Last Updated on 12-30-2023
Do you know there is a bike sharing system in Taiwan? People often use YouBike to go around a current city. They can rent a bike from one spot and return it to another. This helps to reduce carbon emissions, encourages physical activity, and reduces traffic congestion. It also has some discounts when transferring transportation. YouBike has thousands of rental spots in many cities in Taiwan including Taipei, New Taipei, Miaoli, Kaohsiung, and Taichung. Besides, it is also known for its super low cost.
YouBike, The Largest Bike Sharing In Taiwan
With the increase of the population and the gradual improvement of environmental awareness, the use of bicycles as a means of transportation has become a trend, which is quite helpful for the environmental protection of the whole city, reducing the amount of carbon emissions and improving the health of citizens.
The first demonstration operation started on March 11, 2009, with 11 stations and 500 bicycles around the Xinyi Project area. The whole system was finally launched on November 30, 2012. YouBike became mostly popular thanks to the metro system. It served as a way of transportation either between stations or from one point to an MRT station. You can notice that now there is a YouBike spot next to each MRT Station.
Moreover, when YouBike was becoming more and more popular, YouBike 2.0 had a trial operation in 2020. Recently, YouBike also launched the YouBike 2.0E to make less effort when riding.
Different Types of YouBike in Taiwan
YouBike: Version 1.0
The Version 1.0 bikes are yellow and orange, and there is a kiosk automatic service beside the YouBike Station. You can pay with a credit card for a single ride or register your EasyCard to become a member so that you can simply borrow the bikes without using the kiosk every time (the registration requires a local phone number but not for single rides). Use the kiosk for both by selecting English and what you want to do. For single rides, just select a YouBike from the stand and pull back on the handlebars to release it from the stand after paying.
Service places
Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu Science Park, Miaoli County, Taichung City
YouBike: Version 2.0
Version 2.0 bikes are white and yellow and don’t have a kiosk automatic service machine, so if you’re a tourist or don’t already have a registered EasyCard, it’s better to find Version 1.0. YouBike 2.0 provides some upgraded features and allows payment by QR code if needed. If you’re using an EasyCard, walk up to the bike you want to rent, press the green button to ‘wake up’ the bike, and then just tap your EasyCard on the reader until you hear the beep and pull the bike back from the stand as usual.
Places
Taipei City, New Taipei City, Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City, Taichung City, Chiayi City, Kaohsiung City
YouBike: Version 2.0E
The difference between Version 2.0 and Version 2.0E is that Version 2.0E bikes provide electric power to ride more easily and won’t be so tired. If the battery is below 20%, please return the bike as soon as possible. If the battery is below 5%, you can also ride and return the bike normally without power assistance. Besides, Version 2.0E rental measures and other things are all the same as in Version 2.0.
Places
Taichung City, Chiayi City
How To Rent A YouBike In Taiwan?
Although the 1.0 and 2.0 versions are very similar, the most important thing is that you can only return version 1.0 bikes to version 1.0 stands, and also the same for version 2.0 (you can’t return version 1.0 bikes to version 2.0 bike stands).
Apply To Version1.0/Version 2.0
Version 1.0 (renting)
Step1: Use Kiosk automatic service machine (only for version 1.0) to press “我要租車” (“I want to rent a car”).
Step2: Press「單次租車」（“Single Rides Rental”）and step by step for credit card binding then readind the instruction
Step3: Choose the car’s number
Step4: Green light starts flashing and short beeping can pick up the car.
Step5: Hold the handle with both hands and pull back to take the car out.
Version 1.0 (Returning)
Step1: Push the bike into an empty stand
Step2: Make sure the light blinks blue, and the bike cannot be pulled out.
Step3: Blue light starts flashing and short beeping means return the bike successfully.
Version 2.0/Version 2.0E (Renting)
Step1: Use YouBike 2.0 App and open the side menu. Press “會員登入/註冊(“Login/Registration”)
Step2: Press ”單次租車” (“Single Rides Ren”) and follow the steps to bind the credit card.
Step3: Return to the main screen and press the button “掃碼借車” (“Scan the code to borrow a bike”).
Step4: Aim at the car screen and scan the QR code or enter the verification code to unlock the bike. (Notice: If the light is too bright to scan the code, enter the verification code to unlock the bike.)
