Ubike

• By dokuya
• 27 March, 2014
• 1 Comment

The Ubike system in Taiwan is really nice.  I just used it for the first time.  It works best if you are a registered user.  To do that all you need is a Taiwan cell phone and an Easy Card.  In case you don’t know an Easy Card is a prepaid transportation card that can be used on the MRT, city bus, Taipei Zoo,  7-Eleven and other places.   With the cell phone and Easy Card in hand go to a Ubike Kiosk and register.  The Kiosk has an English language interface.  You type in your cell phone number, it sends a text message to your phone with a code number, you input the code number and a password setting up an account and the number on your Easy Card.   You can register more than one card on your account.  Once your account is set up and your card is registered all you do is go to the bike that you want, hold the card over the sensor and the bike is released.

The first half hour is free after that you are billed at $10 NTD per half hour (33 cents USD). After 4 hours the price doubles.  There are a lot of Ubike stations and you can pick a bike up at one station and drop it off at another one.   So you could get a Ubike, ride it to one location and drop it off, then 30 minutes later take out an0ther Ubike and go to another location and if you get there in less than 30 minutes you never spend any money.  If you are sight seeing in the city it is feasible that, that would happen.  Free is good but if you use the Ubike just to ride it is still very cheap.

There is an APP for Ubike Stations  which is good to have.  You may want to check where to drop the bike off before you start because the locations can be difficult to find.  I rode from the Muhza MRT to Dansui onky to find that the nearest Ubike Station was near the Beitou MRT, quite a distance away.

The bike trails are great. That day I rode about 45 Km (over 25 miles).  I also want to mention that the bikes come equipped with a basket, lights and a lock.