Credit card acceptance in Taiwan/Taipei?
I'm going to visit Taipei next week. Now I wonder how good the acceptance of a credit card is there.
Specifically, is it more like in China, where even Visa/Master is rarely accepted in local restaurants whereas UnionPay is widely available, or more like in other countries that Visa/Master has far more share than UnionPay?
And can you use your card (Visa/Master or UnionPay, though I prefer Amex if possible) in cheap local restaurants - those that cost US$3 ~ $9 per person - in Taipei to begin with?
In case the acceptance of a card is low, is there any alternative way to avoid bringing cash in your pocket? For example in China, you can use mobile payment system like AliPay or WeChat Pay and its availability is near 100% even in the cheapest local hawkers possible.
Best Answer
For my trip to Taiwan I bought a Japanese guide to Taipei from aruku-net.jp. The editors asked the owners of every restaurant they visited which credit cards were accepted there.
Going through the pages of the guide, there seems to be an about 50/50 chance that any given restaurant you go to will take a credit card. When credit cards are accepted, it appears that Visa, MasterCard, JCB and ChinaPay are all fairly common. But restaurants that take Amex are very rare indeed.
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Can foreigners get credit cards in Taiwan?
Yes a foreigner can get a credit card from some bank in Taiwan. Most bank tellers are unaware of this and might simple tell you no at first. But with a cool head and politeness you can apply for your own credit card.Can I use my Visa debit card in Taiwan?
You can use the Visa Debit card at all ATMs in Taiwan to withdraw cash (in TWD), make payments, make transfers and check the balance of your TWD saving account. You can also use it to make payments by signing the receipt at any overseas merchant that accepts Visa credit card.Which bank is best in Taiwan for foreigners?
Local banks that are popular with expats include CTBC Bank, Bank of Taiwan and Taichung Bank. Alternatively, expats can open an account at a local branch of a foreign bank such as HSBC, Barclays, Citibank or Standard Chartered.Can I pay with card in Taiwan cashless?
Taiwan has only recently begun to kick its cash habit. For years, small merchants on the island would only accept bills and coins. Some still don't take plastic and mobile payments. Many do, but there's a catch: They tell the customer goods are pricier if paid for with a credit card.Visa is the most widely accepted and preferred credit card in Taiwan
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