Taipei Metro launches QR code payments on Saturday

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Metro (台北捷運) launches QR code mobile payments Saturday (Jan. 3), enabling passengers to enter and exit stations using smartphone apps instead of physical cards. The system works with electronic payment providers including Easy Wallet (悠遊付), iPASS MONEY, icash Pay, and JKO Pay (街口支付). iPhone users seeking Apple Pay's tap-and-go "Express Transit" feature will have to wait until July, when credit card contactless payments will also debut.

The Taipei Metro invested NT$450 million (approximately US$14.4 million) over a two-year period to replace nearly 1,400 gates across 117 stations as part of the upgrade. Supported providers at launch include Easy Wallet (悠遊付), iPASS MONEY, icash Pay, and JKO Pay (街口支付). LINE Pay Money will join in March after completing system development and testing. Nine financial institutions on the TWQR platform also support the service.

Huang Huang-hsien (黃皇憲), deputy director of Taipei Metro's station affairs department, said credit card contactless payment will begin phased verification by Taishin Bank (台新銀行) and international card organizations. A full rollout is expected in July, following six months of testing. iPhone users will then access Apple Pay's "Express Transit" feature for seamless entry without unlocking devices. At the same time, Google Pay and Samsung Pay users must unlock phones due to system differences, Huang added.

Taipei's bus system will also accept QR code payments starting Saturday (Jan. 3), initially supporting five electronic payment providers. Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著), Chief of the Planning and Development Division, Taipei City Public Transportation Office, advised passengers to use the "Transit QR Code" for scanning rather than general payment codes. General payment codes will not complete transactions, Liu warned, urging commuters to verify they select the correct option before boarding.

Chiu Yu-chun (邱裕鈞), dean of the College of Management at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, called the expansion a natural progression of mobile payment habits into public transit. The trend toward cardless transactions is irreversible, Chiu said. He predicted that the future integration of personal data with payment and mobility services will reshape how Taiwan's urban commuters travel and pay.

Taipei's launch aligns with the broader adoption of QR code transit payments across Taiwan, following the introduction by Kaohsiung Metro (高雄捷運) in 2021 and Taichung Metro (台中捷運) in 2024. Despite a slower start due to system complexity and high passenger volumes, Taipei's comprehensive adoption highlights the importance of modernizing public transport payment systems as a benchmark for city development. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.3)