Taipei: Unlimited FunPass – Transports & Attractions Pass

Taipei rewards curious planners. I like that this pass combines more than 30 attractions with unlimited MRT, city bus, railway, and selected shuttle travel. I also like the mix of major sights such as Taipei 101 and the National Palace Museum with local treats, a Pingxi sky lantern, and Jiufen taro balls. The main drawback is simple: you must plan carefully, especially for Jiufen, Yehliu, and other day trips outside central Taipei.

For $34 per person, the pass can offer strong value if you visit several included attractions and use public transport often. It is less useful if you prefer a slow schedule, spend most of your time in central Taipei, or lose part of a day dealing with pass pickup. One-day validity is based on a calendar day, not 24 hours, so timing matters.

Key points to know before you buy

• Taipei 101 and Yehliu fit very different days: One is a city tower visit, while the other needs a longer trip north.
• The pass covers more than sightseeing: MRT, city buses, five Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes, and a Pingxi-Shen’ao Taiwan Railways day pass are included.
• Calendar-day validity changes the math: A two-day pass works on the selected day and the following day, not for 48 hours from first use.
• Local experiences add personality: Jiufen taro balls, a Pingxi sky lantern, and a Jiufen Red Lantern Blessing are more memorable than simply checking off museums.
• Airport Express travel is excluded: The Taoyuan Airport MRT and airport services are not covered, so budget separately for that journey.
• Collect the physical card early: Pickup counters have limited hours, and bad weather has caused collection points at Taipei Main Station to close.

What the Taipei FunPass actually gives you

The Taipei FunPass is a physical attraction and transport card for Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung. You choose one, two, or three days, then use it for one admission to each participating attraction during that period.

The attraction list reaches well beyond central Taipei. You can visit Taipei 101 Observatory, the National Palace Museum, Maokong Gondola, Taipei Zoo, the Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, National Taiwan Museum, Yehliu Geopark, Juming Museum, Tamsui Historical Museum, and Heping Island Park.

The pass also includes several special activities and gifts. Depending on the attraction’s individual redemption rules, you may use it for a Pingxi sky lantern, Jiufen A-Po’s taro balls, Jiufen Red Lantern Blessing, or a Master A-Tsung pineapple cake or taro pastry. Gift sets from four popular commercial areas and an exclusive cup are also part of the package.

That range is the card’s real appeal. I can build a day around museums, another around the northern coast, and another around mountain or railway stops. You are not locked into a guided group or fixed timetable. The tradeoff is that you must do the planning yourself.

A practical one-day plan for central Taipei

A one-day pass works best when you keep your route compact. I would not use it for Jiufen, Yehliu, and several central attractions in the same day. Travel time will eat the savings.

Start with the National Palace Museum if it is high on your list. Its collection is one of Taipei’s major cultural attractions, and the visit gives the pass more value than using it only for quick entertainment stops. Allow enough time to see the displays without rushing, then use the MRT or city buses for a central Taipei museum.

The National Taiwan Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, and Taipei Fine Arts Museum each offer a different kind of stop. You can choose one or two based on your interests rather than trying to force all three into one morning.

Later, visit Taipei 101 Observatory. This is one of the pass’s most expensive and recognizable inclusions, so it can help justify the price. The experience gives you a high view over Taipei, while the building itself is easy to pair with MRT travel and nearby city stops.

If you still have energy, the pass can cover another attraction or a special activity. I would resist the urge to cram in too much. A pass is valuable when it removes admission costs, but it cannot remove queues, meal breaks, or the time needed to understand a museum.

Taipei 101, Maokong, and the zoo

Taipei 101 is the obvious headline attraction. If you already intend to visit the observatory, the $34 pass starts to look more attractive, especially when you add public transport and one or two other paid sights.

Maokong Gondola gives you a different view of Taipei. The ride takes you away from the dense city center and toward the Maokong area. The pass includes one admission to the gondola, and you can combine it with Taipei Zoo, which is also included.

This pairing is practical because the two attractions belong in the same general outing. Taipei Zoo suits families and anyone who wants a longer stop, while the gondola works better for visitors seeking views and a change of pace. I would check opening times and current operating conditions before committing a full day to this side of the city.

