Taiwan SIM Card at the Airport: Counters, Prices, What to Bring

Last verified 25 Oct 2026

What the three operators offer

Each plan runs for a set number of hours from activation, and a 3-day card is 72 hours. Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone say their tourist cards cannot be extended. Chunghwa Telecom’s tourist page does not cover extensions, so ask at the counter.

Chunghwa Telecom prices

Chunghwa Telecom is the only one of the three that prints prices as text.

Each card includes some voice credit, from NT$50 to NT$430 depending on the plan. The page lists a tethering allowance only for 5G cards. Prices change, so check the Chunghwa Telecom page the week you fly.

Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone

Taiwan Mobile’s page says its 3, 5 and 7-day plans are unlimited with no throttling and include free airtime. FarEasTone’s page lists unlimited data plans with a voice credit and, on some plans, a hotspot-sharing allowance of 3GB to 30GB. Both put the price in images, so it cannot be quoted here. Open the Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone pages and read the price off the plan you want.

Where the counters are

Chunghwa Telecom’s tourist page gives locations but no hours. It sends you to the service centre locator for current opening times. Hours at Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone come from their own pages. Check the operator page for the counter you plan to use.

If you land late, read Taoyuan Airport late-night arrival. The Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone arrival-hall stores in the table close by 21:00, so a late flight may mean reaching Taipei without data. Taiwan Mobile’s page also shows other airport counters with later hours, but does not label which terminal they are in. Download your hotel address and a map offline before you fly.

What to bring

1. Two original ID documents. Taiwan Mobile asks for a foreign passport as the primary ID (Entry/Exit Permit for travellers from mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau). The second can be a valid ARC, Taiwan driver’s licence, NHI card, visa or Entry/Exit Permit.
2. Chunghwa Telecom’s list for an eSIM is a passport, Exit & Entry Permit or ARC, plus a second document: ARC, NHI card, driver’s licence, passport or student ID.
3. FarEasTone’s eSIM rules add that you must be at least 18 and that your documents need at least six months of validity left.
4. Payment. Bring NT$ cash for Chunghwa Telecom, which accepts nothing else. For getting into the city after you have a SIM, see Taoyuan Airport to Taipei.
5. Your phone. The staff may need to open the SIM tray or scan an eSIM QR code.

Physical SIM or eSIM

A physical SIM is the simple choice if your phone has a SIM tray and is unlocked. Staff fit it at the counter.

An eSIM needs a compatible phone. Chunghwa Telecom lists iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later on iOS 12.2 or newer, and Pixel 4 and later. It says iPhones sold in mainland China do not support eSIM. FarEasTone gives the same iPhone rule and a longer list that includes Samsung, OPPO, Xiaomi and others, so check the FarEasTone eSIM page for your model.

You need a connection to download an eSIM. FarEasTone says the download fails without Wi-Fi or mobile data. Chunghwa Telecom says you can use free airport Wi-Fi or staff-assisted CHT Wi-Fi. Taiwan Mobile’s page does not say which models it supports, so use its eSIM page.

Unlocked phone and 5G

If you plan to use an eSIM-only iPhone, Chunghwa Telecom says it must be unlocked. Go to Settings, General, About, then look under Carrier Lock for “No SIM restrictions”. Taiwan Mobile says a 4G or 5G card needs a 4G or 5G phone, and recommends a multi-band model. On a 5G card in an area without 5G, Taiwan Mobile says usage is charged at the 5G rate, so ask the staff what that means for your plan.

Common mistakes

1. Planning to buy after a late landing. The Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone arrival-hall stores listed above close by 21:00.
2. Expecting to top up data. Taiwan Mobile allows voice top-up only, and FarEasTone allows none. Buy the right number of days at the start.
3. Counting days wrongly. Plans run in 24-hour blocks from activation, so a 5-day card is 120 hours.
4. Bringing only a passport. Two original documents are asked for.
5. Arriving with a locked phone. Check the lock status before you leave home.
6. Assuming the price. Two of the three operators show it only as an image. Read the current price before you queue.

For the rest of your arrival, see the Taiwan arrival card guide and the first-time-in-Taiwan guide. Plans, prices and counter hours change, so check the operators’ official pages before you fly.

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