Would anyone know if it’s possible for a senior with a foreign passport to get a half-price bus discount?
Thanks in advance.
At least for the easy card, I found this info:
(from tscc.com.tw/english_02.php)
So I guess as long as the person in question is 65+ and has his/her residence in Taipei City or County, should be possible. I guess you just have to check at some of the MRT station’s service counters with the passport/ARC/whatever he/she has.
The site says
You could contact them for info on this:
‧24小時客服專線：
412-8880 (手機及金馬地區請加02)
‧電子郵件信箱
service@easycard.com.tw
or call Taipei City 1999; they’ll probably look into it and get back to you.
What I would do is take your ARC (assuming the address on it is in Taibei City or County) to an MRT ticket office and attempt to buy the senior citizen Easycard. I think it has the logo all in blue, instead of different colors. [color=#4000FF]If you don’t have an ARC on which your address is listed as Taibei City or County, then you’re probably not going to be considered a resident of Taibei City or County, in which case you presumably don’t qualify. [/color]
Great - thanks for the information!
EDITED: Perhaps Mods can move this to a more appropriate location. This thread was already started so I just continued it. It should also refer to MRT in the title.
I am trying to apply for a senior discount card for MRT and bus. The rules seem so straightforward. Not so. Two criteria: A resident of Taiwan and age 65 or older.
First you go to the appropriate office - Taipei Main Station if you live in Taipei City. If in Xinbei, go to Tuchen District office next to Tuchen MRT. Take your ID and 3 pictures. I used an APRC. VAST confusion. Nobody knows what to do so they just guess, as usual. I was finally allowed to fill out an application and submit it with my pics. I was told it would take a few days and they would send the card to me if I qualified. They were very doubtful that, since I wasn’t Taiwanese, I would qualify.
When I got home I received a phone call that my application was coming back to me by mail for me to send to Health and Welfare. Presumably, somebody in Tuchen contacted somebody at Health and Welfare and received instructions but who knows.
This card has significant savings attached to it and if you qualify you can receive 60% discount on MRT easy card use.
If some body has actually gone all the way through this morass, please let us know how you got it done.
Update: It seems that the Ministry of Health and Welfare was re-organized this October to include a division called the Social and Family Affairs Administration. The person in charge is Mr. Chen 023976812. Ask for his Department.
I am told that the senior card is not an entitlement now. It has been changed to a system of merit and/or need. It seems that now, they send you an application. It should be submitted with 3 pics, a copy, front and back of your residency card and a letter explaining why you should receive such a card. It is called the Mackey Plan (no relationship, I think, to the hospital) The letter should include things like confirming your age
length of residency in Taipei or Xinbei
Any disabilities that make walking, driving a scooter or bicycle a problem
community activism
In other words, all the good stuff you are doing and have done. Include a brief statement regarding financial need.
Submit this to the Administration and it will be approved or denied. I know there is another step after this one wherein you submit the approval and ask for the card to be sent to you. I will find out soon and update.
What I did when my (senior-age) parents were here: I simply bought Concessionaire Easy Cards for both of them; you can just get them from the machines, and don’t need any kind of paperwork for them. I’ve always assumed this was legitimate. According to this website, those get you a 20% discount, and seems to be available without any application hassle. The same website also lists a Senior Easy Card, which gives 60% discounts and seems to require more paperwork to get.
That is true but I would like the 60% discount instead of the 20%. The Concessionaire Easy Cards are easy to get, as you say. Same as regular easy card but with the discount. (Isn’t the 20% discount the same as the regular easycard?) I got one in about 5 minutes but not all stations could help me. I got mine at Tuchen Station but I understand you can also get them at Main Station. Maybe some confusion at some stations. The senior easy card application stuff all changed in October.
OK, I wasn’t sure about that. In that case I’m afraid I can’t answer your question.
If I recall correctly, I just got the concessionaire cards from a vending machine - but this was a while ago, so my memory may be faulty.
Anyone know the current arrangements about travel discounts for seniors?
You could buy the Easycard Concessionaire.
Are there discounted mega city passes for seniors?