i need help, I pretend to use the public transportation to get some places, i only use it 1 time and I was with a Taiwanese by my side helping me. Now i pretend do it alone, and i start be worry and excited at same time, i don’t have public transportation card, and i will not get one, i will pay with cash.
I just would like to know how this really work, make me confuse few buses need to pay when enter others when leave the bus, how i can know this? Do you think most of the drivers will talk English? I want travel few places, is more to go to the nearest MRT station, from there is really easy and fast, but i don’t pretend pay taxis all the time i want go some were, i am low on cash and BUS really cheap and take me were i want to go!
Avoid taxis for now. If you don’t know exactly how to get somewhere, you’ll likely get ripped off when the driver figures out he can take you for a ride.
There are two symbols on the bus. One says 上 (pronounced as shà ng) meaning to get onto, and the other says 下 (pronounced as xià ) meaning to go down. The symbol can usually be found on a LCD display above the driver. You pay according to the screen. Usually, it is NTD 15 to get on or off. If you get on the bus and the symbol says 上 and then the bus driver switches the symbol sometime while you are still on the bus, then you’ll have to pay another NTD 15.
It’s better to get the Easy Card so you don’t have to keep a pocket full of change. Otherwise, you need exact change because the driver will not give you change.
Also, money you put on the Easy Card can be also used at 7-11 and maybe some other convenience stores.
Thanks Gryphon i am prepare myself mentally to catch the bus after 1h or so ehehe
I know the amount for were i want to go is 15 NTD, the part that make confuse is when to pay, if when enter or exit. And by the way the place to put the money is always near the driver no matter enter or exit? This is so confuse for me, in my country you enter on front and leave on back always, here i see people enter front and and back, and exit same way to.
The card is to expensive since i am only here for 1 more week is waste money.
Yes i will avoid taxis, only if i don’t have choice, i know were to go and how to go, but since i don’t talk Chinese the taxi driver will take me for a long ride!
No they won’t. In 15 years of riding taxis in Taiwan I have been cheated twice: and that was for a small amount each time. Drivers take you where you want to go.
As for buses it doesn’t matter that much when you pay. I have made the mistake of paying when I got on and should have paid when I got off. The driver remembered. just follow others.
If you can’t speak any chinese then get a guidebook like Lonely Planet or Rough Guide or Bradt so you can show the driver the chinese characters of the place you are going.
Don’t need taxi for nothing, i pay a small fortune from airport to Xizhi District were i am, and i will not pay again, if i can use the BUS, all go smooth, i catch the bus, the driver make me sign to enter, and i realize i need pay when exit, i have a really interesting day in Taipei today, thanks to the bus service, just catch the bus to the MRT station and go to Taipei. So i will keep use the BUS if i can, and avoid taxis unless i don’t have other choice. Is cheap fast, and pleasant, i recommend, and usually even the drivers don’t understand a word of English, they still help the way they could, and are very polite.
You’ll get to know the system pretty quickly. You’ll learn which bus numbers go where.
As stated, remember to look at the lighted sign inside the bus (usually above the driver): you pay getting on when you see “上” (note how the character points upward), and off when you see “下” (which points downward). Easy to remember. The driver will let you know if you did it wrong.
Actually, it’s much easier if you get an EasyCard. The computer does it all for you. Plus you get MRT discounts, as well as half-price busrides if you transfer to/from the MRT. Even if you’re here for 1 more week, you can get the deposit back when you turn it in at the end of your stay.
Yes i see now on my way back that symbol you talk, was above the driver like you say, but is not easy to understand if you not familiarize with Chinese, since there is not only the sign on that led sign, so for someone like me i would not notice it.
I am think on get the card, since i need to buy a drink just to changed the money, so i will get the smart card.
Any ideas for nice places to visit by the MRT? Today i see the Sun Yat Sen Memorial hall, and downtown Taipei, yesterday i check the Chiang Kay-Sheck Memorial hall, and the Egypt exposition, was quite nice in fact i recommend.
I intend to go there on weekend, since is 1h by MRT and my girlfriend is work on week.
I am think on going to the Maokong Gondola tomorrow, look interesting since is on the mountains, and i have enough of city, buildings, tofu smell and pollution.
Thanks for the tip, i will, look very interesting and promising tomorrows day
Any easy way to go to the beach? Is there any in Danshui? I miss swim in the Pacific, maybe the police will ask me to get out of the water again, like last time i swim in the north near Keelung lol
No MRT to beach but you can get off at Xindian MRT station and swim in the big green colored river. Very pretty here and on the other side of the suspension bridge is a lovely network of trails.
From Danshui though it is a short bus ride to Baishawan Beach which is nice.
By the way, I think you mean to say “intend” and not “pretend.”
Are you serious? Swim in a river here? all the rivers i see are so polluted, that if i trow a stick into the water he will burn :S any way i am saving all tips, since i am short on time here so i need to make it worth.
Danshui I go Saturday maybe stay there for the weekend, i really miss the lovely Pacific ocean, Taiwan have the most pretty beaches i ever see, and the water have a great temperature to swim, not like the frozen water of my country and most important of all almost virgin beaches almost untouched, and i have really pretty beaches in my country and near in the North of Spain. A shame this time i can’t travel to the south there have really pretty beaches, were the jungle meet the ocean.
[quote=“tugga sub”]Are you serious? Swim in a river here? all the rivers i see are so polluted, that if i trow a stick into the water he will burn :S any way I am saving all tips, since I am short on time here so I need to make it worth.
Danshui I go Saturday maybe stay there for the weekend, i really miss the lovely Pacific ocean, Taiwan have the most pretty beaches i ever see, and the water have a great temperature to swim, not like the frozen water of my country and most important of all almost virgin beaches almost untouched, and I have really pretty beaches in my country and near in the North of Spain. A shame this time i can’t travel to the south there have really pretty beaches, were the jungle meet the ocean.
Sorry I’m not the English teacher here [/quote]
Yes, the river is clean because it is coming down from the mountains. One of the best things to do in summer in Taiwan is to head to mountain jungle pools and swim under waterfalls and so on. No, you don’t do this in the middle of the city, but then you wouldn’t do that in any major city. We are lucky though that at the southern end of the city you can do this because the edge of the city is so close to the mountains.
In any case this is pretty area of the city and worth coming too. You don’t have to swim but rent a bike here and ride along the river paths. No cars and very nice.
I wake early, and soon i go take my delicious breakfast, some dumping and naicha ehehe sorry i don’t know how to write correct And after i will catch the bus once more heading to Nangang Exhibition Center and from there head to Shilin, I will check the National Palace Museum today. Can I walk from the MRT station in Shilin to the Museum or need catch bus?
Today i will buy the smart card as well, the card comes with any travels on it, or need to recharge upon buy it? How this work?
Another idea I have is go to Yanaguni Island, is any boat or ferry from Taipei to yanaguni? I would love visit that island, and maybe dive on the Yanaguni underwater ruins, any Intel on this as well?
Thanks for all the help guys, i do not know what i will do without your help
Walking is a bit of a stretch, but the weather seems OKish -unless it starts to pour. There are buses to the museum, red 30, on a side road after a lot of cute little stores and a nice mural. It should have a sign on the front saying Palace Museum.
Tour groups come in at 10am and 2pm, so good luck. Try to catch a guided tour, anyway, and don’t forget the famous reunited painting.
is waste money.
