Seniors, Get Ready to Claim! Nationwide Elder Card Benefits Upgraded: Receive Up to NT$1,500 Monthly Until Passing, Automatically Credited by Card Swipe

Taiwan has fully entered a super-aging society, and in 2026, all 22 county and city governments across Taiwan will expand and upgrade the benefits of the 'Elder Love Card.' Previously limited to bus rides, the card's functionality has significantly improved, now covering subsidies for metro, TRA (Taiwan Railways Administration), elderly taxis, YouBike, and ferries. It can even offset entry fees to national sports centers, and registration fees at clinics and hospitals. Some counties and cities have further opened usage at contracted farmers' associations and pharmacies for purchasing daily necessities, transforming it into a dedicated healthcare and living care fund for seniors.

2026 Ultimate Guide to Elder Cards Across Taiwan: Full Overview of Subsidy Points, Medical Deductions, and Application Procedures

In 2026, multiple counties and cities will roll out enhanced policies. Taitung County leads the nation with 1,500 points per month. Taipei City, New Taipei City, and Kaohsiung City will simultaneously increase or restructure their benefits to 600 points per month starting July 2026, expanding medical consultation deductions. Hsinchu County and City, along with Taoyuan City, are innovatively opening point usage for pharmacy and farmers' association purchases.

It should be noted that the vast majority of counties and cities operate on a 'monthly issuance, monthly clearance' mechanism. Unused points at the end of the month will automatically expire and cannot be carried over to the next month.

Elder Card Application Guidelines: 3 Core Rules

Before reviewing individual county and city details, please first understand the three nationwide basic rules:

Points are valid only for the current month and cannot be accumulated: In point-based systems (such as Hsinchu County/City, Miaoli County, Taichung City, Changhua County, Nantou County, Chiayi City, and Pingtung County), remaining points at month-end automatically expire. Seniors are encouraged to use them regularly.

Eligibility and age thresholds: Basic eligibility requires residency in the county/city and being a national aged 65 or older. For indigenous seniors, cities including Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, Taichung City, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County, and Penghu County have lowered the threshold to age 55 for early application.

Replacement cards require a handling fee: First-time card applications are completely free. However, if reapplying due to loss or damage, cardholders in New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City, Kaohsiung City, Pingtung County, Yilan County, and Tainan City must pay a card production fee ranging from NT$100 to NT$110.

Complete Overview of Elder Card Benefits Across All 22 Counties and Cities

Taipei City Elder Card Monthly allocation: 600 points (increased starting July 2026). Transportation subsidies: Can be used on Taipei Metro, city buses, TRA (up to 150 points per trip), over 100 intercity bus routes, YouBike (enjoy riding discounts and free first 30 minutes for e-bikes), Airport MRT, light rail, and Maokong Gondola. Up to 85 points deducted per trip on contracted elderly taxis. Non-transportation benefits: Can be used at city public swimming pools, national sports centers, and designated public hot spring pools in Beitou District (up to 60 points per visit). Medically, it can deduct 50 points from registration fees at 21 Taipei City United Hospital outpatient clinics, up to 80 points at Guandu Hospital, and up to 100 points at Wanfang Hospital. Specific items in the 'Elder Health Guardian Program' health checkups at six major Taipei United Hospital campuses can deduct up to 600 points. Main restrictions: Points expire monthly; card must be renewed every six months.

New Taipei City Elder Card Monthly allocation: 600 points (increased starting July 2026). Transportation subsidies: Can be used on city buses, Taipei-New Taipei Metro, Airport MRT, TRA (up to 150 points per trip), and designated intercity buses (limited to Taipei-Keelung-Taoyuan-Yilan routes). Up to 85 points deducted per trip on New Taipei Elder Love Taxis; YouBike offers first 30 minutes free. Non-transportation benefits: Can be used at city national sports centers (50 points per visit). Medically, it can deduct 50 points from outpatient registration fees at New Taipei United Hospitals and 29 district health centers, and also applies to Guandu Hospital (up to 80 points) and Wanfang Hospital (up to 100 points). Main restrictions: Points expire monthly; card must be renewed every six months.

