|
Traveling from place to place within Taiwan’s towns and cities varies in difficulty depending on where you are. The bigger the city, the easier it is to get around. So, while people who don’t speak any Chinese shouldn’t have too much trouble navigating Taipei, smaller towns might be more problematic.
If you’re in Taipei, one of the most convenient modes of transport is the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit). The system is wide ranging, extremely clean, and very cheap. Trains stop at many locations around the city and even travel out to tourist destinations such as the Taipei Zoo, Danshui 淡水, and Beitou 北投. Single trips cost between NT$20 and NT$65, but regular travelers can also buy oneday tickets or invest in an EasyCard. This is a stored-value card, and it can be used to pay for MRT, bus, and some train trips in and around Taipei. Many shops, especially convenience stores, and even some taxi drivers will accept payments made with an EasyCard.
Taipei’s bus network reaches even more places, and service on most routes runs very regularly. Another great thing about buses in Taipei is that many of them have LED signs that show what the next stop will be in English and Chinese. Fares are usually very low, but some vehicles can get very crowded. If you’re unsure about what bus to take or just want a little more comfort and privacy, it’s easy to get a taxi in Taipei. There are taxis lined up outside most train and MRT stations and many more can be found driving along the busy roads in the city.
Kaohsiung also has an MRT system, and tickets are similar in price to the ones in Taipei. Travelers can buy one-day, two-day, or even 100-day tickets, or theycan purchase the Kaohsiung stored value card, which can also be used on the city’s buses and ferries. Kaohsiung’s MRT system isn’t as extensive as the one in Taipei, but more lines are planned for the future. A lot of buses run through the city, and the main bus terminal is located directly outside the train station.
An MRT system is also being built in central Taiwan’s Taichung City 台中市. In fact, the network might eventually stretch to the nearby cities of Changhua 彰化 and Nantou 南投. Bus service here and in other places around the country is not as frequent or well developed as it is in Taipei and Kaohsiung.
People in Taiwan’s smaller cities rely on taxis or their own transport. Scooters can be rented in most towns, and rental centers are usually located near train stations. However, you should only ride a scooter if you have a license. If not, a bicycle is a safer option. Cycling is very popular in Taiwan. Even in big cities, people sometimes pedal to school or work. If all else fails, you can always walk. The only problem is that many streets, especially in smaller towns, don’t have sidewalks, so be careful!
台灣各鄉鎮與市區內的交通難度依所在地點各有所異，越大的都市交通越方便。所以，不會講中文的人在台北趴趴走還不會有什麼困難，到了小鄉鎮比較會有問題。
如果你在台北，最方便的交通工具之一就是捷運（大眾捷運系統）。這個系統分布範圍廣，非常乾淨又便宜。列車停靠市區很多地方，一些觀光景點都有到，像是台北動物園、淡水和北投。單程票價在新台幣20塊到65 塊之間，固定搭乘的旅客也可以購買一日票或一張悠遊卡。悠遊卡是一種儲值卡，可以用來搭乘捷運、公車和台北市內或近郊的火車。很多商店都接受悠遊卡付費，特別是便利商店，甚至有些計程車司機也會讓你刷悠遊卡。
台北的公車網停靠的地點更多，大部分的路線都有固定發車。台北的公車還有一個好處，就是很多車上都有LED 燈用中英文顯示下一個停靠站。車資多半都非常便宜，只是有時候車上會很擠。如果你不確定該搭哪一班車，或希望坐得舒服一點、多一點隱私的話，在台北搭計程車也很容易。大部分的火車站和捷運站外就有計程車排班，熙攘的街道上更好攔車。
高雄也有捷運系統，票價和台北捷運差不多。旅客可以購買一日卡、二日卡，甚至還有100 天漫遊卡，或者也可以購買同時適用於市公車與渡輪的高雄儲值卡。高雄的捷運系統並不如台北密集，但未來將規劃更多路線。市區內有多輛公車通行，最主要的公車總站就位於火車站外。
中台灣的台中市也正在興建捷運系統。事實上，這個捷運網最後可能會延伸到附近的彰化市與南投市。這裡和台灣其他地區的公車服務都不如台北和高雄那樣密集與健全。
居住於台灣較小都市的人，就必須倚賴計程車或自己的交通工具。在大多數的鄉 鎮都可以租到摩托車，租車中心通常就在火車站附近。但是你要有駕照才能騎摩托車，否則騎單車會比較保險。台灣十分盛行騎單車，即使在大都市也有很多人每天踩腳踏車上學或上班。如果以上這些都行不通，那就走路吧。唯一的麻煩是很多路都沒有人行道，小鄉鎮尤其是這樣，所以一定要小心！
|
