Taipei MRT guide — lines, fares, and how to use it
Taipei: Taiwan Taipei metro pass tpe city pickup
How does the Taipei MRT work?
The Taipei MRT has 6 color-coded lines running 06:00–24:00 daily. Pay with an EasyCard (rechargeable card, 20% discount) or single-journey tokens from station machines. Most tourist destinations are within 30 minutes of Taipei Main Station. Fares range from NT$20 to NT$65 for in-city trips.
| Hours | 06:00–24:00 daily (extended weekends/holidays) |
| Fares | NT$20–65 in-city with EasyCard |
| Best payment | EasyCard, 20% discount vs. tokens |
| Airport | Separate Airport MRT, not covered by city day passes |
| Doesn’t reach | Jiufen, Shifen, Wulai — need a transfer |
The Taipei MRT in 60 seconds
The Taipei Metro (MRT, formally operated by Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation) is the most reliable way to navigate the city. Six lines, 131 stations, trains every 3–5 minutes at peak, clean, air-conditioned, and bilingual throughout. Fares start at NT$20 and cap at NT$65 for in-city travel with an EasyCard.
This guide covers the practical details: how fares work, which lines serve which attractions, what the Airport MRT is (it is different), and the 8–10 stations that matter most for tourist visits.
The six MRT lines
Red Line (Danshui–Xinyi Line): North-south corridor, the most tourist-useful line. Runs from Danshui (Tamsui) in the far north through Shilin (night market), Zhongshan, Taipei Main Station, CKS Memorial Hall, Daan, all the way to Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain/Xinyi) in the southeast. Also connects to the Xinbeitou branch (for hot springs).
Blue Line (Bannan Line): East-west backbone. Serves Taipei Main Station, Ximen (Ximending), Shandao Temple, Zhongxiao Dunhua, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Xinyi/Songshan), Taipei City Hall (main Xinyi station), Taipei Arena, Nangang Exhibition Center. Most useful for east Taipei travel.
Green Line (Songshan–Xindian Line): Runs north-south on the east side. Serves Zhongshan, Ximen (Ximending), Daan Forest Park, Technology Building (Yongkang Street access). The Ximen station is shared with the Red Line, making transfers easy.
Orange Line (Zhonghe–Xinlu Line): South and northwest routes. Serves Zhonghe and parts of New Taipei City, plus Nanshijiao. Rarely used by tourists unless staying in Zhonghe.
Brown Line (Wenhu Line, automated): Elevated driverless line running from Neihu (east) through Zhongshan Junior High School to the Muzha/Maokong area. Key stops: Zhongshan Junior High, Daan (connects to Green Line), Technology Building, and — for tourists — Maokong for the Gondola. Also serves Neihu Technology Park and Songshan Airport.
Yellow Line (Circular Line): New Taipei City metro, connecting suburbs and satellite towns west and north of Taipei proper. Tourists use it primarily for New Taipei Industrial Park connections. Mostly irrelevant for central Taipei sightseeing.
Key stations for tourist visits
| Station | Line | What it accesses |
|---|---|---|
| Taipei Main Station | Red + Blue + Airport MRT | Regional trains (Jiufen, Shifen), HSR, Airport MRT, bus terminals |
| Jiantan | Red | Shilin Night Market (5-min walk north) |
| Xinbeitou | Red (branch) | Beitou hot springs |
| Danshui (Tamsui) | Red | Tamsui riverside, Old Street |
| Zhongshan | Red + Green | Zhongshan gallery district, hotel strip |
| Ximen | Red + Green | Ximending pedestrian zone |
| CKS Memorial Hall | Red | Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (free), National Theater |
| Guting | Red + Green | Connects south; NTU area |
| Daan Forest Park | Green | Da’an Forest Park, Yongkang Street (5-min walk) |
| Xiangshan | Red | Elephant Mountain trailhead (Exit 2) |
| Taipei City Hall | Blue | Xinyi district, Taipei 101 (10-min walk) |
| Sun Yat-sen Memorial | Blue | Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (free), Songshan Cultural Park |
| Technology Building | Green + Brown | Maokong Gondola base station (Maokong via Brown Line) |
| Maokong (Gondola) | Brown (end) | Gondola station for Maokong tea plantations |
Fares and how to pay
By EasyCard: The rechargeable RFID card gives a 20% discount on every MRT fare and works on city buses, the ferry to Tamsui and Bali, and many convenience store transactions. Cost: NT$100 for the card itself (no deposit; the card price is not refunded) + whatever you load. Only the remaining balance can be refunded, at an MRT information counter or EasyCard centre. Load NT$500–1,000 to start.
