Can You Use a Credit Card Everywhere in Taiwan?

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 The biggest question on most visitors mind as we head towards 2024 is "Can you use a credit card in Taiwan? "

The short answer is, of course, yes! But it comes with a few very important distinctions. Most importantly :

YOU WILL STILL NEED (a little) CASH. 


You should expect to be able to use a  foreign-issued Visa or Master Card credit card at upscale restaurants, department stores, and shops. Starbucks, McDonalds, Watsons / Cosmed etc. all good to go.

7-11 takes foreign cards of all sorts, but as of writing Family Mart is a bit more picky and accepts local cards only. Hi-Life and OK Mart are harder to come by, but 7-11 seems to be the exception, not the rule.

Taxis will also normally accept credit card, and there are several local and foreign ride sharing apps to use them on as well.

When can you not use a card?

You must use cash in Taipei City when buying a city-issued shopping bag. Even if you're using card for everything else. That means you wont get a bag without a few NTD on hand.

The subway systems don't accept card payments for transit as of the time of writing. You need cash to get on the subway, buses, rent public bicycles, etc. 

For the above most people get an Easy Card to make things smoother (especially bikes) and that is ALSO cash only.

You cannot use a foreign credit card on the Taiwan High Speed Rail app as of writing, but you can at the station. Makes no sense to the public, but here we are!

Many bars (and casual drinking spots) are cash only, or will have a limit on spending to accept a card.

Small stores are generally cash only due to the fees on cards. Apple Pay and Google Pay, Line Pay, JieKou Pay, etc. are far more common now. Note the need for cash is specifically true in market areas or "off the beaten path" where you'd be trying to experience something more local.

A Final Two Notes

Some places will accept credit card. They even have signage at  the till. But wait! Actually they DO NOT accept foreign credit cards. Doesn't happen often, but it's possible. 

If you're suddenly panicked about getting a little cash its 150 NTD per transaction (so 300 to change in and out of NTD) at the airport, and for ATMs you'll need to talk to your own bank on fees but most machines won't give you any trouble if your card is supported on a major interbank network. 

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