How to rent a YouBike bicycle in Taipei

Register 

You will need to first register at the Kiosk (on the left of photo). Once only. English and Mandarin language displayed. Warning: it's impossible to read the screen of the Kiosk when the sunlight is bright.

Left side: Kiosk to register

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To register you will need A) a Taiwanese mobile phone number and B) an Easy card (cashless payment card). It's definitely worth getting an Easy card in any case, for using public transport. Ask for one at any convenience store, and hand the cashier some cash to load onto your Easycard (suggest $500-1,000 NT).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choosing a bike

Follow the instructions on the display panel: touch the panel with your Easycard. You will also need to touch the panel in the same way, when you end the rental period, to complete the payment. (Meanwhile, if you somehow lost the bike, you are liable for $9,000. Don't worry about it, bike theft is extremely rare in Taipei (unlike, say, London).

old style

Two different styles of bike 

new style

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You need to notice whether your bike is OLD style (see photos) tap the sensor NEXT to the bike) or NEW style (tap the sensor ON the bike). The reason you need to notice is, these two designs are NOT physically interchangeable. When you finish with the bike, when you come to 'dock' your bike, you can only return it to the suitable old or new bike dock. With that proviso, you don't have to return to the exact same location you started out at, you can leave your bike at any YouBike stand in town, on condition that it is the suitable style, old or new. 

TIP: the bikes come with a locking system. Use it to lock your bike while you pop into a shop, rather than terminate the rental at a YouBike stand. Once you return your bike to the stand and tap your EasyCard to finish the payment, the software doesn't allow to rent another bike there for 15 minutes.