Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Taiwan
- NETWORKS
- Chunghwa
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- Hong Kong, Asia
- DELIVERY
- QR code by email
How it works
- 1Choose a plan and pay.
- 2Scan the QR code we email you. You can install it before you fly.
- 3When you land in Taiwan, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the Taiwan eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Taiwan?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Does Google Maps work well in Taiwan?
Will I have signal in Taroko Gorge?
Is an eSIM better than a tourist SIM from the airport?
Will my data work on the high-speed rail?
Will WhatsApp and LINE keep my usual number?
Can I top up during my trip?
Taiwan eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers
Taiwan rewards travellers who move around. Most trips start in Taipei, with Taipei 101, the night markets of Shilin and Raohe, the hot springs of Beitou and day trips to the hillside lanes of Jiufen and the sky lanterns of Shifen on the Pingxi line. From there, visitors ride the high-speed rail down the west coast to Taichung, the temples and food of Tainan and the harbour city of Kaohsiung, head inland to Sun Moon Lake and the forests of Alishan, or cross to the east coast for the marble cliffs of Taroko Gorge near Hualien and the quiet towns of Taitung. Beaches at Kenting and islands such as Penghu and Green Island add more.
A Spidot eSIM gives you mobile data in Taiwan from the moment you land. You install it at home, switch it on when you arrive and keep your normal SIM for calls and texts. This guide covers the options, how much data to plan for, arriving at Taoyuan, coverage in cities, mountains and islands, and getting around by MRT, train and bus.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in Taiwan
Here is how the main options compare, so you can decide what suits your trip.
Roaming with your home SIM
Roaming works without setup, but daily passes and pay-as-you-go roaming can add up over a week or two of constant map and app use. Check your operator's terms for Taiwan before you fly.
A Taiwanese prepaid SIM
Tourist SIMs are sold at counters in the arrivals halls at Taoyuan and other airports, and in operator shops in the cities. You need your passport, and usually a second form of ID, to register one. The counters can be busy when several flights land at once, and a physical SIM means removing your home SIM unless your phone has a second slot.
A Spidot eSIM
A Spidot eSIM adds a data line alongside your home SIM. You buy it online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it before you fly. Plans start from $5.90. Most plans are data-only without a Taiwanese number. If you need a local number, for example for restaurant bookings or deliveries, look at our Data + calls plans.
How much data to plan for
Travellers in Taiwan tend to rely on maps, transport apps, translation and food searches throughout the day. These rough figures can help you estimate:
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour of walking or riding the MRT.
- Translation apps: light for text; more with frequent camera translation of menus.
- Messaging and email: light, though photos and videos add up.
- Social media: moderate to heavy, especially with night market and street food video.
- Video calls: typically several hundred megabytes per hour.
- Streaming video: heavy, often over a gigabyte per hour in high definition.
Typical choices
A few days in Taipei with hotel Wi-Fi can suit a moderate fixed data plan. A week or two travelling round the island is more comfortable with a larger plan.
If you work remotely, film and upload a lot or share your connection, an unlimited plan saves you from counting megabytes, though speed may slow after heavy use. If you travel to Taiwan often, a no-expiry plan keeps data for future trips. You can check how much data is left and add more data whenever you need it.
Before you travel
Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so do it at home on Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.
Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel. Label the line "Travel", keep your home SIM for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Install a day or two before departure, not at the gate.
- Keep the QR code email in a safe place.
- Download offline maps for the mountains and the east coast.
- Install a translation app and download Traditional Chinese for offline use.
- Save hotel addresses in Chinese characters as well as English; taxi drivers find them more easily.
Arriving at Taoyuan and other airports
Most international visitors arrive at Taoyuan International Airport, west of Taipei. Songshan Airport, inside Taipei, handles some regional flights. Kaohsiung International Airport serves the south, and Taichung also has international connections.
When you land, choose the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it, as explained in our data roaming guide. Allow a minute or two for the phone to connect; if needed, switch flight mode on and off.
From Taoyuan to Taipei
The Taoyuan Airport MRT runs to Taipei Main Station, with express and commuter services, and also connects with the high-speed rail at Taoyuan station. Buses serve many parts of Taipei and other cities, and taxis queue outside the terminals. With data, you can check which station or bus stop is closest to your hotel and follow the route on arrival.
