EasyCard

Infobox electronic payment | | name= EasyCard
悠遊卡 | location= Taipei and Taipei County
"Also sometimes used in other parts of Taiwan" | launched= June 2002 | service_1= Taipei Rapid Transit System | service_2= Taipei buses | service_3= Public car parking | service_4= Taiwan Railway Administration "(from Keelung to Jhongli)" | service_5= Maokong Gondola | service_6= others "(see main article)" | sales_location_1= TRTS stations | sales_location_2= Convenience stores | currency= TWD
stored_value= Pay as you go
credit_expiry= None
maximum_credit= NT$10,000
variant_1= Student
variant_2= Charity
variant_3= Senior
variant_4= Concessionaire
technology_1= RFID
operator= Taipei Smart Card Corporation
manager= EasyCard Corporation
homepage= http://www.easycard.com.tw/english_01.php

EasyCard (traditional Chinese: 悠遊卡) is a contactless smartcard system operated by Taipei Smart Card Corporation for use on the Taipei Rapid Transit System and on buses and other public transport services in Taipei since June 2002. It is similar to the Octopus card in Hong Kong.

Like many electronic fare systems, the card employs RFID technology to operate without contact.

Background

Brand

The name EasyCard was chosen in a public contest, where the general public was asked to propose names, in the end a name chosen by the management. In Mandarin Chinese the card is known as 悠遊卡 (Pinyin: Yōu-yóu Kǎ), which literally means "Easy Travel Card".

Use

Users of the card on Taipei's Rapid Transit System are required to pass the card over the EasyCard panel on ticket barriers both on the way in and the way out of stations - the first pass registering as the start of the journey and the second as the end. Fares deducted from the card depend on the distance travelled.

Benefits

*No limit for train class (except Taroko, Sightseeing, Special trains)
*10 % discount with based by Local Train fare
*Same station entry exit will make more benefit:
**Free within one hour, equally free platform ticket
**Lowest paid fare(NT$14,17) with 1-4 hours stay
**Maximum between fare (NT$90) if stay over 4 hours, but you can make several ride between Keelung and Jhongli if has ticket checks, or any betweens if on lower class of train

Costs

The standard card costs NT$500, purchasable at any MRT station. NT$100 is a refundable deposit and NT$400 is credit. Stored-value credit can be up to NT$10,000. Unused credit and the deposit are refunded on return of the card.

Fares on the MRT are based on distance. Fares are discounted when using Easy card credit compared with the purchase of a single ticket. By default, there is only one passenger allowed per EasyCard - i.e. you cannot have multiple passengers traveling on a single EasyCard by scanning it multiple times. However, passengers often ask bus drivers to reset the card count in order to pay for another passenger.

A trial allowing the payment of taxi fares with the card was carried out in 2005 [cite news|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2005/01/25/2003220919|title=Taipei's transit 'EasyCard' payments to be expanded to taxis, parking meters|publisher=Taipei Times|date=2005-07-25|accessdate=2008-08-08] but this payment option was not then implemented on a wider level for taxi journeys.

In addition the card can be used as a credit card for transactions up to NT$500. [cite web|url=http://iff.immigration.gov.tw/enfront/newsp.php?tr_id=&id=443|publisher=National Immigration Authority|title=Latest Easy Card offers credit option|accessdate=2008-08-08]

Areas of application

In addition to the EasyCard being used on the Taipei Metro and buses, the card is also accepted at public car parks adjacent to Metro stations and in other areas of Taipei. Starting in 2008, the EasyCard can be used to pay for boat rides in areas such as Danshui.

See for detail in Chinese.

*Taipei MRT (Taipei Metro), with a 20% discount over single journey tickets. On June 1, the discount rate has been increased to 25% to increase public incentives to use the Metro system.
*Maokong Gondola
*Taipei buses all lines, including Keelung
*Taiwan Railway Administration Keelung--Jhongli stations, since August 1, 2008, Local Train fare with 10% discount.
*Some route of Intercity buses
*Buses in Matsu Island
*Buses to Yilan County plain area through Sueshan Tunnel
*Ferries (Taipei Blue highway)
*Street Parking Meter Payments (which will expire unless extended, unlike below)
*Parking Lot debit card (by entry/exit time) in public property and carparks, universities, hospitals, and Metro Stations (with Transfer rebates)
*Taxis Riding, but only in few parts.
*Admission into the Taipei Zoo, and few museums and amusements, acivities.
*Register as a library card, to borrow material (including books) from Taipei or Yilan Public Libraries
*Digital IDs, including Student ID Cards

Uptake

The EasyCard has been very popular since its launch in 2002, in 2008 passing a total of 13 million cards issued. (returned card excluded) [cite news|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/08/08/2003419758|title=EasyCard plan steaming ahead|publisher=Taipei Times|date=2008-08-08|accessdate=2008-08-08]

References

External links

* [http://www.easycard.com.tw Official homepage of the EasyCard Corporation]