MRT rules

Riding the Taipei MRT: the rules and the fines

The one that catches visitors: past the yellow line in front of the ticket gates, no eating or drinking at all, water included. The rest below are the Mass Rapid Transit Act and Taipei Metro's own regulations.

Food and drink

  • The no-food-or-drink area starts at the yellow line in front of each station's ticket gates and runs through the platforms and trains. Inside it: no eating, no drinking (plain water too), no chewing gum or betel nut. Fine NT$1,500 to NT$7,500
  • If you are ill and need water, a sweet or medicine, ask the station staff.
  • Outside the yellow line you may eat and drink, but do not leave rubbish. Spitting and dropping cigarette ends, gum or fruit peel anywhere in the system is fined the same.
  • No smoking anywhere in the Metro.

Tickets

  • Besides single-journey tickets, the regulations accept stored value cards, transit QR codes and contactless bank cards, including cards on a phone.
  • Between the gates you may stay up to two hours if you leave at another station, and 15 minutes if you leave where you came in. Go over and you pay one minimum fare on top.
  • Children under 6, or under 115 cm, ride free with a paying passenger, up to four children each. A child over 115 cm needs ID to show the age.
  • Riding without a valid ticket costs the fare plus 50 times the fare.

Escalators, platforms and stations

  • On escalators, hold the handrail and stand still. No running or playing on them, and no large luggage: take the lift.
  • Crossing the yellow line on the platform, playing about there, walking against an escalator or running on it, lying across seats, or blocking gates and exits, and carrying on after staff tell you to stop: Fine NT$1,500 to NT$7,500
  • No sitting or lying on the floor, and no sitting on your luggage or a folding chair. No skateboards, roller skates or kick scooters.
  • Playing audio or music out loud, filming in a way that gets in others' way, and using sockets not meant for the public all need the company's permission.

Luggage, pets, bicycles

  • No piece longer than 165 cm on any side, or over 220 cm for length, width and height added up. Wheelchairs, prams and bicycles are exempt. At most five balloons, none over 50 cm.
  • Animals ride in a closed carrier with no head, tail or legs sticking out, one per paying passenger. Assistance dogs are exempt.
  • Small and medium pet strollers (length, width and height adding up to 175 cm or less) ride free at any time. Large ones (176 to 220 cm) only at weekends and holidays, and on weekdays 10:00 to 16:00 and from 22:00, with an NT$80 ticket from the information counter, and not at Wenhu line stations, Taipei Main Station, Zhongxiao Xinsheng, Zhongxiao Fuxing, Nanjing Fuxing or Daan. Pet strollers use the lift, never the escalator, and large ones ride in the first or last car.
  • Bicycles are walked, never ridden, under the company's bicycle notice. A folding bike folded and wrapped can come in like luggage.
  • No knives that are not packed away, fuel, fireworks, gas canisters, dry ice or other dangerous goods; a packed lighter or safety matches for your own use are fine. Bringing dangerous goods in is fined NT$10,000 to NT$1,000,000.

Sources

Read 2026-10-01.