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Taipei introduces taxi tours and 24-hour toll-free interpretation services for foreign tourists

Joan Coello May 28, 2015
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Hello, Rocketeers! Have our recent posts on cute Taiwanese girls, guys and pets gotten you wanderlusting for the fascinating lands of Taiwan? Well, if the language barrier is a concern, we have some exciting information!

Taipei’s city government has been working with the leading local taxi companies to roll out some city tour packages and 24-hour interpretation services to make travelling around Taipei easier for foreign tourists. All the details after the break!

Exploring foreign lands can be fun and exciting, but not speaking nor understanding the local language may be quite a hurdle to overcome, especially when you’re trying to get from place to place.

Taipei is the capital city of Taiwan, and it has a well-established public transport infrastructure that is both convenient and economical, but there are times when taking a taxi is much more convenient in the sense that you can hop on and alight just about anywhere without having to walk to find a station or fret about buying tickets, and you’re guaranteed a seat on-board. But on the flip side, if you’re not familiar with the roads, you wouldn’t know if the driver is taking you on a detour or bumping up the fare for a quick buck, and there are chances of miscommunication if you don’t speak the local lingo.

To help foreign tourists get around more easily, the Taipei city government recently started providing 24-hour toll-free interpretation services so that tourists and taxi drivers can seek help if they’re having trouble communicating. Simply dial the Taipei resident service hotline at 1999 for English- or Japanese-to-Mandarin interpretation. Korean-speaking tourists can call the Tourism Bureau for interpretation assistance at their toll-free hotline: 0800-011765.

The Taipei city government has also joined hands with three local taxi companies, METRO Taxi Co., Ltd, Taiwan Taxi Co., Ltd and Crown GPS Taxi Co., Ltd, bringing together a pool of approximately 70 drivers who are trained to provide a selection of city tours that will take tourists around some of Taipei’s most popular sightseeing locations. Foreign tourists can also request a driver who speaks foreign languages when making a tour booking.

▼ Get a glimpse of Taipei’s cultural sites such as the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and Martyrs’ Shrine, fares starting from NT$1,800 (US$59) onwards.

▼ Take a trip to the suburbs and explore Yangmingshan, one of Taiwan’s most famed national parks, trips starting from NT$1,999 (US$65) onwards.

▼ Relax and have fun at Taipei’s most popular hot spring area, the Beitou hot springs, tours available from NT$1,999 (US$65).

If these tour plans don’t include places you want to visit, you can also customize your very own taxi tour! For more information about tourism in Taiwan, visit the Travel Taiwan website.

Source: ETToday
Images: ETToday, Taipei City Public Transportation Office