Minimum single-journey MRT fare with EasyCard: NT$20. Most in-city trips: NT$20–50.
By single-journey token: Buy at machines in every station (English interface available). Tokens are plastic coins; you touch them on entry and deposit them in the exit gate. Fares are NT$25–65 for in-city routes. No discount vs. EasyCard. Useful only if you do not want the card overhead.
Day passes: A 1-day unlimited MRT pass costs NT$150. For tourists doing 5+ MRT trips in a day (which is common on sightseeing days), this breaks even. The pass is less efficient than an EasyCard for multi-day visits.
Read more: EasyCard complete guide Taipei metro day pass with city pickup — unlimited rides, no queuing
Operating hours
First train: Approximately 06:00 from terminal stations. Central stations see trains from 06:05–06:15.
Last train: Approximately 24:00 from terminal stations. If you are catching a late-night last train, allow margin — TRTC’s official last train times are available on their website and app.
Frequency: Peak hours (07:00–09:30 and 17:00–20:00): 3–5 minutes between trains. Off-peak: 5–8 minutes.
Extended service: On Saturday nights, New Year’s Eve, and before major holidays, last trains extend to approximately 01:00.
The Airport MRT — a separate system
The Taoyuan Airport MRT (桃園機場捷運) is distinct from the city metro. It connects Taipei Main Station with Terminal 1 (A12) and Terminal 2 (A13) of Taoyuan International Airport.
Express service: Runs every 15–30 minutes. Taipei Main → T2 in approximately 35–37 minutes. Fare: NT$160.
Commuter service: Stops at all stations including Taoyuan HSR (connect to HSR), New Taipei Industrial Park, Xinzhuang. Taipei Main → T2 in approximately 50–60 minutes. Fare: NT$100.
You can use your EasyCard on the Airport MRT but you do not get the 20% discount — EasyCard pricing on the Airport MRT matches the single-journey fare.
Where to board at Taipei Main: B1 level of Taipei Main Station, on the west side. Follow “Airport MRT” signs. The machine interface and signage are in English.
Read more: Taoyuan Airport to Taipei guide
If you’d rather have your EasyCard already loaded and ready when you land, an airport pickup option removes the arrival-hall queue entirely:
Taiwan EasyCard with Taoyuan Airport pickup — skip the arrivals-hall queueCheck availabilityMRT etiquette
No eating or drinking on trains or platforms — enforced fine of NT$7,500. Carry water in a closed container and do not open it until you exit.
Priority seating: The marked priority seats (yellow) near doors are for elderly, pregnant, disabled, or passengers with young children. Give them up immediately. Local social pressure on this is strong.
Quiet: Taipei MRT riders are generally quiet. Keep phone volumes low. Calls are not formally prohibited but the ambient expectation is against them.
Queue on the yellow dots: Platform markings show where train doors will open. Queue behind the dots, wait for passengers to exit first, then board. This is followed almost universally.
Umbrellas: Close and store them before entering. Wet umbrellas going through turnstiles cause delays and are frowned on.
Planning your days around the MRT
The easiest way to use the network is to cluster your sightseeing by line rather than zigzag across the map. A northern day can combine the riverside at Tamsui with the hot springs at Beitou, both on the Red Line, and you can read more about them in the Tamsui destination page and the Beitou page. An eastern day fits the Xinyi district, the Taipei 101 area and the Elephant Mountain trailhead into one loop, which the Xinyi district guide and the Elephant Mountain hike guide lay out in more detail.
If you are still deciding where to base yourself, pick a hotel close to a station on the Red or Blue Line. Being within a short walk of an interchange saves more time than almost any other accommodation feature, and the where to stay guide compares the neighbourhoods with that in mind. For a broader sense of how the districts connect, the neighborhoods guide is a good companion to this page.
Interchange stations deserve a little patience. Taipei Main Station is large, with long underground corridors, several exits and links to regional rail, high-speed rail and the Airport MRT. Follow the colored line signs on the floor and ceiling rather than trying to shortcut through the shopping concourse, and give yourself extra time the first time you change there with luggage.
Tips for your first ride
Before your first trip, check which direction your line is heading. Platforms are labeled by the name of the terminal station at the end of the line, so knowing that final stop name is the key to boarding the right train. Every station also has a map on the platform showing the stops in order, with English names, so a quick glance confirms you are going the right way.
