Has ever been proposed to add credit card payment options (Visa/Master) to ride Taipei MRT like it happens already in Singapore or London?
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Many credit cards instead have Easycard or iPass functionality.
yeah, I meant using pure credit/debit cards (maybe even internationally issued) to ride. Maybe even using mobile wallets like google/apple/garmin/fitbit pay to tap-to-pay.
All combined card/Easypass/Ipass/Icash cards are only Taiwan issued, not that convenient for tourists and in general just easier to be able to use your payment card of choice to ride. Jeez even Italy allows that now in Milan (not yet on trams, but will come), Rome, Turin and some others.
No.
It’s a simple $100 purchase from any convenience store(looking at you Manila) or MRT station and reloads easily. It doesn’t require real name verification or identification at all (looking at you Bangkok) It doesn’t get much more convenient than that. It’s sold at the airport at the convenience stores and Taoyuan MRT. So you can get travelling immediately.
Plus, for tourists, there is the Taipei Pass that gives unlimited travel. One to five days. And the Dingchipiao.
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those already exist and work. i see people tapping their watches on mrt and bus.
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i agree, it will be better to have 1 card for all of Taiwan.
You do. Just pick one and use that. Easycard and iPass work almost everywhere on public transit.
It is exceedingly rare to find a bus that doesn’t accept both.
Even the TRA takes it, if you use the TRA like an MRT.
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yeah, fitbit is the only device which let’s you add ipass/easycard on any of their device even if not purchased in TW.
Garmin and Samsung are region locked for that (indeed both my Garmin watch and Samsung phone cannot add the easycard).
The Kaohsiung MRT allows credit card payments at the gate. You can even use Apple Pay / Samsung Pay. However, you’ll be charged more compared to using an EasyCard.
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it’s just an extra step though, and requires you to get a card you might use only for a very limited period of time.
Not saying it’s difficult, but being able to hop off of a plane and just use your payment card (either physical or digitalised on the phone/watch) is just some much more seamless.
HK is not better in this instance and getting too much China-centric. Whilst Octopus can be added to any iPhone/Apple Watch, on Android works only on Samsung phones bought in HK or Huaweis. Only other payment method accepted now is Alipay and Wechat Pay (GLORY TO THE MOTHERLAND indeed), and now I saw more and more on buses only card payments (but very inconsistent).
Japan is the worst offender tbh (as always) with their insularity, with iPhones is better since any iPhone/Apple Watch can now add Suica cards, but only certain Android phones with special osafu keitai capabilities.
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KHH is so much more advance for this than Taipei, have no clue why the administration is just so slow in trying to modernised a bit…
It indeed is an extra step, but IMO, such an unbelievably small one in a country that does public transit payments right. Not to mention that there must be agreements with CC holders and banks, and who knows if those CC companies will attempt to gouge non-CC users like they do in the US and Canada by forcing vendors to maintain the same price between CC and non-CC users. Plus. Will we have to pay more to compensate the 3½% lost by the MRT? What kind of fees will the CC charge on that $60 MRT trip? $5 US every time?
With CC, you need always-online card swiping on the bus, will that mean we can’t pay when the machine is offline? Credit cards need to be processed and handshook.
Seems like quite a hassle to revamp the whole system just so that people can save 5 minutes buying the card. Not even saving money IMO.
SIN MRT charges a SGD 0.5 charge for international cards to account for international fees, industry standards is to charge ~2% for international transactions, the merchant is charged roughly the same.
London does not charge you any extra.
Yes, it is small indeed, but if someone doesn’t speak Chinese can still be a bit challenging trying to get one at a random service centre or 7-11.
You have offline POS authorisation services, like the one you would use on airplanes for dutyfree purchases or at some old toll booths/petrol stations. The limits are lower, but more than enough for transit related debits.
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They may not charge you much, but your bank might. Regardless, 50¢ S is insane for trips that cost as low as 50¢ S.
Every MRT staff knows what an Easycard is in English. At 711, they’re displayed prominently by the cash register. The airport advertises the easycard. Most countries use MIFARE (the technology behind the Easycard and so many) for their transit systems and unless they’re from a car dependent country and have never taken public transit once in their lives, which often results in them taking taxis or hiring a car. Those people are far beyond not knowing the Easycard because they won’t know how to take the MRT/buses to begin with. Though some will inevitably google it anyways. I just don’t think it’s that huge of an issue.
Yeah, the Taiwanese are not going to do a system that puts them in a position where they may lose even a single dollar that they feel entitled to.
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well, KHH did it, so this
is not a fact apparently for all Taiwanese. And on KHH MRT website there is no mention of exclusion for international cards.
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My Garmin watch app came with easy card pre-loaded.
I don’t use as easy wallet won’t recognise it.
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did you buy your garmin in TW? I reckon you did, it is the only way to get it, and yes, it comes preloaded. I contacted even Garmin support to check.
However, Garmins bought outside of TW cannot have the Easycard on due to regional locks.
I added my Easycard on another Garmin I bought here to my Easywallet btw.
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Yes I bought in Taiwan, be why preloaded.
My easy wallet says I can only have 1 card
Forgot password to login.
that’s very interesting, I have 4 easycards registered to my easywallet: the garmin’s one, the cathay united debit card, the cathay united credit card one and my super old easycard proper. All showing correctly.
To add the Garmin and normal easycard I had to name-register them. I remember you can do it on the app or calling the service centre.
Not the buses. The buses are obviously unable to be hardwired onto the Internet. Buses have different needs. That makes the KMRT able to process things quickly, but puts the buses at a disadvantage that can cost them money with fraudulent purchases. On the MRT with fixed gates that are easy to keep online and powered all the time.
My point still stands, the Taiwanese are not going to put in a system that makes it possible for them to lose even a single dollar they’re entitled to.
This isn’t painting people either. It’s very consistent behaviour across all of the companies.
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