Buying Gas in Taiwan
 

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience buying gas in Taiwan. I already have a car rented but was wondering if stations take credit cards or do I need to bring cash along to pay for gas?

Thanks

Buying gas is the same in Taiwan as most places, except it's full serve, like Japan - prices are NTD/liter and credit cards are accepted. If language is a problem, have you rental agency write out refueling instructions (type of gas) and show the paper to the attendant.

Thanks!

Make Sure the Numbers add up...
 

Just a friendly reminder to always double check and make sure the charge is accurate on your cc slips. Those college-age part-time attendants can be absent-minded and misenter the charge amount with 2 or 3 more digits when they hit the "multiply by 100 or 1000" keys.

It's almost impossible to go over NT$3K with a full tank for a normal sedan car. About 4 years ago, due to a clerk error and series of "coincidence", a poor guy was overcharged by NT$90K of 3 transactions and didn't come to the shocking discovery until he received his cc statement. Another lady was mischarged by NT$53 millions for 34-liter gas in Taichung with a system glitch. For unknown reason, the machine thought she pumped up 960,000 liters into her small red car: :eek:

http://news.tvbs.com.tw/static/forum...0604135124.jpg

FWIW, in the end, transactions were voided so both unwilling victims had their peace of mind. The lady even got her 34 liters for free. :D

That's a good call for anywhere you shop that has a debit machine not connected to the main POS. I remember working retail and messing up the numbers every now and then

You likely won't have any trouble buying gas for your car.

The car, however, may give you a lot more trouble. It depends on where your destination is. If you are going between Taipei/Taichung/Kaohsiung, driving is not recommended, and it is far more easier to take HSR. And it will be far more convenient to take MRT/buses rather than driving. Taxis are abundant, and you can also use Uber in some cities if necessary.

Uber is illegal in Taiwan...
 

I don't think Uber is any good advice for transportation in Taiwan since it's not licensed, not to mention the fine against Uber has been building up with the local media coverage and cab drivers' outrage/protest late last year:

Uber Declared Illegal in Taiwan After 63 Fines Issued

Taiwan fines Uber for illegal operation in latest setback

Uber racks up fines of over NT$23 million in Taiwan (January 29th, 2015)

Putting Uber aside, you do realize OP had rented a car, right? ;)

Used Uber in Taiwan just this past month. All was fine. :) Use it while you still can.

And yes, OP has rented a car; not sure when the trip is.

As someone who has lived in Taiwan for many years, I would never recommend driving to any visitor. It's kinda like asking for trouble and extra inconvenience. If you can avoid it, do so.

Follow up, I'm in Taichung right now, getting the car tomorrow. I'm planning on going to some of the national parks so the train is really not an option. I have taken the MRT and Uber in Taipei and found it to be quite good. Here in Taichung though, I ended up getting kicked off a bus by a bus driver in the middle of nowhere. (Not sure why, I paid the fare and he shouted at me in Chinese so I couldn't understand).