Exits are numbered, and picking the right one often matters more than choosing the right station. A wrong exit can leave you on the far side of a wide avenue or a long walk from your target, so check the exit number in your map app before you tap out. Many stations have lifts and escalators at the main exits, which is helpful with strollers or heavy bags, and the Taipei with kids guide has more advice for traveling with children.
Finally, keep your phone and your card handy but not in your hand at the gates. The gates read the card quickly, and a smooth tap-in keeps the line moving behind you. If you arrive by air, the Taoyuan airport transfer guide walks through the whole journey from the arrivals hall to the city, and for the day trips that go beyond the network, the best day trips from Taipei page shows which ones pair well with an MRT base.
Navigation apps
TRTC official app: Shows real-time train positions, fare calculator, last train times. Available in English.
Google Maps: Accurate for MRT routes, shows walking exits and connections. Updates platform numbers in real time for some stations.
Moovit: Good for bus + MRT combination routing.
Offline navigation note: Download your preferred app’s offline maps before leaving the airport. WiFi is available in MRT stations (free, slow), but offline maps eliminate dependency.
MRT passes vs. EasyCard — which to buy
For most tourists visiting Taipei for 3–7 days:
EasyCard wins. It covers MRT, buses, Tamsui ferry, convenience stores, some taxis, and some day-trip transit. The 20% discount compounds quickly. The NT$100 is the price of the card; only the remaining balance can be refunded.
Day passes (NT$150) make sense if you are doing a very intensive sightseeing day with 6+ MRT trips. But on most days, 4–5 trips on EasyCard cost NT$80–160 — similar math.
Fun passes (24-hour or 48-hour unlimited transport + attraction entry combos) are worth checking if you plan to visit Maokong Gondola, the Zoo, Taipei 101, and multiple other paid attractions on the same day.
Taipei Fun Pass with EasyCard — transport + entry to 23 attractionsDay-trip connections from MRT stations
Jiufen / Shifen / Houtong: Take MRT to Taipei Main Station, then regional TRA train from the main ground-level platform. The MRT gets you to the transfer point; it cannot take you to the destination. See Jiufen transport guide for full details.
Tamsui: MRT Red Line direct to Danshui terminal station. 30–35 minutes from Taipei Main Station, NT$50 with EasyCard. No transfer required.
Beitou hot springs: MRT Red Line to Xinbeitou terminal (branch off the main red line at Beitou station). 20–25 minutes from Taipei Main, NT$30. See Beitou hot springs guide.
Wulai: MRT Green Line to Xindian, then Bus 849 (30–40 minutes). Or MRT to Guting and bus from there. EasyCard works on both.
Maokong (tea plantations): MRT Brown Line (automated) to Maokong terminal, then Maokong Gondola (separate ticket, NT$180 per one-way trip in a standard cabin, NT$230 in a crystal cabin). Or MRT to Technology Building, then Brown Line.
EasyCard vs. day pass vs. Fun Pass — quick comparison
| Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| EasyCard (pay as you go) | NT$100 card price + top-ups | Most tourists, 3–7 day trips |
| 1-day MRT pass | NT$150 | 6+ MRT trips in a single sightseeing day |
| Fun Pass (transport + attractions) | Varies by pass, typically NT$500–1,200 | Days combining Maokong, the Zoo, Taipei 101 and more |
For nearly everyone spending 3–7 days in Taipei, the EasyCard alone is the right call — the passes only pay off on unusually MRT-heavy or attraction-heavy single days.
Common MRT mistakes tourists make
Confusing Shilin and Jiantan stations. Shilin Night Market is a five-minute walk from Jiantan, not Shilin station — getting off at the wrong one adds a 15–20 minute detour. See the night markets guide for the correct route.
Trying to reach Jiufen by MRT. The MRT physically does not go there — you need a TRA regional train from Taipei Main Station. See the Jiufen transport guide for the full route.
Buying a day pass for a light sightseeing day. If your day only involves 2–3 MRT trips, an EasyCard costs less than the NT$150 day pass. Do the math before buying — see the Taipei on a budget guide for full daily cost breakdowns.
Frequently asked questions about Taipei MRT guide — lines, fares, and how to use it
What is the cheapest way to use the Taipei MRT?
How late does the Taipei MRT run?
Can I use the MRT to get to Taoyuan Airport?
Is the Taipei MRT safe?
Do I need to speak Chinese to use the MRT?
How do I get to Jiufen by MRT?
Which MRT line covers most tourist sights?
Can I use the same EasyCard for the whole trip, including day trips?
What happens if I lose my EasyCard or it runs out of balance mid-journey?
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