When people talk about Taipei Airport, they usually mean Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the country’s main international airport. It isn’t actually in Taipei but around 40 kilometres west of the centre in the neighbouring city of Taoyuan, yet getting from Taipei Airport to the city centre is still easy. The Taoyuan Airport MRT airport train runs from a station beneath both terminals to Taipei Main Station in 35 minutes, and it’s the best choice for most people. The buses also run at night, and a taxi will take you right to the door if there are several of you with lots of luggage.
Here you’ll find all the options with prices, journey times and exactly where to find them at the airport: the Airport MRT, the airport buses, taxis, Uber, transfers and car hire. I also explain how to carry straight on by high-speed train, how to check in your suitcase in the city on your way home, and how to get in from the small Songshan Airport, which sits right in the middle of Taipei. Prices are given in Taiwan dollars, also written as NT$ or TWD, and 1 Taiwan dollar is roughly 2p.
Planning your trip to Taipei at the last minute? 🇹🇼
Here are some of the best things to do, plus hotels and other tips for your trip to Taipei.
🛌 Best Hotels:
1. Palais de Chine Hotel is a five-star hotel a few minutes' walk from trains and the airport train
2. Comma Boutique Hotel is in the heart of Ximending, with spacious rooms and suites for families
3. Taipei Triple Tiger Inn is simple and affordable, with a clean bed close to the MRT
Contents
Quick overview
- Airport MRT: 160 Taiwan dollars (around £4) to Taipei Main Station from both terminals. The express train takes 35 minutes from Terminal 1 and 38 minutes from Terminal 2 and runs every 15 minutes.
- Airport buses: bus 1819 to Taipei Bus Station by Taipei Main Station for around 140 Taiwan dollars (around £3.50) and bus 1960 to Xinyi. Bus 1819 also runs at night.
- Taxi: around 1,200 to 1,500 Taiwan dollars (around £30 to £35) to the centre including the airport surcharge and tolls. The journey takes 40 to 60 minutes.
- Uber and transfers: usually in the same price range as a taxi, and a private transfer costs from around 1,450 Taiwan dollars (around £35) for a car for up to three people.
- Onward by high-speed train: the Airport MRT to Taoyuan HSR Station in around 20 minutes, and from there on towards Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung.
- Songshan Airport: the metro’s brown line runs from the airport, and the journey to Taipei Main Station costs around 25 Taiwan dollars (around 60p).
How to find the transport at the airport
Taoyuan Airport has two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and your ticket will tell you which one you land at. Both terminals have their own underground Airport MRT station. At Terminal 1 the station is called A12, and you reach it by going down to the food court on B1 and taking the escalator further down. At Terminal 2 the station is called A13, and it’s by the food court on B2. Just follow the signs for the Airport MRT once you’re through customs.
The airport buses stop on B1 by arrivals at Terminal 1 and at the eastern end of the ground-floor arrivals hall at Terminal 2, and the bus companies’ ticket desks are right next to the stops. The taxi rank is at the western end of the ground-floor arrivals hall at both terminals. If you need an EasyCard, Taiwan’s rechargeable travel card, you can buy one at the airport’s convenience stores, but you can also simply pay with your contactless bank card on the airport train. All the transport options are also listed on the airport’s website.
1. Taoyuan Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station
The Airport MRT is the airport’s own rail link, and it’s the quickest and cheapest way into Taipei. Two types of train run on the line. The express train is purple and only stops at the two terminals, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei Industrial Park and Taipei Main Station, where it terminates. The commuter train is blue and stops at every station, so it takes longer and has less room for luggage.
According to Taipei’s official travel website, the express train takes 35 minutes from Terminal 1 and 38 minutes from Terminal 2, while the commuter train takes around 50 minutes. Both types of train run every 15 minutes from around 6am until around 11pm, and the last departures from the airport are commuter trains. The express train has luggage racks for large suitcases, so you won’t have to stand with them in the aisle.
Fares and tickets
A single ticket from Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 to Taipei Main Station costs 160 Taiwan dollars (around £4), and the fare is the same on the express and the commuter train. You can buy a ticket in the form of a plastic token from the machines or at the information desk, or you can use an EasyCard. The easiest option is to tap your contactless Visa, Mastercard or JCB card, or your phone with Apple Pay or Google Pay, on the reader at the ticket gates, both on the way in and on the way out. Children under 6 travel free with a ticket-holding adult.
If you’ll be getting around Taipei on the metro afterwards, take a look at the combined ticket, which according to Taoyuan Metro’s ticket page costs 520 Taiwan dollars (around £12) with a 48-hour metro pass and 600 Taiwan dollars (around £14) with a 72-hour metro pass. The ticket gives you one journey each way on the Airport MRT and unlimited travel on the Taipei metro for 48 or 72 hours from first use. Two single tickets on the airport train alone cost 320 Taiwan dollars (around £7.50), so if you take the train both ways and use the metro a lot, it’s a good deal. You can buy it at the terminal stations and at Taipei Main Station.
