasyCard
• Taipei City elementary school digital Student ID EasyCard

I’ll only emphasize the former 4 cards.

The following sections will explain eligibility requirements for each card.

---

1. Adult EasyCard: The Card Most People Will Have

Most people can get the Adult EasyCard, or 普通卡 (Pǔtōng kǎ).

Find these cards anywhere that sells EasyCard.

Some of you may end up needing the next card.

---

2. Student EasyCard: For Students

You’ll get a Student EasyCard from your school if the Ministry of Education recognizes you as a student.

A Student EasyCard, 學生卡 (Xuéshēng kǎ), is also your school ID.

I used it to get into class when studying Mandarin at NTNU.

Do you want to also study Mandarin Chinese? I have a guide that’ll help.

Anyway.

Taipei City elementary students get 40% off single MRT trips.

New Taipei City elementary students get 60% off.

Anyone with the Student card will receive an NT$8, NT$6, or NT$4 discount when transferring between a city bus and an MRT within an hour.

Taipei Metro’s site doesn’t say how to get a bigger discount. I think it changes by trip.

The next part is “better” for expats.

---

3. SuperCard: EasyCard with a Higher Balance

The SuperCard lets you add money through your phone. It’s useless for tourists. You’ll find these at most places that sell EasyCards.

But you must use the EasyWallet app. It’s only in Chinese…

From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t work well. It needs internet, which is annoying in areas with bad signal.

I don’t suggest getting this card.

I frequently tell my wife that I’m probably one of the few people in Taiwan that uses it. Because the card’s unique selling point isn’t that appealing.

Why do I have one, then?

To tell you about it. Now I’m stuck with it.

There’s also the TPASS SuperCard. It works as an EasyCard/SuperCard and a TPASS.

A TPASS gives you unlimited usage of the following public transportation:

• YouBike bicycle rentals
• TRA (local train)
• Light rail transit (LRT)
• Mass rapid transit (MRT)
• City bus
• Intercity bus

The pass you choose and price depends on the region visited.

Here’s another card that tourists can’t get.

---

4. Co-branded EasyCard: For Credit Card Holders

If you have a Taiwan bank account, you can get a card that works as a credit card and an EasyCard. It automatically tops up your card’s balance in increments of NT$500.

Tourists can’t get these.

If you’re moving to Taiwan, think about getting one if you can open a bank account.

However:

There’s also a Telecom EasyCard that works as a SIM card and EasyCard.

I don’t suggest this.

You need to set it up at a telecom store, which takes too much time.

Some of you may have a chance to get this last card.

---

5. Taiwan Concessionaire EasyCard: For Seniors & Children

The following groups are eligible to receive a Concessionaire Card / 優待卡 (Yōudài kǎ):

1. Disabled people: Need proof of disability
2. Folks aged 65 & older
3. Children: Their website doesn’t specify what ages count as a “child”

Seniors with these cards get 60% off single Taipei Metro trips.

I mentioned in my souvenir guide that these can come in cool designs.

Let’s see how you’d find them.

---

Cute EasyCard Designs

You can find Taipei Smart Card designs in various shapes and sizes.

For instance, you can carry a Poké Ball or chicken wing smart card.

These are limited edition and often difficult to find due to scalpers.

Here’s a link that’ll show you all the current “cute” designs for EZ Cards (Chinese link).

Some cool designs I’ve found include:

• PlayStation controller
• Poké Ball
• Vitamin C supplement bag
• Lycée popsicle

3D EasyCards aren’t flat cards. They’re shaped like the object they represent, with NFC chips inside. 

Some are keychains, which are easier to carry.

I saved some neat information for last.

Let’s check it out.

---

Samsung Wallet EasyCard: A Free Card for Android Users

Samsung Wallet has partnered with the EasyCard Corporation to offer EasyCard through the app.

It lets you:

• Add money via Samsung Pay
• Buy All Pass Tickets
  • This doesn’t make sense because the All Pass Ticket was discontinued
• See recent transactions
• Get refunds through Samsung Wallet
• Pay for things using NFC

This perk isn’t useful for tourists unless you use a translation app.

I’ll explain why throughout this section.

This only works on certain phone models:

I tried the Samsung Wallet EasyCard and got a free card. It was easy to set up.

But I wanted to get rid of the card. I had to fill out a form (that was all in Chinese) to do so.

I get it.

The feature’s for Taiwanese folks, not me. But I gotta complain.

I wanted to investigate the All Pass Ticket function and you know what? It was all in Chinese.

I’ll stick with my SuperCard until they add support for Google Wallet.

Let’s finish this piece off with “Q” and “A.”

---

FAQs

Is EasyCard Safe?

The EasyCard isn’t as secure as a card of this type should be. While it uses multiple encryption techniques, it is susceptible to attacks on its cryptography [5]. Keep the EasyCard in an RFID-blocking wallet to protect it.

---

Sources

1. KRTC Tickets Information. KRTC. 1/09/2024.
2. Frequent Passenger Program. Metro Taipei.
3. Business report. EasyCard. Source is in Chinese. PDF.
4. Investors report. EasyCard. Source is in Chinese
5. Contactless smartcard tech needs more security. Sinica. PDF.