Taiwan's iPASS Revolutionizes Public Transit with QR Code Payments

Seamless Travel: iPASS Introduces Innovative QR Code System Across Taiwan

Taipei, Taiwan – Get ready for a smoother commute! iPASS, a leading e-wallet provider in Taiwan, has launched a new QR code payment system for public transportation services, making travel more convenient and accessible than ever before.

Starting Monday, iPASS e-wallet users can effortlessly pay for various public transport options across Taiwan simply by displaying an iPASS QR code using their regular banking apps.

Passengers can now utilize the iPASS "TWQR" Travel Code on the Kaohsiung Metro, Kaohsiung Light Rail, Taichung Metro, New Taipei Metro, and a wide range of bus, ferry, and rail services, as announced by iPASS Corp.

The process is simple: open your payment app on your mobile phone, select the QR code option, and scan it at the ticket barrier reader. This allows passengers to pay for transportation directly from their iPASS accounts, eliminating the need for cash, physical tickets, or cards.

The groundbreaking service was unveiled at a press conference held at Formosa Boulevard Station in Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan.

The launch event was attended by key figures, including Chen Yen-Liang (陳彥良), vice chairperson of Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission, and Wang Hong-rong (王宏榮), deputy secretary-general of the Kaohsiung City government, and the event was also broadcast online.

The iPASS "TWQR" Travel Code was developed in collaboration with the Financial Information Service Co., which integrated the QR Code Common Payment Standard with the Ministry of Transportation and Communication's "Transportation Ticket Two-Dimensional Barcode Data Format Standard."

The system efficiently connects the two primary payment networks—banks and electronic payment institutions—through an "Electronic Payment Cross-Institution Shared Platform," iPASS explained.

The initial financial institutions supporting the iPASS "TWQR" Travel Code include the Bank of Taiwan, Land Bank of Taiwan, Taiwan Cooperative Bank, First Bank, Hua Nan Bank, Chang Hwa Bank, Mega Bank, Taiwan Business Bank, and Chunghwa Post.

The service officially launched on March 24 for customers of these nine financial institutions, with plans for a nationwide expansion to incorporate more transport networks.

To incentivize adoption, the nine participating financial institutions are offering a 100 percent rebate on fares paid using the iPASS "TWQR" Travel Code from April 15, 2024, to December 31, 2025.