【Taiwan Survival Guide】A Must-Read for Foreigners! Taiwan Traffic Etiquette and Those "Unspoken" Unwritten Rules 🇹🇼

Welcome to Taiwan! Here you'll find world-class cuisine and warm, friendly people. But honestly, Taiwan's traffic situation can be quite a "culture shock" for foreign friends visiting for the first time.

To help you navigate like a local and avoid getting dirty looks (or even fines!) due to unfamiliarity with the unwritten rules, this guide compiles all the traffic survival tips that might not be in textbooks, but you absolutely need to know.

1. MRT (Mass Rapid Transit): The Ironclad Rules Behind its Incredible Cleanliness

Taiwan's MRT is globally renowned for its cleanliness and punctuality, thanks to very strict regulations. This is the first major landmine foreigners often step on.

⚠️ Major Landmine: No Eating or Drinking (Including Water!)

While it's common to sip coffee or chew gum on subways abroad, it is strictly prohibited on Taiwan's MRT past the yellow warning line (card gates).

• Prohibited Area: From the moment you tap your card to enter the station until you tap out, including the platform areas.
• Absolutely No: Drinking water, chewing gum, or eating candy.
• Consequences: Fines can go up to NT$7,500 (approx. US$230). This is no joke; station staff will enforce it.

> Local Tip: If you have a bubble tea (hand-shaken drink), make sure it's sealed or in a bag. Don't carry it around with a straw inserted, as this might cause misunderstandings.

2. Escalators: The Mysterious "Stand on the Right" Belief

Although the MRT company officially promotes "hold the handrail, stand firmly on the steps," there's a deeply ingrained unwritten rule in Taipei's commuting culture.

• Stand on the Right: If you're not in a hurry, automatically stand on the right side.
• Pass on the Left: The left side is reserved for those who want to "walk" past (though it's not the safest, it's a social understanding).

⚠️ Landmine Warning

If you stand on the left side of the escalator during peak hours and block people behind you, you might feel hurried footsteps or hear a soft "Excuse me" (借過, "jieguo"). To avoid awkwardness, just follow the queue in front of you.

3. Priority Seats: The Mystery Behind the Chair Colors

On the MRT and buses, you'll notice a distinction between dark blue (regular seats) and lighter or different colored seats (priority seats).

• Unwritten Rule: Even when the train or bus is packed, young Taiwanese sometimes prefer to stand rather than sit in a priority seat, fearing criticism from elders.
• Foreigner's Perspective: If you have an invisible need (e.g., injury, feeling unwell), you can certainly sit. However, if you appear strong and healthy while sitting in a priority seat and scrolling on your phone, you might feel "intense stares" from those around you when an elder boards.

> Recommendation: When you see seniors, pregnant women, children, or people with mobility issues, you must offer your seat. This is considered a very important virtue in Taiwan.

4. Bus: It's Not an Automatic Stop

In many countries, buses stop at every station. But in Taiwan, there's a "waving understanding" between bus drivers and passengers.

⚠️ Major Landmine: No Wave, No Stop

• Boarding: When you see your bus approaching, be sure to raise your hand and wave to signal the driver to stop. If you just stand idly at the bus stop looking at your phone, the driver will usually just drive past.
• Alighting: Before your stop, be sure to press the red "stop request button."
• Card Tapping: In most cities and counties now (e.g., Taipei, Taichung), you need to "tap your card both when boarding and alighting."

5. Pedestrians Crossing the Road: Survival Game and the "Emperor's Clause"

Taiwan was once dubbed a "pedestrian hell" by foreign media. Although the government recently amended laws to increase penalties (vehicles must yield to pedestrians), habits haven't fully changed yet.

• Traffic Light Unwritten Rule: Even if you're walking on a crosswalk with a green light, turning vehicles might sometimes come very close.
• Eye Contact: When crossing the road, it's best to make eye contact with the driver of a turning vehicle to confirm they've actually seen you.

⚠️ Landmine Warning

Don't assume you can walk across with your eyes closed just because the light is green. When crossing the road in Taiwan, practice "defensive walking" and always be aware of scooters that might dart out from anywhere.

6. Scooters: The Ubiquitous Two-Wheeled Army

Taiwan is the "Kingdom of Scooters," with an extremely high density of them.

• Lane Filtering: Scooter riders are accustomed to weaving through traffic or riding on the shoulder. When getting out of a taxi or opening a car door on the roadside, always look back to check for oncoming scooters.
• Exhaust Pipe Burn (The Taiwanese Tattoo): When walking on the roadside in shorts or navigating through parked scooters, be careful not to touch a recently turned-off scooter exhaust pipe with your calf. Such burns are humorously nicknamed "The Taiwanese Tattoo" here.

Conclusion: Keep Smiling and Observing

While Taiwan's traffic might seem a bit chaotic, there's actually a rhythm of "order in chaos." Just remember: No eating on the MRT, wave for the bus, and watch for vehicles when walking, and you'll enjoy a pleasant and safe trip in Taiwan!