These attractions also show the importance of choosing the right pass length. A one-day card can cover them, but only if you begin early and accept a fairly full schedule. With two or three days, you can give the zoo and gondola their own breathing room.

Yehliu Geopark and the northern coast

Yehliu Geopark is one of the pass’s strongest reasons to travel beyond central Taipei. Its weather-shaped rock formations make it unlike the city museums and observation decks. It is also the kind of place that needs a proper half-day or longer outing, not a quick stop squeezed between Taipei 101 and dinner.

The pass includes transport on five Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes, including routes serving Yangmingshan, Yehliu, Jiufen, and other northern destinations. This helps with planning because you can use designated shuttle services instead of arranging every leg separately.

I would treat Yehliu as a dedicated route day. Pairing it with Heping Island Park or another northern stop may work if the transport schedule fits, but you should check the timing before leaving. The pass gives you the rides, not extra hours in the day.

Heping Island Park adds a coastal stop with open-air scenery, while Juming Museum offers large-scale artistic works in a different setting. These inclusions are useful for people who want more than urban sightseeing. They are less convenient for a short visit focused only on central Taipei.

Jiufen, Pingxi, and the railway day pass

Jiufen is the hardest destination to fit into a one-day FunPass plan. The trip from Taipei takes time, and the area deserves enough time for its old lanes, hillside views, food stalls, and local specialties. I would not add Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, and several other major attractions to the same day.

The Jiufen Jinguashi Tourist Shuttle route is included, making the pass useful for this outing. You can also use the pass for Jiufen A-Po’s taro balls and the Jiufen Red Lantern Blessing. These small experiences give the day a local flavor and cost less in time than a major attraction.

Pingxi is another good match for the card. A sky lantern activity is included, and the Taiwan Railways Pingxi-Shen’ao One-Day Pass helps you reach destinations along that railway corridor. Releasing a lantern is a distinctly Taiwanese experience, and it gives the day a clear purpose rather than turning it into a series of random transport connections.

The Muzha-Pingxi Tourist Shuttle route is also included. I would choose either a Jiufen-focused day or a Pingxi-focused day unless you have enough time and carefully checked the schedules. The pass makes both areas easier to reach, but it does not make them close together.

Tamsui, Yangmingshan, and slower day trips

Tamsui works well for a more relaxed outing. The Tamsui Historical Museum is included, and the area gives you a break from Taipei’s central museum circuit. The Beitou-Zhuzihu route serves Yangmingshan, while the pass also includes selected city buses across Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung.

These routes are valuable because they let you see parts of the region that would otherwise require more separate fares. I like the flexibility of being able to use public transport for short hops instead of counting every ride.

Still, I would not assume that every bus or highway connection is covered. Highway buses with four-digit numbers are excluded, and the Taoyuan Airport MRT is not included. Check the route number before boarding, particularly when traveling outside the MRT network.

Yangmingshan, Tamsui, and Beitou can each become a full outing depending on what you choose to see. The pass suits a visitor who wants to explore several districts, not someone who plans to stay near Taipei Main Station.

How much value can you really get for $34?

The advertised savings can reach 72 percent, but you should treat that as a best-case figure. You need to use several included attractions and make good use of the transport coverage to reach it.

I would judge the value this way:

• If you visit Taipei 101, a major museum, and another paid attraction, the card begins to make sense.
• If you add Maokong Gondola, Taipei Zoo, or Yehliu, the arithmetic becomes stronger.
• If you use the MRT, buses, Tourist Shuttles, and the Pingxi railway pass across two or three days, the transport portion adds real value.
• If you use only one attraction and a few MRT rides, paying separately may be simpler.

The special food and craft-style inclusions can also tip the balance. Jiufen taro balls, a sky lantern, a red lantern blessing, or a pineapple cake gift are not huge expenses individually, but they make the pass feel less like a simple admission bundle.

The $34 price is attractive for an active itinerary. It is not a bargain by default. I would list the attractions you genuinely want, estimate separate admission and transport costs, then compare that total with the pass price.

The most important rule: validity follows the calendar

This detail can make or break your savings. A one-day pass is valid only on the selected calendar day. A two-day pass works on that day and the next day. It is not a rolling 24-hour or 48-hour product.

