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# What's New in Taipei for Travellers Right Now (2026)
- URL: https://blog.fizen.io/whats-new-in-taipei-taiwan-for-travellers-2026/
- Published: 2026-10-26T07:00:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-26T07:00:56.000Z
- Description: Taipei changed in small, useful ways this year: your Visa now opens the MRT gate, returning visitors can win NT$5,000 of travel credit, and the best night out of the autumn is in Yuanshan. What is new, how it works, and when to skip it.
- Author: Quinn Dao
- Tags: Travel & Nomad, eSIM

**Quick answer:** The biggest practical change in Taipei is that since 1 July 2026 you can tap a Visa, Mastercard, JCB or a phone wallet such as Apple Pay straight at Taipei Metro gates, no EasyCard needed. Returning visitors can enter the Taiwan Lucky Land draw for NT$5,000 of travel credit on trips from 10 October 2026 to 31 March 2027\. Nuit Blanche 2026 runs overnight on 31 October around Yuanshan, and Michelin's 2026 Bib Gourmand added four Taipei restaurants built on chicken soup, braised pork, curry and stir-fry.

**Key takeaways**

- **Your bank card is now a metro ticket.** Since 1 July 2026, Taipei Metro takes Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover, Diners Club, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay at the gates.
- **The NT$5,000 draw is back, for repeat visitors.** Taiwan Lucky Land 2026/2027 covers arrivals from 10 October 2026 to 31 March 2027; register 7 to 90 days before you land.
- **Nuit Blanche moves to Yuanshan.** 31 October 2026, 2pm to 2am, free outdoor works around Taipei Expo Park, Datong University and Qingguang Market.
- **Four new Bib Gourmand picks in Taipei.** Ching Jiao, Open Smile, Toriaezu Curry and Yu Yu 1969 joined the 2026 list.
- **Arrival card first.** The TWAC is filed online within three days before arrival at twac.immigration.gov.tw.

You come up the escalator at Taipei Main Station, reach for the EasyCard you never bought, and then remember: this year you do not need one. Taipei's 2026 changes are small but they reshape a trip, from how you get through the gate to where the city goes out at 1am. Here is what is genuinely new, each item checked against a dated source, with an honest line on when to skip it.

## Can you really tap your bank card at Taipei MRT gates now?

Yes. The Taipei Times reported on 1 July 2026 that Taipei Metro now accepts physical credit cards and card-linked phone wallets at the gates: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover and Diners Club, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. On an iPhone you can switch on Express Transit in Apple Wallet and tap through without unlocking the phone. QR ride codes from payment apps have worked since January and passed one million rides in six months.

**The catch:** card rides do not count toward the Frequent Rider rewards, because the system is not allowed to store bank card numbers. **Skip it if** you plan dozens of rides and want those rewards: an EasyCard still earns them. Either way, tap in and out with the same card or phone, and ask your bank about its foreign transaction fee before you rely on a card for every ride.

## Are you eligible for the NT$5,000 Lucky Land draw?

Taiwan Lucky Land reopened on 1 October 2026 under the name Return to Taiwan, Double Your Luck, per a Taiwanderers guide updated that day. It is aimed at people coming back, not first-timers:

- **Who:** non-ROC passport holders on a 3 to 90 day trip who have visited Taiwan since 1 January 2023, travelling independently.
- **When:** arrivals from 10 October 2026 to 31 March 2027; register 7 to 90 days before you land at 5000.taiwan.net.tw.
- **Prize:** up to NT$5,000 of spending credit, plus up to NT$3,000 for a companion who has not entered Taiwan since 1 January 2023\. Draws run every Wednesday.
- **Claim:** upload verification within 24 hours of arriving, then show a QR code at any 7-Eleven to load the credit onto an EasyCard, iPass or iCash card.

**Skip it if** this is your first trip and you are travelling alone: you are not eligible. And note that the 24-hour verification upload happens on arrival day, which means a working phone at the airport.

## Where is Nuit Blanche 2026, and is it worth staying up for?

Taipei Nuit Blanche 2026, themed Night Ka Shi, runs from 2pm on 31 October to 2am on 1 November around Yuanshan, according to a Bella guide updated on 21 October 2026\. Expect more than 30 artworks and 50 performances across Yuanshan Natural Landscape Park, Expo Park Yuanshan, the Datong University campus (open for the event for the first time), Minzu East Road and the Qingguang Market area. Outdoor works are free; some workshops and tours need advance registration.

**Getting there:** Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Yuanshan Station, then walk. Two related shows outlast the night: MAAGIC Yuanshan at Expo Park until 8 November, and the Taipei Digital Art Festival at Taipei Botanical Garden from 31 October to 15 November. **Skip the main night if** you hate crowds; catch MAAGIC on a weekday evening instead.

## Which new Bib Gourmand spots should you eat at?

Michelin announced its 2026 Bib Gourmand list for Taiwan on 14 July 2026, and Taiwan News reported four new Taipei entries. The guide said this year leans harder into casual, local food, which is exactly where visitors usually eat best.

| New in 2026    | Known for              | Go if you want                   |
| -------------- | ---------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Ching Jiao     | Chicken-broth dishes   | A slow, restorative lunch        |
| Open Smile     | Taiwanese braised pork | The rice bowl locals argue about |
| Toriaezu Curry | Japanese-style curry   | Taipei's Japanese side           |
| Yu Yu 1969     | Taiwanese stir-fry     | A loud group dinner with beer    |

Across the river, the Taipei Times listed three new New Taipei additions, including Bitan Chiao Tou Goose for smoked goose and Bei Ya Duck Thick Soup. The reports gave no addresses, so search the names in your map app. **Skip them if** you came for night-market grazing: these are sit-down places, and a Bib Gourmand mention can mean a queue.

