Vehicles

1. 汽車

   Khì-tshia

   Car

   Usage

   A car in general. The characters mean "steam vehicle" in Japanese, but in Taiwan they mean an automobile

2. 機車

   Ki-tshia

   Scooter

   Usage

   The most numerous vehicle in Taiwan. Renting needs an international licence, and some junctions require the two-stage left turn

3. 電動機車

   Tiān-tōng ki-tshia

   Electric scooter

   Usage

   The battery-swap electric scooter. Swap stations are all over Taiwanese towns, and rentals at tourist spots increasingly use them

4. 跤踏車

   Kha-ta̍h-tshia

   Bicycle

   Usage

   The Taiwanese word, covering the YouBike share bikes too. Sun Moon Lake and the east coast have famous cycle routes

5. 公車

   Kong-tshia

   City bus

   Usage

   The city bus, paid with an EasyCard. Whether you tap on boarding, alighting or both varies by route

6. 客運

   Kheh-ūn

   Intercity coach

   Usage

   The Taiwanese term for intercity coach lines and their operators. Taipei to Kaohsiung by coach is cheaper than the high-speed rail

7. 遊覽車

   Iû-lám-tshia

   Tour coach

   Usage

   The coach used by group tours, to places like Taroko Gorge and Alishan

8. 火車

   Hué-tshia

   Train

   Usage

   Conventional trains in general. Southern speakers may say "hé-tshia"

9. 台鐵

   Tâi-thih

   Taiwan Railway (TRA)

   Usage

   The conventional railway that circles the island. It is how you reach Hualien, Taitung and the east coast, where the HSR does not run

10. 高鐵

    Ko-thih

    High-speed rail (HSR)

    Usage

    The Shinkansen-derived high-speed line, Taipei to Kaohsiung in about ninety minutes. Its stations are sometimes far from the TRA ones

11. 自強號

    Tsū-kiông-hō

    Tze-Chiang express

    Usage

    The TRA's fastest class. Normally reserved seating, though standing tickets are sold

12. 區間車

    Khu-kan-tshia

    Local train

    Usage

    The TRA's all-stops service — no reservation needed and payable by EasyCard. The way to reach the Pingxi line and Shifen

13. 捷運

    Tsia̍t-ūn

    MRT (metro)

    Usage

    The metro in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taoyuan and Taichung. Eating and drinking on board is fined, so do not

14. 纜車

    Lám-tshia

    Cable car

    Usage

    Taipei's Maokong gondola and the Sun Moon Lake ropeway. They close in strong wind

15. 計程車

    Kè-thîng-tshia

    Taxi

    Usage

    Metered, and all Taiwanese cabs are yellow — hence the colloquial nickname 小黃 (sió-n̂g)

16. 三輪車

    Sann-lián-tshia

    Pedicab

    Usage

    The pedal-powered three-wheeler that once filled Taiwanese streets. Today it survives as a ride for visitors in places like Anping in Tainan

17. 飛行機

    Hue-lîng-ki

    Airplane

    Usage

    Mostly for domestic hops to the outlying islands — Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and Lanyu

18. 船

    Tsûn

    Boat / ship

    Usage

    Boats in general — the Tamsui to Bali crossing, and the runs to Green Island and Xiaoliuqiu

19. 渡船

    Tōo-tsûn

    Ferry

    Usage

    The boat that takes you across. Kaohsiung's Cijin ferry famously carries scooters as well as people

20. 救護車

    Kiù-hōo-tshia

    Ambulance

    Usage

    Fire and ambulance in Taiwan is 119. "Tshiánn kā guá kiò kiù-hōo-tshia" asks someone to call one

21. 貨車

    Huè-tshia

    Truck

    Usage

    A cargo truck; a small pickup is a 小貨車

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