If you collect the card late in the afternoon and activate it that day, you have used one of your calendar days. I would collect it early, then start using it at the first attraction or transport service you plan to visit.

This is especially important after an international arrival. The Taoyuan Airport MRT is excluded, so you may need separate transport into Taipei before collecting or using the card. If you arrive late, compare the cost of using the pass immediately with saving it for a full day.

The pass is available for one to three days, giving you room to match it to your schedule. I would choose two or three days for Jiufen, Yehliu, Pingxi, or Yangmingshan. One day is better reserved for a concentrated central Taipei plan.

Pickup requires a little patience

You exchange your redemption code for a physical pass at an approved counter. Options include Taoyuan International Airport, Songshan Airport, Taipei Main Station, MRT A1 Taipei Main Station, and Taoyuan HSR Station.

The listed hours vary by location, and the operating times can change. One airport counter opens very early, while some city counters have shorter daytime or evening hours. I would check the current pickup page immediately before departure and keep your passport with you, since it is required.

Do not rely on a single counter. A typhoon once caused both Taipei Main Station collection points to close, forcing one visitor to pay separately for transport and National Palace Museum admission. That is a useful warning: weather disruptions can affect the practical value of a pass even when the card itself is valid.

The airport counters may be the best backup if you arrive during their opening hours. If you plan to collect at Taipei Main Station, have another option ready and allow time for the exchange.

The Taipei FunPass app can provide entry instructions and discounts. I would download it before heading out, since different attractions may use different redemption procedures.

Who will get the most from this pass?

I think the pass suits first-time visitors with an active schedule and a clear list of sights. Families may also like the combination of Taipei Zoo, Taipei 101, museums, and simple public transport. It is useful for anyone who wants to combine city attractions with Jiufen, Yehliu, Pingxi, or Yangmingshan.

It is less suitable for a slow trip built around cafés, markets, and neighborhood walks. It also requires more route planning than a guided excursion. You need to watch opening hours, shuttle routes, attraction redemption rules, and the calendar-day deadline.

The pass is not a guided tour, so no guide or group itinerary is provided. That gives you freedom, but it also means you handle navigation and timing yourself.

You should also remember that the pass is not a complete Taipei transport ticket. Airport Express and four-digit highway buses are excluded. Keep a separate transport budget for those journeys.

Should you book the Taipei FunPass?

I would book it if you plan to visit at least three or four included attractions and will use the MRT, buses, or regional shuttle routes. Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, Maokong Gondola, Yehliu, and a Pingxi or Jiufen experience can make $34 excellent value.

I would choose two or three days for a trip that includes Jiufen or Yehliu. Use one day only for a compact central Taipei schedule, and collect the physical card early enough to protect the full calendar day.

The best reason to buy this pass is not simply the discount. It is the way it encourages a wider visit, from museums and city views to coastal rocks, hillside towns, railway villages, and Taiwanese snacks. Just plan the routes before you tap the first gate.

FAQ

How much does the Taipei FunPass cost?

The listed price is $34 per person. The pass is available for one, two, or three days.

How long is the Taipei FunPass valid?

You can choose a validity period of one to three days. A one-day pass is valid only on that calendar day, while a two-day pass is valid on the selected day and the next day.

Does the pass include Taipei 101 Observatory?

Yes. The pass includes one admission to Taipei 101 Observatory.

Does the pass include the National Palace Museum?

Yes. The National Palace Museum is one of the included attractions, with single admission during the pass validity period.

Is the Taoyuan Airport MRT included?

No. Taoyuan Airport, Taipei Airport Express, and metro airport services are not included.

Which public transport is included?

The pass includes unlimited Taipei MRT rides, city buses in Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung, five Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes, and the Taiwan Railways Pingxi-Shen’ao One-Day Pass.

Where can I collect the physical pass?

Pickup points include Taoyuan International Airport, Songshan Airport, Taipei Main Station, MRT A1 Taipei Main Station, and Taoyuan HSR Station. Opening hours can change, so check the current details before you go.

What do I need to bring for pickup?

Bring your passport and the redemption code needed to exchange for the physical pass. Different attractions may have different entry or redemption instructions.