Two companies operated services prior to 2020 which might resume at some point, though no such resumption has been announced as of July 2025. Citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom can extend their stay for an extra 90 days (i.e. a total stay of up to 180 days) free of charge. More information is available on this Bureau of Consular Affairs information sheet.
- If you don’t want ice (though it is safe in Taiwan, even at road side vendors) say, chu bing (去冰) and no sugar (wu tang (無糖)).
- Also, do not use your chopsticks to spear your food or move bowls and plates.
- Christianity, both Catholicism and Protestantism, has a presence in Taiwan, especially among the younger population.
- However, as a foreigner, the assumption would generally be to direct you to a Western doctor.
- Most of the farmland and consequently most of the population are to be found on the western part of the island.
- Dairy is not commonly used in traditional Taiwanese cuisine, so avoiding it should be straightforward for lactose-intolerant people.
Traditional pastimes
The EasyCard can be bought at the airport, in any of stations of Taipei MRT and most convenient stores. As of 2025 the price was NT$500, consisting of a non-refundable fee of NT$100 and NT$400 in electronic cash. If you want to add money onto the card, you can do so in MRT stations (including Kaohsiung MRT), TRA stations, and the common convenient stores. Student IC cards with even deeper discounts are also available for purchase, but only upon request at a desk and a recognised student ID like ISIC. There are also several ferry services between Xiamen and Quanzhou on the mainland and the Taiwan-controlled island of Kinmen (金門).
The main Taiwanese full-service carriers are EVA Air (長榮航空), flag carrier China Airlines (中華航空), and Starlux Arilines (星宇航空). While China Airlines used to have a poor safety record, things have improved greatly since 2003, and today, it is just as safe as the major Western European airlines. The only Taiwanese low-cost carrier is Tigerair Taiwan (台灣虎航) under the China Airlines Group. Traditional paper versions are still available at ports of entry and on incoming flights. Hong Kong and Macau residents who have an online entry permit are exempt from filling arrival cards. For example, a Mainland Chinese citizen who studies in the United States, had returned to Shanghai and plans to visit Taiwan during the stay in Shanghai.
Economic Challenges and Development
Costs in Taiwan are generally lower than in Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong, but higher than in Southeast Asia and mainland China. For a budget traveler on a bare-bones budget, NT$1,000 will get you by for a day, but you’ll probably want to double that for comfort. A meal at a street stall may cost NT$50 or less, a meal at a Western fast food restaurant will run you about NT$150 and at the fanciest restaurants, you can expect a bill in excess of NT$1,000. On the high end of the spectrum, hotel rooms at a swanky hotel might cost NT$5,000 or more. Taxis are quite reasonable and often have a set fare for common destinations, so ask in advance and haggle if you disagree.
Military exercises
Taiwan celebrates a variety of festivals throughout the year, many of which have religious and cultural significance. The most prominent festival is the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated with family gatherings, traditional foods, and various rituals to ensure good fortune for the coming year. Other important holidays include the Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival. Taiwan’s culture is a blend of indigenous traditions, Chinese heritage, and modern influences. The island’s art scene is vibrant, with contemporary artists gaining recognition internationally.
Languages
- (Taiwanese traffic law and regulation prohibit vehicles from stopping or parking within 10 m (33 ft) of a bus stop.) However, a bus driver might stop a bus away from the curb just because he or she does not want to wait for overtaking traffic while leaving a bus stop.
- The Japanese prime minister’s recent comments mark a departure from the equivocal position that the country has traditionally adopted on the status of Taiwan.
- Taiwan has become a sophisticated and wealthy country where most Taiwanese, especially from the cities, generally do not request discounts and any such are likely to receive a friendly No.
- Prices also tend to increase during and just after a typhoon due to the increased cost of ingredients.
- It is illegal to work without a work permit and an ARC (or Alien Residency Permit), and legal work requires a university degree and usually a long (over two month) application process.
Taxis are visibly metered (starting point priced at NT$70), and taxi drivers are strictly forbidden from taking tips. The fastest train is Tzu-Chiang (limited express), and the slowest is Local. There is often little to choose between prices and destination times for adjacent train classes, but the gap can be quite large between the fastest and the slowest.
The fee consists actually of the credit company’s commission and also the local sales tax/VAT. If you pay cash, you might not get an official receipt, as then the seller would have to report and pay their taxes in full. If you ask for a Unified Invoice (統一發票, tongyi fa piao), you will get it but you queenwin casino may need to pay 3-5% more.
Reserving tickets well in advance is recommended when traveling with the train on weekends, especially for long distance travel. Slower (but more frequent) commuter trains without reserved seating are also available. Train timetables and online booking (up to 2 weeks in advance) are available on the TRA website.
All the TPE taxi drivers are interlinked by radio so they could be forewarned if there are police. Sometimes, if there are traffic jams and no police around, the driver will drive in the emergency lane. Taxis from TPE to destinations in Tao Yuan, parts of Taipei county and some other destinations are ‘allowed’ to add an additional 50% to the meter fare. Similar to Japan and South Korea, Taiwan also offers several rail passes to foreign tourists for unlimited train travel within a stipulated period.
Water Bodies
This island is home to bustling cities with modern, high-tech infrastructure, and good transportation infrastructure means that getting around is easy. For those who have grown weary of the hustle and bustle of cities, Taiwan also offers some very impressive scenery and charming historical villages in its rural areas. If you want to visit Taiwan’s smaller islands, the plane is still the best option, and is the only practical option for traveling to Kinmen and the easiest method of reaching Penghu and Matsu. For travel to Green Island and Orchid Island, the plane from Taitung saves several hours over taking the ferry which is notorious among Taiwanese for its rough ride. Additionally, many local police stations provide basic support services for cyclists, such as air pumps, and as a rest stop. If you’re just learning to drive a scooter on the streets of Taiwan, it would be a good idea to practice a bit on a back road or alley until you have a feel for the scooter.