Taoyuan City Elder Card Monthly allocation: 800 points for general seniors; 1,000 points for indigenous seniors in Fuxing District. (Note: Starting January 1, 2027, five new benefits will be added, including up to 200 points monthly for farmers' association purchases, up to 100 points monthly for medical expenses, increased taxi subsidy to 90 points per trip, 200 points per senior strength training class, and 500 points for advance medical care consultation subsidies.) Transportation subsidies: Fully subsidizes contracted bus fares. Enjoy 35% discount and transfer benefits on Taoyuan Airport MRT; YouBike 2.0E e-bikes (20 points deducted every 30 minutes for first 2 hours). TRA usage limited to stations within Taoyuan (Taoyuan, Neili, Zhongli, Puxin, Yangmei, Fugang, Xinfu), with a maximum subsidy of 70 points per trip; 8爱心 taxi teams offer 36 points subsidy for fares under NT$100, and 72 points for fares over NT$101. Non-transportation benefits: Can deduct entry fees at national sports centers and city public swimming pools (swimming pools and gyms free at all times, with an additional NT$100 voucher issued if used 12+ times monthly). Enjoy free admission to scenic areas such as Cihu and Xiaowulai. Main restrictions: Points expire monthly; indigenous seniors can apply early at age 55.

Keelung City Elder Card Monthly allocation: 'Unlimited free rides' system, no point system. Transportation subsidies: Unlimited and mileage-free rides on Keelung City buses. When traveling to other counties/cities for metro, bus, or TRA, automatically switches to half-price (requires self-funded top-up). Non-transportation benefits: Currently no non-transportation venues or medical deductions available. Main restrictions: Cardholders must renew annually.

Yilan County Elder Card Monthly allocation: 'Unlimited free rides' system, no point system. Transportation subsidies: Unlimited and mileage-free rides on Yilan County's Kuo-Kuang Bus, Capital Bus, and other 'Yilan Jin-Hao-Hsing' city bus routes. Enjoy half-price on TRA (requires self-funded top-up). Non-transportation benefits: Currently no other non-transportation point deductions available. Main restrictions: Replacement requires approximately NT$100 card production fee.

Hsinchu City Elder Card Monthly allocation: 800 points (total points will increase to 1,200 starting October 2026). Transportation subsidies: Fully subsidizes fares on 8 Hsinchu City bus operators; contracted intercity buses (including routes to Taipei, Taoyuan Airport, Taichung, Linkou, etc.); up to 800 points deducted per TRA trip at any station in Hsinchu County/City; up to 100 points deducted per trip on contracted taxis. Starting October 16, 2026, points can be used to borrow YouBike 2.0E e-bikes within Hsinchu City (excluding Hsinchu Science Park). Non-transportation benefits: Xiangshan and Nanliao swimming pools (40 points per visit); Hsinke, Zhuguang National Sports Center, and Xiangshan Leisure Hall (50 points for pool, 25 for gym, 100 for court rental). Monthly dedicated quota of 200 points (increasing to 300 in October) at partner farmers' associations, and 200 points (increasing to 300 in October) at partner pharmacies, usable for daily necessities and health products (excluding alcohol and prescription drugs). Main restrictions: Points expire monthly; indigenous seniors can apply early at age 55.

Hsinchu County Elder Card Monthly allocation: 500 points (expected to increase to 1,000 starting October 2026). Transportation subsidies: Fully subsidizes contracted bus fares. Can ride TRA (up to 50 points deducted per trip) and contracted taxis (up to 100 points deducted per trip). Enjoy half-price when riding metro in other counties/cities (requires self-funded top-up). Non-transportation benefits: Expected to add 'long-term care shuttle' point subsidies starting October 2026; starting November, open consumption deductions at contracted farmers' associations (monthly cap 200 points), contracted pharmacies (monthly cap 200 points), and partial outpatient registration fee deductions (50 points per visit). Main restrictions: Points expire monthly; indigenous seniors can apply early at age 55.

Miaoli County Elder Card Monthly allocation: 700 points for general seniors; 1,000 points for indigenous seniors. Transportation subsidies: Can be used on Miaoli County buses and contracted cross-county city buses. Up to 100 points subsidized per TRA trip; up to 100 points per trip on contracted taxis such as Taiwan Taxi and Jin-Chang First Wireless Taxi (monthly taxi subsidy capped at 200 points). Non-transportation benefits: Currently benefits mainly allocated to public transport and contracted taxi subsidies. Main restrictions: Points expire monthly; indigenous seniors can apply early at age 55.

Taichung City Elder Card Monthly allocation: 1,000 points for general seniors; 1,500 points for indigenous seniors. Transportation subsidies: Can be used on Taichung City buses, highway buses, Taichung Metro, and intercity buses. TRA trips subsidized 45 points; contracted爱心 taxis subsidized 85 points per trip (increasing to 100 points starting October 1, 2026). Non-transportation benefits: Can deduct entry fees at national sports centers and swimming pools. Medically, seniors can directly deduct 50 points from the NHI basic co-payment fee per visit at Taichung City district health centers and contracted clinics. Main restrictions: Points expire monthly; indigenous seniors can apply early at age 55.

Changhua County Elder Card Monthly allocation: 1,000 points. Transportation subsidies: Can be used on Changhua Bus, Yuanlin Bus, and other city buses.