In recent years, travel passes have become a big thing around the world, and Taipei is no exception. Besides choosing where to stay in Taipei, travelers to Taiwan now have to decide whether they should get the Taipei Fun Pass. There are actually a few pass choices, with the most popular being the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass. However, you may wonder, what does the Taipei Fun pass cover and most importantly, Is it worth the money? In this article, it will contain all the answers for you!
The Difference Between the Fun Pass and EasyCard
Before we dive into the details of the Taipei Fun Pass, let’s clarify one thing. A Taipei Fun Pass is totally different from an EasyCard. In summary, Fun passes are for short term visitors who plan to use public transportation a lot and see many attractions in a short period of time.
On the other hand, EasyCards are IC cards, just like EZ-Link in Singapore, Octopus Card in Hong Kong, and the numerous IC cards in Japan and South Korea.
The Fun Pass works on all public transportation in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taichung (where you even get free bus rides under 10 km when you use them) and Kaohsiung. They also work on regular train rides that don’t require a seat reservation, but they don’t work on the High Speed Rail or long distance buses. You add as much money as you want onto them and then use them to pay for bus rides, MRT, taxis, non-reserved trains, a few ferries, and even items at convenience stores.
Know what you can save on with the Fun Pass
Here is a list of benefits and rebates that the Fun Pass provides and covers for your experiences in Taipei.
- Save up to 60 % - Taipei Fun Pass includes tickets to a range of tourist attractions and public transport allowing you to save up to 60% on travel expenses.
- Tickets for Popular Attractions : Taipei Fun Pass includes tickets to 16 top tourist attractions such as the Taipei 101 Observatory and the National Palace Museum. It is the best solution for exploring the most attractive places in Taipei.
- Unlimited Transportation Rides : Taipei Fun Pass gives you unlimited rides on MRT, city buses, and five Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes within the period of validity, allowing you to reach various popular attractions with ease.
- Hundreds of Selected Stores that offer discounts : Present any pass from the series to enjoy discounts at hundreds of stores. Special cards come with additional electronic discount vouchers, allowing you to happily save money while you shop.
Different Types of Taipei Fun Passes to Choose From
Another great thing about the Taipei Fun Pass is that it has a variety of benefit-combination passes to cater to your trip - depending on the duration as well as your itinerary. There are in total, 4 different Taipei Fun Passes to choose from - the Unlimited, the Exploring, the Classic and the Transportation. Here, we break down the attractive features of these cards.
Taipei Fun Pass - Unlimited
This pass combines attractions and transportation, includes entry tickets for 16 popular attractions :Taipei 101 Observatory and the National Palace Museum, and unlimited Travel Pass on Taipei Metro, City bus, and Taiwan Tourist Shuttle buses.
Taipei Fun Pass - Exploring
Up to 20 creative arts and science park attraction admissions including Maokong Gondola, Juming Museum, Miniatures Museum of Taiwan, Miramar Ferris Wheel… along with EasyCard functions for a fuss free travel.
Taipei Fun Pass - Classic
Tickets of two classic attractions in Taipei are included- Taipei 101 Observatory and National Palace Museum. It is a card with EasyCard function. You can visit attractions, take public transportation, and do shopping all with a card.
Taipei Fun Pass - Transportation
Take unlimited journeys on the Taipei Metro, City bus, and Taiwan Tourist Shuttle buses within the valid period; there is also a special Maokong Gondola pass.
Of course, if you are talking about all-you-can-travel in Taipei, the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass is the clear winner here. However, if you don’t visit enough of the attractions or take enough rides, it may not be worth it for youFor more information, you can visit their official website as well.
What Kind of Traveller are You?
At the end of the day, it boils down to your bucket list and your itinerary - how many attractions are you intending to visit, and are there other activities outside of the Fun Pass that are your priority? It is definitely important to know your traveller personality and come up with an itinerary plan before thinking of buying a Fun Pass.
The Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass and Taipei Transport Fun Pass are a great deal and can save you a lot of money and hassle. Even though they may include some unnecessary attractions, if you are planning to go to the Taipei 101 Observatory, that already covers half the price of the 1-day Taipei Unlimited Pass.
If you do decide to get the Fun pass, you can head over here to see where to collect it.