Step5: The screen shows “請取車 本車請還於 2.0 停車柱“(“Please pick up your bike and please return this vehicle to the 2.0 parking bollard”) and hold the handle with both hands, then pull back to take out the bike.
Version 2.0/Version 2.0E (Returning)
Step1: Push the bike into an empty stand.
Step2: Make sure the bike is back in the lock.
Step3: When the screen shows “還車成功” means you have returned the bike successfully.
If the car rental sensor card shows the system code
| Code | Description |
| 0 | 1. Your card has been placed for too short a time and the system did not read it successfully, please extend the card induction time. 2. Your card was placed in the inner place of the wallet/card holder and could not be read, please take out the card and retry it. |
| 1 | The card is unregistered. To use YouBike, you must register as a member and make sure you have registered this card in your card list. (Note: If you are a newly registered member, you will have to wait 3-5 minutes after registration before you can rent a bike) |
| 2 | 1. Appear the code when renting a car If you have already returned the car, please call the customer service number of your county or city (general payment) to help you. 2. Appear the code when returning a car If code 2 appears, please check the light on the reader first. If it shows the blue light, it means the car has not been returned successfully. Please pull the car out and return it again (you can shake the faucet left and right to loosen the car lock) or try to lean the car forward to make sure the car lock is completely tightly locked. If the light is green and there is still an error code 2, please call the customer service number (general fee) of your county or city immediately. |
| 3 | To make up for the previous chargeback and registration record. The system did not debit your car for the previous rental because the money on your card was not enough or the card was not recognized when you returned the car. |
| 4 | Please make sure the money in the card is more than NT$1 before renting a car. |
| 5 | It means returning the car with the wrong card (swipe A to rent a car, swipe B to return the car). Please confirm that the indicator light jumps back to the green swipe light, which means that the car has been returned successfully. |
| 6 | It means your card has an amount to be deducted, but the money on the card is not enough to pay. Please recharge more than the deducted amount before the next rental car, and then deduct the money by induction on any car column at the rental station , code 3 will appear at that time, that is, the payment is successfully deducted, and then the card can be used to rent a car. |
| 7 | It means the e-ticket is abnormal, please call the customer service number of each county and city (generally charged) to confirm the status of the card. |
| 8 | It means renewal requirements. When you return the bike after 15 minutes, it is not allowed to borrow a car at the same station. |
| 9/A | Please try again in a minute. If it still doesn’t work, you can turn back the seat, that means ‘the bike is abnormal’. |
| 2-9 | If it happens when you borrow a car, it is due to the abnormal equipment, if you go to another bollard immediately, the message code 2 will appear. Please wait for three minutes, let the system reorganize the data. |
Cost of Renting a YouBike
Version1.0/Version 2.0
Price
- NT$10 per 30 min within the first 4 hours
- NT$20 per 30 min between 4 and 8 hours
- NT$40 per 30 min exceeding 8 hours.
NB: Less than 30 minutes counts as 30 minutes.
There are also some discounts in every city. Take Taipei and New Taipei City, for example. The first 30 minutes of a member’s ride only costs NT$5, which is subsidized by the Taipei City Government and New Taipei City Government, and the fee for renting a bike for more than 30 minutes remains the same as it is now.
YouBike 2.0 is available for transfer/monthly ticket/senior card discounts. While other cities are different from Taipei, you can figure it out on YouBike.
Version 2.0E
Price
- NT$20 per 30 min for the first 2 hours
- NT$40 per 30 min from the 3rd hour
- Less than 30 minutes counts as 30 minutes
By the way, Taiwan used to have oBike, but there was no systematic way to park them like YouBike, so people parked them anywhere and they didn’t follow the traffic rules, which became an obstruction to traffic, so it was later eliminated.
Besides, there are still other successful bike sharing systems in Taiwan, like T-Bike of Tainan City, MOOVO of Changhua City, Pbike of Pingtung City, and K-Bike of Kinmen City. If you visit there, then you will see it!
Which one of the bike-sharing systems are you looking forward to using the most? Tell us in the comment section.
The Version 1.0 bikes are yellow and orange, and there is a kiosk automatic service beside the YouBike Station. You can pay with a credit card for a single ride or register your EasyCard to become a member so that you can simply borrow thebike price without using the kiosk every time (the registration requires a local phone number but not for single rides).