Taoyuan airport and Taipei
Most travellers land at Taoyuan and go to Taipei by bus, train or taxi. If data already works, you can check the route at once, message your host and call a car. Save your hotel address in Chinese to show the driver.
eSIM for Taiwan — internet in Taipei and the mountains
Региональные тарифы
Глобальные тарифы
Internet
Yes
Calls
No
SMS
No
4G
Yes
How Funsim eSIM packages work
Compatibility:
Works only on unlocked eSIM-supported devices — check your phone compatibility before purchase
Data-only:
Most packages do not include calls or SMS
Activation:
Choose one of three methods:
Scan QR code
Install via 'Quick Install' button
Manual setup through phone settings
Validity:
Use the package within 3 months from purchase
Options:
Local (one country), Regional (multiple countries), Global (many countries)
Not available for Sicily
About this eSIM
Taiwan is an island where a big city, hot springs, mountain railways and tropical beaches are only a few hours apart. Signs are mostly in Chinese, so a translator, a map and online bookings are needed almost every day. An eSIM installed at home lets you step off the plane at Taoyuan airport with the internet already working.
eSIM, SIM card or roaming in Taiwan
You can buy an eSIM for Taiwan online right on this page from 3 500 ₸: choose a data plan, pay by card and get the QR code within minutes. An eSIM is a digital SIM card — it installs on your phone with no plastic card and no visit to a phone shop.
The eSIM connects to local mobile networks, so you have data wherever they have coverage — Taipei and the rest of the country.
Roaming in Taiwan with a Kazakh carrier is usually far more expensive, and roaming data runs out fast. With a Funsim eSIM you pay a fixed price for a data package and keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and bank SMS — roaming on it can stay off.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can buy a regular physical SIM card with data for Taiwan at a Funsim point of sale: at Almaty and Shymkent airports, or at our offices in Almaty — 130/1 Abay St and 1 Pozharsky St. Handy if you remember about the internet right before departure.
Why an eSIM works well for Taiwan
A trip around the island rarely stops at one city: Taipei, a couple of excursions to the coast, a lake or the mountains, then the south and maybe the islands. Every leg needs maps, timetables and a translator, and looking for separate internet in each city is a hassle. One profile covers the whole route. If you are going on through East Asia, look at the regional plans.
An eSIM needs no queue and no purchase on arrival: you install the profile at home and just switch data on when you land. Your main SIM stays in the phone for calls and bank SMS. Most plans have no voice calls, so messengers are the easiest way to talk to hosts, drivers and guides.
| Criterion | eSIM Funsim | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| When to set up | At home, before the flight | Usually on arrival | After landing, in a shop or kiosk |
| What you do in Taiwan | Switch data on for the eSIM | Check your operator's terms | Visit a point of sale in person |
| Cost of data | Fixed package, see plans above | Usually much more expensive | Depends on the tariff |
| Your home number | Stays for calls and banking | Stays active | Usually a second SIM or a swap |
| Trip across several regions | One profile for the island | Depends on operator terms | Yes, but you need time to buy it |
Where an eSIM helps most in Taiwan
Cities and the west coast are densely covered, while signal can be weaker in the mountains, forests and remote islands. These are the places where you will use the internet most.
Jiufen and Shifen
A hillside town above the sea and a village with a railway line running through it, reached from Taipei on a half-day or day trip. There are many bus and train changes, and timetables matter. A map and a translator help you not miss the last evening transport, and in fog and rain it is handy to check the weather.
Yangmingshan and Beitou
A national park on the edge of Taipei with volcanic trails and a hot spring district. The towns are close, but signal can weaken on the trails. Download an offline map, check the springs' opening hours and keep your phone charged, especially in cool rainy weather.
Sun Moon Lake
A scenic lake in the middle of the island with cycle paths, boats and viewpoints. People usually come from Taichung by bus. You need internet for timetables, boat tickets and finding a room, and away from the villages the signal can be uneven.
