Discover Taiwan by public transport: the best tips from bus to train
You want to discover the island of Taiwan and want to exchange the car for public transport for the sake of the environment? Nothing could be easier.
With public transport you can not only discover the beauty of the country, but also make an IMPACT to reduce traffic. It's cheaper, too, by the way.
I have tested for you the public transport from bus to train in Taiwan. Here I share with you the best tips for your Taiwan trip by public transport. Curious? Well then, get on board please.
CO2 compensation for the climate-friendly journey
We start our climate-friendly tour in the lively capital Taipei, more precisely at the airport.
By the way, for the flight from Vietnam to Taiwan my friend Flo and I paid CO2 offsetting with myclimate. This way we support climate-friendly projects like reforestation. The flight distance covers 1,600 km and corresponds to 302 kg of CO2. Therefore, the offset costs us 15 € each way per person. A very fair price that is definitely worth it for us.
Exchange car key for Fun Pass transport
Since we want to save even more CO2, we want to give the supposedly efficient public transport infrastructure a chance. Therefore, we get the Taipei Fun Pass Transport instead of a rental car. The name is easy to remember, isn't it?
Our tip: If you want to have even more fun, we recommend getting the full Taipei Fun Pass. This will give you discounted admission to museums, man-made events and more, or let you in for free.
Fun Facts about the Metro:
To go along with the Taipei Fun Pass, here are my fun facts about the Taipei Metro.
1. imagine you come out of the subway station, it's raining and you don't have an umbrella with you? No problem. There are extra umbrella stations at stops just in case. There you can borrow one for free and bring it back next time.
2. For many metro routes in Taipei you don't need a ticket at all. According to the motto "Veni, Vidi, Visa-Card" you simply need your debit or credit card. You hold it up to the light barrier when you go in and out. It automatically detects how far you've traveled and deducts the appropriate amount from your card live.
3. You are on the road a lot and your cell phone is empty? Then come to the metro station. At the stops there are charging stations or powerbanks that you can rent.
4. There are waiting lines on the platforms where you can wait for the train. This way there is no crowding when getting on and off the train.
Fast on the road: trip to the sea
From the fun facts, we continue with the fun rail trip. Our next destination is the coastal city of Keelung, an hour outside Taipei. We pay €2.30 each for a single ride on the cozy regional train.
During the train ride, we enjoy the picturesque scenery that passes us by. After all, who needs congested roads when a relaxing train ride leaves time for language learning, exploring or sleeping.
Arriving in Keelung, we still want to leave the port city for the countryside and take the bus the last bit to the village of Badouzi. Here we do not need a new ticket and simply pull out the Fun Pass Transport.
In Badouzi we go through the Chaojing Park to the coastal hike Wangyougu. Wildly beautiful mountain formations tower in the sea or on the coast, while we let our hair blow away while hiking.
Riding a bike and mastering the streets
Back in Taipei, we set out to explore the city by bike. Taiwan is a bike-friendly country and offers a well-developed network of bike paths and city bikes.
There is a YouBike bikesharing station on seemingly every corner. By the way, these are not bulky bikes like the StadtRAD in Hamburg. Instead, they are light and surprisingly comfortable. See for yourself: just download the app, deposit your credit card, register and start pedaling.
With the rented bikes, we cycle through the charming alleys of the city, visit temples and sample local delicacies at the street stalls. Our bike ride of 3 hours costs us €1.10. A real bargain if you ask me. For this, the one-time deposit of 80 € was quite proud. We get that back at the end though.
Cycling is a great way to get to know the local culture and people. My highlight is when we watch elderly ladies and gentlemen in a park practicing Tai Chi to loud harp music with slow and flowing movements. It looks like something out of a movie.
On foot on the road
Thereupon we continue on foot à la German tourists. Only the white socks in the sandals we have left at home.
We stroll further along the waterfront of the Tamsui. This promenade is suitable for cyclists:inside and pedestrians:inside equally. The wide green spaces are lined with flower beds, basketball courts, park benches, rugby fields and anything else you can imagine.
In the evening, we'll join a Temple Free Walking Tour at Mengjia Longshan Temple and hit the streets. You can find out more about the process of a donation-based free walking tour and my experience in Hanoi, Vietnam here.
Diversified road trip alternative with the public transportation system
On our trip through Taiwan, we not only discovered the country's stunning scenery and culture, but also supported sustainable travel. By using the varied public transportation on our low-carbon road trip, we are doing our IMPACT to reduce the environmental impact. So it's a win-win-win situation.
You can apply these tips to other countries as well. For example, if you want to visit our neighboring countries with the Deutschlandticket, check here.
Looking for more inspiration for your climate-friendly Taiwan tour? In the next article, I'll tell you where you can take part in an organic tea ceremony. The store is already owned by the fourth generation of the family and is a real insider tip.
Kind regards,
Franzi
