How to Call Taiwan from US
How to Call a Landline in Taiwan
Calling a Taiwanese landline from the United States (USA) follows this standard international format:
- Dial the US exit code: 011
- Dial Taiwan's country code: 886
- Dial the Taiwanese area code (1 or 2 digits, dropping the leading '0'): [Area Code] (e.g., 2 for Taipei)
- Dial the 7 or 8-digit local phone number: [Local Number]
For example, if you're calling a landline number in Taipei (Area Code 02), with the local number 1234 5678, you would dial: 011 886 2 1234 5678.
Taiwanese landline numbers typically consist of the country code (886), a 1 or 2-digit area code (after dropping the '0'), and a 7 or 8-digit local number, making a total of 9 digits after the country code (886).
Dialing a Taiwan landline:
How to Call a Mobile Phone in Taiwan
Calling a Taiwanese mobile phone from the United States (USA) uses this format:
- Dial the US exit code: 011
- Dial Taiwan's country code: 886
- Dial the mobile indicator '9' (drop the leading '0' from the local 09 prefix): 9
- Dial the 8-digit subscriber number: [Subscriber Number]
For example, if the Taiwanese mobile number is 0912 345 678, you would dial: 011 886 912 345 678 from the USA.
Taiwanese mobile numbers have 9 digits following the country code (886), always starting with a '9'. Just drop the leading '0' from the local mobile number format (09xx xxx xxx).
Dialing a Taiwan mobile:
Taiwan Area Codes (Major Areas)
Below is a list of the main area codes for Taiwan. When calling a landline from the USA, use the format: 011 + 886 + Area Code + Local Number. Remember to drop the leading '0' from the local area code. The total number dialed after 886 should be 9 digits.
| Region / Major City | Area Code (Dial after 886) | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Taipei City, New Taipei City, Keelung City | 2 | Northern Taiwan |
| Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County/City, Miaoli County, Yilan County | 3 | Northwestern & Northeastern Taiwan |
| Hualien County | 38 | Eastern Taiwan (Northern part) |
| Taichung City, Changhua County, Nantou County | 4 | Central Taiwan |
| Chiayi County/City, Yunlin County | 5 | Southwestern Taiwan (North) |
| Tainan City, Penghu County (Pescadores Islands) | 6 | Southwestern Taiwan (South) |
| Kaohsiung City | 7 | Southern Taiwan |
| Pingtung County | 8 | Southernmost Taiwan |
| Taitung County | 89 | Eastern Taiwan (Southern part) |
| Kinmen County (Quemoy) | 82 | Outlying Islands (Fujian coast) |
| Lienchiang County (Matsu Islands) | 836 | Outlying Islands (Fujian coast) |
Mobile Phone Calling in Taiwan
All mobile phone numbers in Taiwan start with the prefix 09 locally. When calling from the USA, drop the leading '0'.
The format is always: 011 + 886 + 9 + 8-digit Number. The total number dialed after '886' is always 9 digits long (9xx-xxx-xxx).
Number portability is fully implemented in Taiwan, meaning the first few digits after the '9' no longer reliably indicate the original mobile network operator (e.g., Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone).
Time Difference in Taiwan
Taiwan operates on Taiwan Standard Time (TST) or Chungyuan Standard Time (CST), which is UTC+8 year-round. Taiwan does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
This means the time difference with the United States (USA) varies depending on US Daylight Saving Time (DST - approx. mid-March to early November):
US Eastern Time (ET): Taiwan is 13 hours ahead of EST (US Standard Time) and 12 hours ahead of EDT (US DST).
(Example: 8 PM EST Sat is 9 AM TST Sun; 8 PM EDT Sat is 8 AM TST Sun)
US Central Time (CT): Taiwan is 14 hours ahead of CST and 13 hours ahead of CDT.
US Mountain Time (MT): Taiwan is 15 hours ahead of MST and 14 hours ahead of MDT.
US Pacific Time (PT): Taiwan is 16 hours ahead of PST and 15 hours ahead of PDT.
(Example: 5 PM PST Sat is 9 AM TST Sun; 5 PM PDT Sat is 8 AM TST Sun)
Due to the large time difference (often involving the next day in Taiwan), late evenings in the US are typically the best time to call for overlap with Taiwan's daytime hours.
Taiwan's Phone System
Taiwan has a highly developed and modern telecommunications infrastructure. Mobile phone usage is extremely widespread, with excellent coverage across the island, including advanced 4G LTE and expanding 5G services offered by major providers like Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, and Far EasTone. Fixed-line services are also widely available and reliable, primarily provided by Chunghwa Telecom. High-speed internet penetration is very high, supporting extensive use of VoIP and messaging applications for communication.
Best Times to Call Taiwan
Finding a good time to call Taiwan from the USA requires careful planning due to the significant time difference (Taiwan is 12-16 hours ahead).
Typical Taiwanese business hours are Monday to Friday, generally 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM TST (UTC+8).
The best window for calls from the US is usually during the US evening hours. For example:
- Calling between 7 PM and 10 PM US Eastern Time corresponds to 7 AM to 10 AM (during US DST) or 8 AM to 11 AM (during US Standard Time) the next day in Taiwan.
- Calling between 7 PM and 10 PM US Pacific Time corresponds to 10 AM to 1 PM (during US DST) or 11 AM to 2 PM (during US Standard Time) the next day in Taiwan.
Always double-check the current time difference, particularly during the US DST transition periods (March and November).
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Using our service is simple:
Dial local access number
Call the local access number provided with your card (specific to the United States (USA))
Enter your PIN
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Dial Taiwan number
Follow the format based on your destination (after entering PIN):
For Landlines: 886 + Area Code (1-2 digits) + Local Number (7-8 digits)
For Mobiles: 886 + 9 + Mobile Number (8 digits)
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