Taiwan's city buses are frequent, cheap and covered by official real-time data, but a first ride can feel confusing: route numbers repeat in different cities, the same stop name appears on both sides of the road, and the fare may depend on how far you ride. This guide walks through a trip from start to finish and shows where the Live168 bus tool fits in. It is written for visitors, students and workers who read little or no Chinese.
1. Find the right stop and direction
The most common mistake is not a late bus but the wrong side of the road. A stop name is usually shared by two poles that serve opposite directions, sometimes on different corners. Before you walk to a stop, decide which way the bus must travel, using the last stop of the route as your reference. In Live168 every arrival is shown as "Toward" plus the final stop, for example Toward Nangang Exhibition Center, so you can match it with the sign on the bus and the stop pole.
- Open the bus page. Switch the language to EN in the header if it is not already English.
- Search for a stop name or tap "Use my location". The app asks for location only after you tap; nothing is tracked in the background.
- Open a stop to see all routes. Each row shows the route number, the direction and the live status.
- Check the stop name in Chinese too. English names are shown when official data provides them. When it does not, the Chinese name is shown so you can match it with the sign.
Which side of the road am I on? Where does the bus end up? Only then, how many minutes are left? If the first two answers are wrong, a perfect estimate is useless.
2. Pay and tap on/off
The easiest way to pay is a stored-value card such as an EasyCard or iPASS, which also works on the MRT, YouBike and many convenience stores. Cash is accepted on most buses, but you usually need exact change because drivers do not give it. Rules differ by city and operator, so look at the small display next to the card reader.
- Tap on when you board and tap off when you leave. In Greater Taipei this applies to almost every route. The reader's screen indicates whether the bus expects a tap on boarding, on alighting or both.
- Flat and sectioned fares. Short city routes often charge one section. Longer routes are split into two or three sections, divided at marked "buffer zones". If your trip crosses a buffer zone, the extra section is charged when you tap off.
- Never skip the tap-off. Without it the system cannot know where you left and may charge the maximum fare or block your card on the next ride.
3. Boarding and getting off
Stand at the stop pole, check the number on the front of the bus, and raise your hand clearly when your route appears. Drivers may not stop if nobody signals. Board by the front door unless the display tells you otherwise, tap, and take a seat or hold a handrail before the bus moves. Priority seats are for older passengers, pregnant women, people with disabilities and people with young children.
Press the stop button as soon as the next stop is announced in your language or shown on the display. At a stop with several buses, step off only when the bus has fully stopped. Eating and drinking on board is not allowed in most cities.
4. Read live arrivals correctly
Live168 shows official estimates, rounded to whole minutes. The estimate is not a promise, because traffic, dispatching and data delays can change it. If a stop's data has not updated for more than a minute, the app warns you. The status words mean the following.
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| A number of minutes | The official estimate until the bus reaches this stop. |
| Approaching | The bus is about to arrive. Be at the stop pole and visible to the driver. |
| Not departed | The bus has not left its starting stop yet, so the scheduled time is only an expectation. |
| Service ended | The last bus of the day has passed. |
| No service today | The route does not run today, for example on a holiday. |
| Skipped (traffic control) | The bus is not stopping here because of a road closure or detour. |
Time-sensitive trips such as an airport transfer or a hospital appointment need a buffer: pick the bus before the one you need, and keep a second route in mind.
5. Transfers and practical tips
In Greater Taipei, using the same card to transfer between the MRT, buses and YouBike within a limited time can reduce the second fare. Amounts and conditions are set by the operators and may change, so check the current rule before you rely on it. Payments made with a bank card or phone wallet at MRT gates may not qualify for transfer discounts, which is another reason to keep a transit card.
- Download the stop or route into your favorites in the app so you can reopen it without GPS.
- Take a screenshot of your destination's Chinese name; drivers and passers-by can read it faster than a map pin.
- In heavy rain or typhoon warnings, check official announcements for changed or suspended routes.
Fares, rules and card acceptance vary by city and operator and can change. Treat this page as a guide and the operator's current notice as the final word.