Seniors, Claim Your Money! 2026 Six-Metropolitan Elderly Card Benefits Upgraded: 'Monthly Up to NT$1,000 Until Death,' Automatic Deposit for Eligible Cardholders

Starting July 1 this year, New Taipei City's Elderly and Love Card has expanded its service scope to include rental discounts for YouBike 2.0E electric-assisted bicycles within the city, offering the first 30 minutes free. Wu Cheng-yen, Senior Technical Specialist at the New Taipei City Department of Transportation, revealed that just half a month after the new policy launched, the average daily usage of YouBike 2.0E rentals via the Elderly and Love Card has exceeded 2,200 times—about 1,400 more than before the policy, a 166% surge. This shows that the 30-minute free ride, combined with the ease of electric-assisted bikes, is highly popular among seniors and people with disabilities. Moreover, in 2026, all six major metropolitan cities in Taiwan will upgrade the elderly cards for those aged 65 and above, expanding services from simple public transport fare discounts to multiple life domains including healthcare, sports and recreation, cultural tourism, and cross-county commuting. Eligible applicants—including those aged 65 or older registered in the area, indigenous people aged 55 or older, or foreign nationals with new permanent residency cards—can apply for free at their local district office with identification and a photo. Monthly subsidy highlights by city: Taipei and New Taipei City: 600 points per person per month. Taoyuan City: 800 points per person per month. Taichung City: 1,000 points per person per month. Kaohsiung City: Starting in July, adjusted from an annual 1,200 points to 600 points monthly, with a maximum annual benefit of 7,200 points. Tainan City: Offers unlimited free rides on Greater Tainan buses to local seniors. City Monthly Subsidy / Distribution Method Taipei City 600 points per person per month New Taipei City 600 points per person per month Taoyuan City 800 points per person per month Taichung City 1,000 points per person per month Kaohsiung City Adjusted from annual 1,200 to monthly 600 points (annual max 7,200 points) starting July Tainan City Unlimited free rides on Greater Tainan buses What hidden features does the Elderly Card have? How to use medical consultation discounts and sports venue benefits? Beyond common half-price discounts on buses and MRT, the card's points have diverse uses: Medical registration fee reduction: Low-to-mid-income seniors or those receiving government elderly living allowances in Taipei City can use points to offset outpatient registration fees at Taipei City United Hospitals, with up to 50 points per visit. Starting in July, Kaohsiung City will gradually include registration fees at municipal hospitals, Qishan Hospital, and 38 district health centers, allowing direct deduction of 50 points per visit. Sports and recreation: Seniors can use the card to offset entry fees or facility rental costs at sports centers, swimming pools, and gyms. In Taipei, 30 to 55 points can be deducted depending on the venue; Taichung supports court rentals and fitness equipment discounts. Cultural and tourist attraction tickets: Popular sites such as the National Palace Museum, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Natural Science, New Taipei City's Shisanhang Museum, Taoyuan's Cihu Park, and Taipei Zoo all offer free admission or point-based discounts. How are transportation benefits changing in Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan? What about taxi and YouBike discounts? The three northern cities have introduced refined services integrating public and diverse transportation: Taipei City Supports 12 transportation modes and 71 public venues. The point deduction cap for爱心 taxis (love taxis) has been raised to 85 points per ride. Starting in July, the first 30 minutes of YouBike 2.0E electric-assisted bike rentals are now free. New Taipei City Supports up to 150 points deduction per ride on TRA trains within the Taipei-Keelung-Taoyuan-Yilan region, up to 85 points for爱心 taxis, and offers 5-point deduction for the first 30 minutes of YouBike 2.0 and 2.0E rentals within New Taipei City. Taoyuan City Has enabled point usage on 15 New Taipei City bus routes passing through the Guishan Dapingding area. In response to TRA fare adjustments, the single-trip subsidy cap has been raised to 70 points, covering about 90% of commuter train fares between Taipei, New Taipei, and Hsinchu. For YouBike 2.0E electric-assisted bikes, 20 points are deducted every 30 minutes within the first 2 hours, with automatic mixed payment using the card's cash balance if points are insufficient. How are mid and southern cities planning their elderly cards? What are the commuting pass and railway discount rules? Central and southern cities have also optimized their systems based on local needs: Taichung City Offers free bus rides up to 10 km with a maximum fare of NT$10. Full fare subsidies apply for Taichung MRT and contracted buses. TRA trips within Taichung stations are subsidized up to 45 points per trip, and taxis up to 85 points per ride. Kaohsiung City Sets a single TRA trip deduction cap at 50 points, raises contracted taxi deductions to 85 points per ride, and offers fully free rides on city buses, light rail, and ferries. Seniors can also use welfare points to purchase a NT$199 Kaohsiung Bus Unlimited Monthly Pass or a NT$399 Kaohsiung Urban Commuter Pass, both of which include free 30-minute YouBike 2.0(E) rides per trip. Social Affairs Director Yao Shu-wen stated that by continuously expanding the card's services, they hope it becomes a 'secret weapon' for seniors to delay aging and promote health, fostering a vibrant lifestyle among the elderly population.