## How do you stay online for all of this?

Think of the moments: uploading Lucky Land verification on arrival day, finding Qingguang Market at midnight, checking a queue before you cross the city. Buy an eSIM and install it at home on Wi-Fi, keep your home SIM on for bank text messages, and switch the travel line on after landing.

Fizen eSIM is one option. In the Fizen catalog on 26 October 2026, Taiwan country plans run on Taiwan Mobile over 4G and 5G, with fixed-data plans from 3 GB to 50 GB lasting 3 to 30 days, which slow to 384 kbps once the data is used, and unlimited plans with no speed cap stated. Most plans cannot be topped up, so size for the whole trip. A local tourist SIM bought at Taoyuan airport is a fair alternative if you do not mind the counter. For current plans, check the eSIM tab in the app or fizen.io/esim.

A real person in chat helps if something fails on Fizen's side, and a verified fault gets a free replacement for the length of the trip. Changed plans? An unused, not-yet-installed eSIM can usually be taken back; eligibility depends on the plan, check Package details or ask chat. You can pay with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain in the Fizen app, and new users get US$10 of eSIM credit in the Fizen app's eSIM tab. Fizen is building the stablecoin neobank for people on the move: a wallet you own, investing and travel data in one app.

## Frequently asked questions

#### Can tourists use a foreign credit card on the Taipei MRT?

Yes. Since 1 July 2026 Taipei Metro gates accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover and Diners Club cards plus Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Card rides do not earn Frequent Rider rewards.

#### Do I still need an EasyCard in Taipei?

Not for the MRT if you tap a bank card or phone wallet. An EasyCard is still handy for Frequent Rider rewards, and Lucky Land winners load their credit onto an EasyCard, iPass or iCash card.

#### Who can enter the Taiwan Lucky Land draw in 2026?

Foreign passport holders returning to Taiwan for 3 to 90 days who have visited since 1 January 2023, for arrivals from 10 October 2026 to 31 March 2027\. Register 7 to 90 days before arrival.

#### When and where is Taipei Nuit Blanche 2026?

From 2pm on 31 October to 2am on 1 November 2026, around Yuanshan: Expo Park, Yuanshan Natural Landscape Park, Datong University and the Qingguang Market area. Outdoor works are free.

#### Do I need an arrival card for Taiwan?

Yes. Taiwan's arrival card has been digital since 1 October 2025\. Submit the TWAC at twac.immigration.gov.tw within three days before you arrive.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/ee/04eee3a6-7d95-474c-80a5-48f84338363b/content/images/2026/10/whats-new-in-taipei-taiwan-for-travellers-2026.png) 

#### Land in Taipei with data already on

Install a Taiwan eSIM at home on Wi-Fi and switch it on after landing. Pay by card via Stripe (Visa or Mastercard international cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay), or with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain in the Fizen app.

[See Taiwan eSIM plans](https://fizen.io/esim?ref=blog.fizen.io) 

### Terms and conditions

- **Information only.** This article is information only. It is not an offer or a sale, and it is not travel, legal or financial advice. Event dates, transit rules and draw conditions come from the sources listed and can change; check the official sites before you travel.
- **For readers in the United States.** This article provides information only. It is not an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Fizen is not offered to US Persons.
- **Data-only product.** The eSIM is data only. It does not include a phone number or SMS. Most plans cannot be topped up (more data means a new eSIM), so size it for the whole trip.
- **Facts and availability.** Carrier, networks, plan sizes and speed details were checked in the Fizen catalog on 26 October 2026\. The shop page carries current plans and prices.
- **Independent.** Fizen is not affiliated with Taipei Metro, the Taiwan Tourism Administration, Michelin or the venues and events mentioned.

### Sources

- [Taipei Times, Taipei Metro accepts credit cards and mobile wallets (1 July 2026)](https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/07/01/2003860046?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Taiwanderers, Taiwan Lucky Land prize draw 2026/2027 (updated 1 October 2026)](https://taiwanderers.com/lucky-land-taiwan-prize-draw-airports/?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Bella, 2026 Taipei Nuit Blanche Night Ka Shi guide (updated 21 October 2026)](https://www.bella.tw/articles/movies&culture/60640/2026-taipei-nuit-blanche-night-ka-shi-art-festival?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Taiwan News, Michelin Guide Taiwan 2026 Bib Gourmand new Taipei entries (14 July 2026)](https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/6400668?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Taipei Times, new New Taipei Bib Gourmand entries (15 July 2026)](https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/07/15/2003860780?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [SAYS, Taiwan arrival cards go fully digital from 1 October 2025](https://says.com/my/lifestyle/taiwan-to-go-fully-digital-with-arrival-cards-starting-1-october?ref=blog.fizen.io)

Transit rules, events and eSIM catalog details checked on 26 October 2026.

### Related reading

- [Best travel eSIM for Taiwan](https://blog.fizen.io/best-travel-esim-for-taiwan-2026/)
- [eSIM for Taipei](https://blog.fizen.io/esim-taipei-taiwan-nomad-best-2026/)
- [Wise alternatives in Taiwan](https://blog.fizen.io/wise-alternative-taiwan-2026/)
- [Taiwan digital nomad visa](https://blog.fizen.io/taiwan-digital-nomad-visa-2026/)