The EasyCard ( traditional Chinese: 悠遊卡) is a contactless smartcard system operated by the Taipei Smart Card Corporation for payment on the Taipei Metro, buses, and other public transport services in Taipei since June 2002. Its use has since been expanded to include convenience stores, department stores, supermarkets, and other retailers. ^[1] Like conventional electronic fare systems, the card employs RFID technology to operate without physical contact. They are available for purchase at all metro stations and some convenience stores.

The Taipei Smart Card Corporation was established in 2000 with a total capitalization of NT$500 million. ^[2] Shareholders include the Taipei City Government, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, banks, bus companies, and other companies. Promotional trials of the card began in 2001, and the card was officially released in 2002. ^[3] In 2008, the company changed its name to the EasyCard Corporation to increase branding and visibility. ^[4]

By 2009, the company had issued over 18 million cards (over 20 million if co-branded cards are included). ^{[3] [5]} EasyCard transactions now account for 91% of Taipei Metro transactions, 92% of bus transactions, and 71% of parking lot transactions. ^[6] Daily transactions reached 3.1 million in 2009.

The name EasyCard was chosen in a contest where the general public was asked to propose names. In Mandarin Chinese the card is known as 悠遊卡 ( Pinyin: Yōu-yóu Kǎ), which literally means Easy Travel Card. The logo is composed of four different colored logos radiating outward, each representing something different: technology and unhindered travel, sustainable development, commitment, and efficiency. ^[7] In 2003, the EasyCard logo won the 20th American Corporate Identity Award of Excellence.

See zh:悠遊卡使用範圍列表 for further information about the EasyCard in Chinese.

Users of the card on the Taipei Metro are required to pass the card over the EasyCard sensor area on faregates both entering and leaving the stations; the first pass registers the start of the journey and the second as the end. Fares deducted from the card depend on the distance traveled and whether a public bus was used within a transfer time frame. Fares on the Taipei Metro are based on distance, with a 20% discount over single journey tokens.

The pass can also be used for the Maokong Gondola.

The card can currently be used on TRA trains from Keelung to Hsinchu and Ruifang Station. ^[8]

Except full seat-reserved trains such Taroko Express, group trains, tourism trains and specified operating trains, all passenger trains allow payment with the EasyCard with a 10% discount (rounded up) base to local train fare.

When paying bus fare, the EasyCard machine prevents repeated transactions on the same card until the bus travels into the next paying sector. The bus driver can decide to reset cards to pay for another passenger. Transfers between the metro and bus systems offer 20% discounts which are automatically taken when the card is scanned. The EasyCard can be used on bus systems in Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung.

A trial allowing the payment of taxi fares with the card was carried out in 2005 ^[9] but this payment option was not then implemented on a wider level for taxi journeys.

EasyCards are accepted in government-run parking lots and some privately-run parking lots. ^[8] Parking meters accept Easy Cards exclusively, charged in quarter-hour increments, and expire in due time like a normal meter.

In addition to being usable on the Taipei Metro and buses, the EasyCard is also accepted at public garages adjacent to metro stations and in other areas of Taipei. As of 2008, the EasyCard can be used to pay for boat rides in areas such as Danshui.

As of April 1, 2010, EasyCards can now be used to pay for purchases at some stores including as 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Cosmed, OK Mart, Hi-Life, Starbucks, and Pacific SOGO. ^[8] The EasyCard can now be used at over 10,000 retail outlets throughout Taiwan. ^[5]

In addition to payment, the EasyCard has also been used as a multifunctional card. At the 2010 World Model UN Conference held in Taipei, the card served as a ticket, meal coupon, and identification card (in addition to its regular uses). ^[10] Limited edition cards have also been sold to raise money for charity. ^[11]

In addition to paying for public transit, parking, and select retailers, the EasyCard can also be used for:

• Intercity buses bound for Yilan through Syueshan Tunnel on No. 5 Freeway, and another routes bound for Hsinchu, Taichung, etc.
• Buses on Matsu Island.
• Buses in Yilan County, four lines south of Lanyang River operated by Capital Bus.
• Ferries (Taipei Blue highway).
• Admission into the Taipei Zoo, and a few museums, festival activities and recreational areas.
• Library cards, allowing the user to borrow materials from Taipei or Yilan Public Libraries.
• Digital IDs, including Student ID Cards.
• YouBike bicycle rental system.

EasyCards can be used for purchases of up to NT$1,000 at designated stores, up to a maximum of NT$3,000 per day. ^[12] This limit does not apply to payment of government fees, public service charges, medical costs, transport services (including recreational services like the Maokong Gondola or bicycle rental), miscellaneous school expenses, and parking fees. ^[12] Value can be added in multiples of NT$100 and each card can hold up to NT$10,000 of value. ^[13]

For consumer safety, all money from EasyCard deposits are held in the EasyCard Prepaid Trust Fund managed by Cathay United Bank. All deposits are protected by a full refund guarantee issued by First Bank. ^[13]

If a card has not been used for over two years, a deposit must be made before the card will be reactivated. The balance on a card can be checked on the scanner unit whenever a transaction is made or using an EasyCard Reader located at all Taipei Metro stations. ^[12]

• Adult: These standard fare cards cost NT$500, inclusive of a NT$400 balance and NT$100 deposit. ^[14] Purchase and add-value are available to all Taipei Metro stations, bus stations, and most convenience stores. The card can be credited to a maximum of balance of NT$10,000. ^[15] Unused fees and the deposit are refundable.

• Student: These cards costs the same amount (NT$500), but can only be purchased from station staff with appropriate student identification. The pricing model remains the same on the Metro but is discounted on public buses at NT$12 rather than NT$15.

Note: As of May 1, 2010, at certain convenience store chains (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK Mart), Adult and Student cards may be purchased at NT$200 (NT$100 balance and NT$100 deposit). ^[14]

• Concessionaire: These cards are reserved for children (under eligible legislation), seniors over 65 years of age, and disabled persons. ^[14] It offers discounts depending on the service used.

• Taipei Pass: A special-purpose card that allows for unlimited travel on the metro and associated bus services and three trips on the Maokong Gondola. ^[16] The pass is sold as a one-day, two-day, three-day, or five-day pass. It expires on midnight of the expiry date. Buses that accept the card will display a TaipeiPass identification sticker. ^[17]

Joint-branded cards allow for an EasyCard to be linked with a credit or ATM account to automatically add value. ^[18] This allows for consumers to pay for products, services, or government fees with the card. The option remains popular with users in spite of handling fees and a limit of how much money can be added per day (NT$500). ^[19]

Several attempts have been made to embed EasyCard radio chips into mobile devices, enabling "transactions by phone." Users are not billed by their telecommunications accounts; rather, they can read transaction records and check balance using a supported mobile phone.

The EasyCard has been very popular since its launch in 2002. By 2010, over 23 million cards had been issued. (The source did not say what cards have returned has subprised) ^[20]

Critics have called for stronger measures to promote name registration of EasyCards in order to protect consumer rights. Over NT$600 million is lost yearly in lost cards. ^[21] As of 2009, less than 0.02% of cards had been registered.

At the 27. annual hacker conference of the German Chaos Computer Club (27C3), the German hacker Harald Welte showed, that it is possible to change the amount of money stored on the card. The system has to be considered as completely broken. EasyCard Corp. has made of the card system is "absolute" security.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to EasyCard.

• Official homepage of the EasyCard Corporation