Coverage in cities, mountains and islands
In Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and other cities and towns along the west coast, mobile data generally works very well, including on the MRT and in stations. Mobile data in Taiwan is provided via Chunghwa.
Taiwan's centre is a spine of high mountains, and coverage can vary in places:
- Central Mountain Range: high roads and trails, including routes to Hehuanshan and Yushan, can have long gaps.
- Taroko Gorge and the east: towns such as Hualien and Taitung are covered, but deep gorges, tunnels and trails can have weak signal. Check which trails and roads are open before you go, as some may close after earthquakes, landslides or typhoons.
- Alishan: the forest recreation area is popular, but trails through dense forest can be patchy.
- Outlying islands: Penghu, Green Island, Orchid Island, Kinmen and Matsu have signal in main villages, with weaker spots elsewhere.
- Tunnels: long road and rail tunnels on the east coast and through the mountains can interrupt signal briefly.
Islands near other coasts
Some outlying islands, such as Kinmen and Matsu, lie close to other coastlines, and your phone may occasionally try to connect to a network that is not in Taiwan. If data stops working, check the network name and select a Taiwanese network manually.
Data on the MRT, trains and buses
Taiwan's public transport is easy to use with a phone. Taipei and Kaohsiung have MRT networks, and Taichung and other cities have growing metro and bus systems. A rechargeable transport card such as EasyCard works on the MRT, buses, many trains and in convenience stores.
High-speed and conventional rail
The Taiwan High Speed Rail runs along the west coast from Taipei through Taoyuan, Taichung and Chiayi to Tainan and Kaohsiung. Conventional trains go further, including round the east coast via Hualien and Taitung and on scenic branch lines such as Pingxi and Jiji. Tickets for popular east coast trains can sell out at weekends and holidays, so book ahead online and keep tickets on your phone.
Buses, taxis and scooters
Buses reach places the trains do not, including Sun Moon Lake, Alishan and Kenting. Taxis are common in cities, and Uber operates in several of them. Scooters are everywhere; renting one requires an appropriate licence, so check requirements before you plan it. A map app helps you find stops and judge travel times.
Ferries
Ferries and short flights link Taiwan with its outlying islands. Sea crossings can be rough and are sometimes cancelled in bad weather, so check updates on the day.
Hotspot for laptops and travel companions
Personal hotspot lets you share your eSIM data with a laptop, tablet or a travel companion's phone. It uses whichever line is set for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line. This is handy for remote workers in cafés, on long train journeys and for families sharing one plan.
Pause cloud sync, automatic updates and photo backups on laptops before connecting, and choose a larger or unlimited plan if several devices will share your data.
Staying safe on public Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is common in Taiwan's stations, convenience stores, cafés and hotels, and some cities run public networks. It is convenient but not always secure.
- Use your eSIM data for banking, payments and logins.
- Check the network name with staff before connecting.
- Turn off automatic connection to open networks.
- Keep your phone's software up to date before you travel.
Practical tips for Taiwan
Some local knowledge that makes a data connection more useful:
- Currency: Taiwan uses the New Taiwan dollar. Cards are accepted in hotels, department stores and chain shops, but night markets, street food stalls and small restaurants often take cash only.
- Convenience stores: they are everywhere and sell snacks, transport card top-ups, phone chargers and much more.
- Messaging: LINE is widely used in Taiwan; guesthouses and tour operators may prefer it.
- Weather: summers are hot and humid, and typhoons can affect Taiwan, mainly from summer into autumn. Check forecasts and transport updates if one is approaching.
- Earthquakes: Taiwan is seismically active. Phones may receive emergency alerts in Chinese; a translation app helps you understand them.
- Language: Mandarin is the main language. English appears on transport signs, but less elsewhere, so camera translation helps with menus.
Combining Taiwan with other countries
Taiwan is a short flight from several popular destinations. Common combinations include Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macao, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.
For trips through several countries, buy one eSIM per country, install them before you leave and switch the active data line when you arrive in each. For a stay in Taiwan only, a Taiwan plan keeps things simple.