Originally Posted by
uanj
For the train you need to get a physical ticket. For the metro you get a token which has a chip and you place it on the turn style to enter. The train ticket can be purchased by cash or Easy Card, also called Yoyo card. It is a prepaid card which you can use to purchase train tickets, pay at convenience stores and can directly use it instead of the chipped token on the metro. The deposit is NTD 100 and you can probably turn it in at Songshan Airport when you leave for a refund. I don't think you can use a foreign credit card anywhere to get it, you will need a small amount of cash.
The train station ticket machines accept credit cards from memory but I am not sure they will accept all (or any) foreign credit cards. The same for the storage lockers. I have not seen a locker that accepts credit cards, but they may exist. Regardless, be aware a good number of credit card payment terminals in Taiwan do not accept all foreign credit cards. It is more likely the luggage locker will accept yoyo cards than foreign credit cards. If you are not going to many places a small amount of cash may be the simplest way to go. Otherwise you can get a yoyo card from a convenience store in Keelung Station.
Anyone with further information, please chip in! No pun intended....
I regularly use my Citi card at the TRA ticket machine. Never had a problem (that was related to foreign credit cards). TRA also has an app (Taiwan Railway e-booking) for purchasing and collecting e-tickets. The app also accepts foreign credit cards. And this being Flyertalk, both ways code as travel.
There are some lockers near Taipei Station that takes credit card, but I have no idea if they take foreign cards. Best to have Easy Card/cash.
Easy Card no longer has a deposit since quite a long time ago. The $100 you paid is for the card. If you return the card, the card will get locked and can no longer be used (but you get to keep the card). Any balance will be returned to you minus a $20 fee.
Originally Posted by
ElaineWChatman
To answer your questions - for the train, it's best to get a paper ticket just to be safe. For the metro, you should be able to tap your card to go through the turnstiles. As for the locker, it may be hit or miss if it takes credit cards. Your best bet is to have some cash on hand just in case, or consider getting a Yoyo card like uanj mentioned.
With enough time, getting a paper ticket should be easier than navigating the TRA app. However the TRA apps works pretty reliably.
Taipei Metro only accepts Easy Cards (and other forms of transit cards) but not credit cards.