Where should you get off?
The airport train’s terminus at Taipei Main Station is called A1, and it’s a separate station at the western end of the station complex. It’s around 300 metres underground to the metro’s red and blue lines and to the regular trains and the high-speed rail, so follow the signs and allow plenty of time the first time. From here it’s one stop on the blue line to Ximending, one stop on the red line to Zhongshan and six to seven stops to Xinyi and Taipei 101.
If you’d like to stay where you can walk from the train to your hotel, the area around the station is the obvious choice. The five-star Palais de Chine is on Chengde Road north of the station, around 300 metres from the airport train, and if you want a comfortable stay close to both the trains and the airport, you can check prices for the Palais de Chine Hotel here.
If you’re unsure which district to choose, read my guide to where to stay in Taipei. In it I go through six areas, from Ximending and Zhongshan to Xinyi and the hot springs of Beitou, with hotels in three price ranges, and for each area I’ve noted how long the journey from the airport takes.
2. Airport buses to Taipei
The airport buses aren’t cheaper than the train, and they take longer because they use the motorway and then go through the traffic. They’re still worth knowing about if you land at night when the train isn’t running, or if your hotel is close to one of the bus stops. You buy your ticket at the bus company’s counter by the stop, so bring cash. The prices below are approximate adult fares.
Bus 1819 to Taipei Main Station: Kuo-Kuang runs bus 1819 from both terminals to Taipei Bus Station, which is just north of Taipei Main Station. The journey takes around an hour and costs around 140 Taiwan dollars (around £3.50). The bus runs most of the day and night, including the middle of the night, and it’s the one I would take if I landed after the last train. On the way home, you board from platform 409 on the 4th floor of Taipei Bus Station.
Bus 1960 to Xinyi: Da You Bus, which also calls itself CitiAir Bus, runs bus 1960 through the eastern part of the city to Taipei City Hall Bus Station in Xinyi. The journey takes around an hour or a little more and costs around 145 to 160 Taiwan dollars (around £3.50 to £4). It’s handy if you’re staying in Xinyi or Da’an and would rather not change with your suitcase.
Bus 1961 to the western part of the city: The same company runs bus 1961 towards Ximen and the western part of the centre for around 100 Taiwan dollars (around £2.50). The journey takes up to an hour and a half, so it’s only a good choice if the bus stops close to your hotel.
3. Taxi from Taoyuan Airport
The airport’s official taxis wait at the western end of the arrivals hall on the ground floor of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and they run around the clock. Join the queue at the taxi rank, and say no thanks to anyone offering you a car inside the arrivals hall. The taxis are metered, and on top of the fare there’s a 15 per cent airport surcharge and motorway tolls.
To hotels in central Taipei, expect to pay around 1,200 to 1,500 Taiwan dollars (around £30 to £35) including surcharges, and the journey takes 40 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. At night there’s a small night surcharge on top. Many drivers speak only a little English, so have your hotel’s name and address in Chinese ready on your phone, and carry cash, even though several taxis take cards.
To be honest, a taxi is expensive compared with the train, as four tickets on the Airport MRT cost around half the price of a taxi ride. It makes most sense if you land after the last train, are travelling with small children and lots of luggage, or if your hotel is far from a metro station.
4. Uber from Taoyuan Airport
Uber operates in Taiwan, and in the app you can choose between standard cars, larger cars and a couple of dedicated airport options. According to Uber’s own page about Taoyuan Airport, a standard ride into Taipei typically costs around 1,300 to 1,450 Taiwan dollars (around £30 to £35), so roughly the same as a taxi. You’ll see the price in the app before you book, and it can go up when it’s busy.
Follow the instructions in the app on where you’ll be picked up, as the pickup point depends on the terminal and the type of car. Only book once you’ve collected your luggage and made it out into the arrivals hall, and always compare with the taxi fare before you tap book.
5. Private transfer
A private transfer is a pre-booked car with a driver who takes you straight from the airport to your hotel. On GetYourGuide, prices start from around 1,450 Taiwan dollars (around £35) for a car for up to three people, and the transfer must be booked at least ten hours in advance. It makes most sense if you land late, are travelling with children, or want to be sure the driver knows the way to your hotel.
Book a private transfer from Taoyuan Airport here.
Enter your flight number when you book so the driver can keep track of any delays. You’ll receive the driver’s details by email the day before, and it’s a good idea to save them on your phone so you don’t have to hunt for Wi-Fi when you land.
6. Car Hire from Taoyuan Airport
The rental companies have desks at the airport, and you can compare prices on car hire at Booking.com. You won’t need a car in Taipei itself. The traffic is heavy, there are scooters everywhere, parking is expensive and the metro goes almost everywhere.
