Taichung is an easy, friendly city once a few small things are sorted. The short version first, then the detail.
- Fill in the Taiwan Arrival Card online before you fly. It's free, on the official site only.
- Carry some cash. Cards work in hotels, department stores and larger shops, but night market stalls and small food shops want NT dollars.
- Get an EasyCard or iPASS for the MRT, and top it up at a convenience store or an MRT station.
- Make sure your phone does 4G calling (VoLTE). Taiwan has switched off 3G.
- No tipping. Hotels and sit-down restaurants add a 10% service charge instead.
- Emergencies: 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance.
Entry: visas and the Taiwan Arrival Card
Many passports can enter Taiwan without a visa, for 90, 30 or 14 days depending on nationality: 90 days for, among others, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Japan and South Korea. Visa-exempt visitors need a passport valid for at least six months from arrival, a confirmed return or onward ticket, and a completed online arrival card. Check your own country's rules with the Bureau of Consular Affairs before you book.
The Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC). Since October 1, 2025, the paper arrival card has been replaced by an online one. Fill it in within seven days before you arrive, at the official site twac.immigration.gov.tw. It's free.
Good to know: lookalike websites charge a fee to "process" the arrival card. You don't need them. Use only the official twac.immigration.gov.tw address.
Money: cash, cards and ATMs
Taiwan's currency is the New Taiwan dollar (NT$). Notes come in NT$100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000, and coins in NT$1, 5, 10, 20 and 50.
- Cards. Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club are accepted at hotels, department stores and larger businesses.
- Cash for food. At Fengjia, Yizhong Street, the Second Market and most breakfast and noodle shops, expect to pay cash. Keep NT$100 notes and coins on you, and break big notes at a convenience store.
- Exchanging money. Foreign currency can be changed at government-designated banks and hotels. Bank counters open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 15:30. Keep the receipt: you need it to change unused NT dollars back before you leave.
- ATMs. You'll find them at banks, in convenience stores and in some MRT stations. Ask your bank before you travel about foreign fees.
Transport cards
The Taichung MRT takes EasyCard, iPASS and icash 2.0 stored-value cards, and you can top them up at station ticket machines and service counters as well as at convenience stores. One card covers most of your trips. → EasyCard, iPASS and how to pay
Tipping and service charges
Tipping isn't part of daily life in Taiwan. Hotels and sit-down restaurants customarily add a 10% service charge to the bill, and that's it. No tip for street food or taxis.
Phones, SIM cards and eSIMs
- Check for 4G calling first. Taiwan's carriers shut down their 3G networks on June 30, 2024. A phone without 4G voice calling (VoLTE) can't make calls, including to 110, 112 and 119.
- SIM cards and eSIMs. Chunghwa Telecom offers an eSIM for travelers from abroad, set up at its stores. Bring your passport and a second ID: it asks for two documents. Whatever plan you choose, check it supports 4G calling.
Plugs and power
Taiwan runs on 110 volts at 60 hertz, with two-pin flat sockets and three-pin sockets like North America's. Visitors from Europe, Australia or Southeast Asia need an adapter, and a converter for anything that can't take 110 volts. Most phone and laptop chargers handle both voltages, but check the label.
Drinking water
Our advice: drink boiled, filtered or bottled water rather than straight from the tap. Use your hotel's kettle or water dispenser, look for the water dispensers that Taichung Metro lists among its station facilities (Beitun Main Station has one outside the gates), and buy bottled water at any convenience store. Carry a refillable bottle; Taichung summers are hot.
Safety
Taichung is a safe, easygoing city. Normal city sense applies: watch your bag in night market crowds, and look both ways twice for scooters, even on a green light. The real risks are natural ones. Typhoons can arrive in summer and autumn, and Taiwan has earthquakes. Follow the official alerts on your phone and hotel staff's instructions. → Typhoon season
Convenience stores
Convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are everywhere in the city, and most are open 24 hours (some close around 23:00). Use them to top up your transport card, grab a snack or a cheap meal, buy water and withdraw cash.
Opening hours
- Shops: roughly 10:00 or 11:00 to 21:00 or 22:00. Department stores roughly 11:00 to 21:30.
- Restaurants: lunch roughly 11:00 to 14:00, dinner 17:00 to 22:00.
- Museums: many close on Mondays, including the National Museum of Natural Science and the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts.
- Lunar New Year: many shops close or keep shorter hours. → Best time to visit
Emergencies and help
| Number | What for |
|---|---|
| 110 | Police |
| 119 | Fire and ambulance |
| 112 | Emergency call from a mobile with poor reception |
| 0800-011-765 | 24-hour toll-free travel information hotline |
The three emergency numbers are free.
Tax refunds on shopping
Foreign visitors can claim back VAT on goods bought at stores showing the TRS (tax refund) sign, when they spend NT$2,000 or more (VAT included) at one store on the same day and take the goods out of Taiwan within 90 days. Ask the store, and keep your passport handy.
Time zone
Taiwan is on UTC+8 all year, with no daylight saving time.
Sources
Visa-exempt entry and passport validity: Bureau of Consular Affairs. Taiwan Arrival Card: National Immigration Agency. Currency, exchange, cards, service charge, voltage, 3G shutdown, opening hours, convenience stores and emergency numbers: Taiwan Tourism Administration. Top-ups at convenience stores: EasyCard. eSIM and ID requirements: Chunghwa Telecom. Transport cards on the MRT and station facilities: Taichung Metro, ticket types and station information. Museum closing days: National Museum of Natural Science (Taichung tourism site) and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Tax refunds: Ministry of Finance. Checked October 2026.