Taiwan Without a Taiwan Number

For visitors without a Taiwan number.

Places

Trains

THSR is the high speed rail on the west coast. Taiwan Railway (TRA) covers the rest, including the east coast.

Can I just tap my EasyCard on the train?

TrainTap EasyCard?
THSR (high speed rail)No Buy a ticket
TRA Taroko, Puyuma, Tze-Chiang 3000No Book a seat
TRA tourist, group, and special trains; business and family carsNo Book a seat
Other TRA trains (other Tze-Chiang, Chu-Kuang, local)Yes No assigned seat
Details and sources

Tap onto a train where EasyCard isn't allowed and you're treated as riding without a ticket: you pay the fare plus 50% of the fare for the distance traveled. At THSR gates, the only EasyCard that works is a co-branded credit card from a Taiwanese bank with Autoload turned on, and only for non-reserved seats.