A car can make good sense on a round trip, though, if you’re heading to Sun Moon Lake, down the east coast or to the beaches in Kenting. Taiwan drives on the right, unlike the UK, and as a rule you’ll need an International Driving Permit, so check the rules before you travel. My advice is to take the train into Taipei and only pick up the car on the day you leave the city.
Onwards by High-Speed Train to Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung
If you’re heading straight south, you don’t need to go into Taipei first. The high-speed rail station, Taoyuan HSR Station, is at the Airport MRT’s station A18, and the blue commuter train goes there. According to Taoyuan’s official travel website, the journey takes 19 minutes from Terminal 1, and a ticket costs around 35 Taiwan dollars (around £1). The alternative is shuttle bus 5089, which runs from the arrivals hall in both terminals to the station in around 25 minutes for around 30 Taiwan dollars (around £1).
From Taoyuan HSR Station, the high-speed train reaches Taichung in under an hour and Zuoying in Kaohsiung in under two hours. You’ll find timetables and fares at Taiwan High Speed Rail, and it’s a good idea to reserve a seat at weekends and during holidays. The station opens at 6.20am and closes at 11.45pm, so if you land late in the evening, it’s best to spend the night in Taipei and travel on the next day.
If you’re planning a round trip, I’ve written a guide to where to stay in Taiwan, covering Taipei, Jiufen, Hualien, Sun Moon Lake, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Kenting. Bear in mind that the high-speed rail stations in Taichung and Tainan are a fair way outside the cities.
From Songshan Airport to the City Centre
Taipei also has a small airport right in the city, Taipei Songshan Airport, which handles domestic flights and short routes within Asia, including to Tokyo Haneda and Seoul Gimpo. If you land here, you’re practically in the centre already. The airport has its own metro station, Songshan Airport, on the brown Wenhu line right by the terminal, and the metro runs from 6am until midnight.
For Taipei Main Station, take the brown line three stops to Zhongxiao Fuxing and change to the blue line, which runs three more stops. If you’re going to Zhongshan or Ximending, change to the green line at Nanjing Fuxing instead. The journey to Taipei Main Station takes around 15 to 20 minutes and costs around 25 Taiwan dollars (around 60p). According to Taipei Metro’s ticket page, you can pay with an EasyCard or tap your contactless bank card or phone on the reader, so you don’t need to buy a ticket.
The taxi rank is outside the arrivals hall, and a ride to most hotels in the centre costs around 200 to 300 Taiwan dollars (around £5 to £7) and takes 10 to 20 minutes. Mandarin Oriental, Taipei is on Dunhua North Road, around a kilometre south of the airport, and if you’d like to stay in luxury just minutes from the terminal, you can see prices for Mandarin Oriental, Taipei here. You’ll find flight times and practical information on Songshan Airport’s website.
If you’re flying on from Songshan to Japan or Korea, you can read my guides to getting from Tokyo’s airports to the city centre and from Seoul’s airports to the city centre.
The Journey Home and In-town Check-in
If you’re flying home from Taoyuan with one of the participating airlines, you can check in and drop off your suitcase at Taipei Main Station before taking the airport train. The service is called In-town Check-in and is on B1 at the Airport MRT’s station A1. According to Taoyuan Metro’s In-town Check-in page, it’s open from 6am to 9.30pm, and you must check in no later than three hours before departure for a flight from Taoyuan the same day.
The service only applies to selected airlines, including China Airlines, EVA Air, STARLUX and Cathay Pacific, and not necessarily to all their flights, so check with your airline before relying on it. Once your suitcase is checked in, you can spend the rest of the day in the city without luggage. Also check your ticket to see whether you’re flying from Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, so you get off at the right station.
If you have a very early flight, you won’t make it with the first train, so a taxi or a night near the airport is the answer. Hyatt Regency Taoyuan International Airport is a few minutes’ drive from the terminals and runs a shuttle bus to the airport, and you can see prices for Hyatt Regency Taoyuan here.
Which Option Should You Choose?
Here’s my recommendation based on where you’re going and how you’re travelling:
Taipei Main Station, Ximending and Zhongshan: Take the Airport MRT express train to Taipei Main Station for 160 Taiwan dollars (around £4) and the metro one stop further, or walk the last bit.
Xinyi and Da’an: The Airport MRT and then the metro, or bus 1960 to Taipei City Hall Bus Station if you’d rather stay on the bus all the way.
If you land in the middle of the night: Bus 1819 to Taipei Bus Station or a taxi from the official rank.
3 to 4 adults with lots of luggage or small children: A taxi or a private transfer that takes you right to the door.
Straight on south: The Airport MRT commuter train to Taoyuan HSR Station and the high-speed train from there.
From Songshan Airport: The metro’s brown line or a short taxi ride.
If you’re combining Taipei with other big cities in Asia, I’ve also written a guide to getting from Hong Kong Airport to the city centre, and if you’re flying on to Malaysia, you can read about the journey from Kuala Lumpur Airport to the city centre.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?