The first two days in Taipei, in priority order: what has to happen, what should, and what can wait. Tick things off as you go.
For Taipei
How long you are staying
Must do
From any convenience store or MRT station. Either card works on trains, buses and bikes across Taiwan and pays at convenience stores.
Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone sell prepaid SIMs at the airport. Bring your passport and a second photo ID; a contract usually waits for the ARC.
At a National Immigration Agency service centre within 15 days of entering on a resident visa, with your passport, photos, the lease and your work or study documents. Gold Card holders skip this step.
Should do
There are no street bins for household waste. Trucks come to set points at set times, playing music, and you hand the bags over in person; recycling and food waste are separate. Ask your landlord for the schedule.
119 for an ambulance or fire, 110 for the police. The National Immigration Agency's foreigner helpline, 0800-024-111, answers in English around the clock.
NT$1,200 a month buys unlimited MRT, city buses, local trains and YouBike's first 30 minutes across Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei and Taoyuan. Activate it on your EasyCard at an MRT machine.
Taipei charges for household waste by the bag: general rubbish must go in the city's official prepaid bags, sold at convenience stores and supermarkets. Recycling and food waste go to the truck separately, free.
Eating, drinking and chewing gum are banned past the yellow line, and fines start at NT$1,500. That includes a sip of water.
Once you have the ARC, bring it with your passport, Taiwanese phone number and an employment letter. Some banks open accounts for foreigners more readily than others; ask colleagues which branch they used.
Nice to do
Every neighbourhood has a zǎocān diàn serving egg crêpes, radish cake and iced milk tea for a few dozen dollars. Tick the paper menu and hand it in.
Most countries' offices in Taiwan run a registration or alert service for nationals. It matters most in typhoon and earthquake season.
Ride your route at rush hour before you sign, and walk from the station. A flat ten minutes from the MRT feels different in a summer downpour.
Your first 48 hours in Taipei0/120% done. Ticks are saved on this device.