Buses in Taiwan

From my previous articles, you know that owning an IC card can help you a lot while traveling in Taiwan. In this article I will be showing you things you should know when taking buses in Taiwan.

Photo by Gonçalo Cruz

Different cities have different systems in Taiwan, which makes it confusing to people. However, there are general rules when taking buses.

Bus fare in change

If you decided not to use the IC cards you should know that the bus fare are pay in the exact amount, there will be no change. My advice is go to the nearest convenience stores to ask for some change in 10 NTD and 5 NTD. 

Reading Signs

First, you have to learn to read signs that would give you an idea of when to pay the fare. These sign light-boxes that would tell you when to pay the fare are usually located on ceiling opposite to the entrances. Since the English fine prints are rather different depending on the company, here is the mnemonic table if needed.

[The Mandarin character for on mimics things going upwards, so the best way to remember it is thinking that the grass grows upwards from the soil. It is like walking up the stairs to get on a bus. In Mandarin downwards or off shares the same character of xia, the best way to remember it is by thinking that carrots grow downwards from the soil. This resembles the walking down the stairs to get off a bus. ]

Using IC cards

A new system is being used in some buses like the ones in Taichung. That is when using an IC card you have to swipe the card while boarding and disembarking when taking buses. If the card are not correctly sensed you may be denied of using it again, until you pay the last fare. When this happens it can be rather inconvenient, for you have to go to the bus company to pay your last fare. Sometimes it can be a really long trip to the office. So watch the monitor closely when swiping the card.

How to pay the fare when there are sections

In Taipei, bus fares are charged in sections, usually 15 NTD per section. There are 1 to 3 sections of a bus route depending on the length of the route. You need to pay close attention to the light-boxes that tells you when to pay up. If you happen to get on and get off at different sections, the fare are charged separately and paid separately, IC cards too. Conversely, if you happen to get off the bus in the buffer zone then you only need to pay once. 

How to signal the diver to get off a bus

Before arriving at the stop there will usually be an announcement made for the next stop. When approaching the destination you should press the button to signal the diver that you want to get off at the stop. These buttons can be found on the posts or the window frames. The design may vary from buses to buses, but it will often be accompanied by a sign with only three Mandarin characters. If you can not find one just watch the locals they would show you where the buttons are.

The ones in transparent boxes are not the ones to press when getting off. They are to alert the driver when pickpocket or harassment incidents happened. 

For more details on each route and apps you should have on your mobile devices please check out my other works.