Alishan
A forested mountain area with a high-altitude railway and sunrises above a sea of clouds. The weather changes fast, and in forests and gorges signal is weaker than in cities. Check bookings and tickets in advance, and save maps and the route offline.
Kaohsiung and Kenting
Port city Kaohsiung with its metro and waterfronts, and the beach town of Kenting at the island's southern tip. People go by bus or car, and on the beach the phone is for maps, food orders and contacting hosts. In summer check the weather and storm warnings.
Hualien and Taitung
The east coast with quiet bays, rice fields in the valley and hot springs. There are fewer settlements, and roads run between mountains and sea. Download an offline map, fill the tank in advance and save your accommodation's contact in case signal drops on a stretch.
Penghu
An archipelago in the Taiwan Strait reached by plane or ferry. The islands have beaches, wind and diving, and weather strongly affects services. You need internet to check schedules and message hosts and taxis, but on small islets and away from the villages signal can be uneven.
Useful apps for a trip to Taiwan
Many familiar services work, but a few apps are especially popular in Taiwan. Better sign up at home, while SMS reaches your main SIM.
LINE
MessengerThe most widespread messenger in Taiwan: hosts, drivers, restaurants and guides all use it. Register in advance with your main SIM number and check that sign-in works.
Google Maps
NavigationWorks well for city transport, walking routes and finding cafes. Download offline maps of areas where signal may be weak, such as mountains and the coast.
Google Translate
TranslationNeeded for signs, menus and notices in Chinese. The camera translates characters on the spot, and a downloaded Chinese language works without the internet.
Uber
TaxiOperates in Taiwan and lets you call a car with the price shown before the ride and card payment. Install it in advance and enter the address in Latin letters or in characters so the driver is not confused.
Foodpanda and Uber Eats
Food deliveryPopular delivery services for restaurants and shops. Handy in the evening or in bad weather, and photos of dishes in the app help avoid language problems.
T EXPRESS
TrainsThe official high-speed rail app for buying and keeping tickets. Download it and figure it out in advance, including payment, while you still have home Wi-Fi.
Practical facts about Taiwan
- Currency
- The New Taiwan dollar (TWD). In cities cards are accepted in many hotels, malls and chain stores, but markets and small venues need cash.
- Sockets
- Type A and B sockets with flat pins, 110 V, 60 Hz. You need an adapter, and phone and laptop chargers are usually built for this range, but check the label on the unit.
- Emergency
- Police 110, fire and ambulance 119. You can also dial 112 from a mobile. Save your accommodation address and show it on the map when you call.
- Time difference
- Taiwan is three hours ahead of Kazakhstan all year: when it is noon in Astana, it is 15:00 in Taipei. There is no summer time.
- Language
- The main language is Chinese (Mandarin), and signs use traditional characters. The metro and stations have English labels, but English may not help in small cafes, so a translator is useful.
- Travel card
- In Taipei and other cities an EasyCard or similar card is handy: it pays for the metro, buses and many shops. You can buy and top it up at metro stations and convenience stores.
- 24-hour shops
- Convenience store chains are almost on every corner. You can buy water, food and a charger there and top up a travel card, so help is nearby in most places.
- Typhoons and rain
- The typhoon and heavy rain season falls in summer and autumn, and weather can cancel flights and close mountain routes. Follow the forecast and leave some spare time between connections.
- Entry
- Check current entry rules for citizens of Kazakhstan before the trip.
How to set up your eSIM before a trip to Taiwan
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. You can see this in the settings or on the manufacturer's website.
Choose a Taiwan plan above and pay by card on the site, no passport is needed. If you are going on across the region, look at the regional plans.
Install the eSIM at home by QR code, the Quick install button or manually while Wi-Fi is available.
After landing, choose the eSIM as your mobile data line and switch data roaming on for that line only.
Keep your main SIM for calls and bank SMS, but turn off mobile data on it so traffic does not go through roaming.
If the package runs out, buy extra data on the site. Check the plan page for hotspot use with a laptop.
Register LINE and the taxi apps at home and save your accommodation addresses in Chinese: that way you will not have to explain a route when signal is weak.