Is it better to pay taxis in Taiwan with cash, or do drivers accept cards or payment apps?
In Taipei, I rely on LINE Taxi and Uber, both let you pay by credit card and even split fares. But if you're waving down a taxi on the street, bring cash. I’d say 50% of street drivers won’t take cards - no machine, no app. For assured payment methods, hail via an app and let the system do the rest.
Tried paying by card in a Tainan taxi once - the driver just shook his head. I saw the POS machine on the dashboard, but he didn’t want the hassle with the bank terminal. Your best bet? cash in Taiwan taxis, unless you specifically order through an app designed to process your card.
I used Uber and LINE Taxi regularly in Taichung and paid through the apps - so card is fine there. But for random yellow cabs, it’s hit-or-miss: some drivers can process a card, most can’t or just pretend they can’t. It’s safer to pay with cash, especially if you're traveling without a smartphone or data on you.
In Taipei, most street taxis take cash only, and they’ll claim the card machine “not working” if you try. I used the Taipei Taxi app once - it lets you pay by credit card, but you’ll still need cash if the driver insists. In smaller cities like Hualien or Kaohsiung, taxis only take cash. My advice: always carry around TWD 500-1,000 in small bills for reliability.