Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT

The launch of the long-awaited MRT from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei City meant that first-time travellers to Taiwan no longer have to scratch your brains or search the internet for guides to Taipei City, and frequent travellers can now use your EasyCard (悠遊卡) to conveniently get around Taoyuan and Taipei City.

1. Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei City

• The easiest way to get to Taipei City is to alight at Taipei Main Station from Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 and 2.
• Taipei Main Station runs on Tamsui–Xinyi Line, Bannan Line and Songshan–Xindian Line.

2. Two kinds of trains

Named commuter and express train services, the two trains will arrive from different MRT platforms.

• The commuter train service is blue in colour, and stops at 23 stations, catering to travellers between Taipei, New Taipei and Taoyuan. 
• The express train service is purple, and serves mainly as a bridge for travellers between Taipei to Taoyuan International Airport, making a total of only 5 stops (6 stops, when Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 3 is launched).

3. Stations

There are 23 stations in total, spanning from Taipei, New Taipei to Taoyuan.

The express train service only stops at the stations highlighted in purple.

• Taipei Main Station     台北車站
• Sanchong     三重
• Erchong     二重
• New Taipei Industrial Park     新北產業園區
• Xinzhuang Fuduxin     新莊副都心
• Taishan     泰山
• Fu Jen University Hospital     輔大醫院
• Taishan Guihe     泰山貴和
• National Taiwan Sport University     體育大學
• Chang Gung Memorial Hospital     長庚醫院
• Linkou     林口
• Shanbi     山鼻
• Kengkou     坑口
• Airport Terminal 1     機場第一航廈
• Airport Terminal 2     機場第二航廈
• Airport Terminal 3     機場第三航廈
• Airport Hotel     機場旅館
• Dayuan     大園
• Hengshan     橫山
• Linghang     領航
• Taoyuan HSR Station     高鐵桃園站
• Taoyuan Sports Park     桃園體育園區
• Xingnan     興南
• Huanbei     環北
• Laojie River     老街溪
• Zhongli Railway Station     中壢

4. Duration from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei Main Station

5. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Train Timetable

• First train — 6am
• Last train — 10:58pm 
• Frequency — one train every 15 minutes

6. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Train Fare

• Varies from NT$30 to NT$160, depending on your departure (~SGD $1.40 to $7.60)
• Travelling from Taipei Main Station to Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 or 2 costs NT$160 (~SGD $7.60)
• There are also 30, 60, and 90 days concession passes for frequent travellers

7. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Train Carriages

• You can charge your phones from selected seats on Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT
• Reading lights and a tray table to make your travel as comfortable as possible
• Free WiFi (TyMetro) provided

8. Other ways to get from Taipei City to Taoyuan International Airport

You can still take the bus, high speed rail, taxi or private airport transport to Taoyuan International Airport following my 2017 Taipei - Taoyuan travel guide.

All information is accurate as of 2 May 2020.

Did you know that other than Taipei MRT stations, Taoyuan Airport, and train stations' luggage storage centre — with costs ranging from NT10 per hour to NT70 per day — there are FREE lockers in Taipei city, operated by SOGO departmental stores, located just minutes away from prominent MRT stations?

I did an online search before writing this post. While most blogs document the lockers in Taipei MRT stations and Taoyuan Airport, various train stations' luggage storage centre or the new initiative Lalalockers (with Lalalockers, you can store your luggage with store owners for greater convenience) there are little to no recommendations about the SOGO's free lockers for luggage storage in Taipei.

To be honest I was initially sceptical when I first read about them in Taiwanese forums. Free luggage storage with no terms and conditions? Sounds too good to be true. I had expected to be pressurised to buy something in SOGO in exchange for the luggage storage services, or show proof of purchase before I can store my luggage with them.


Imagine my surprise when I realised the free lockers, tucked into a small corner, were unmanned! There was even ample space for me to unpack and repack my luggage so I could fit everything into the locker.

As you can tell from the size, the biggest locker should a piece of 24-inch luggage comfortably. I used a 20-inch one and still had ample space above to fit my soft toy LOL.

Instructions for the free lockers

Don't worry even if you're a non-Chinese speaker as there are instructions in English as well. It's pretty straightforward and fuss-free. If you're afraid of forgetting which locker you used, just snap a photo of your locker with the locker number after locking it like I always do!


There are four SOGOs around Taipei, but only two that offer the free lockers for storage. the lockers are usually tucked away in a quiet corner so look out for that hint of lime green, or ask the shopkeepers. If you're utlising SOGO's free lockers, it'll be nice to purchase something from the stores as well :)

SOGO Fuxing Store (SOGO復興館)

Address: 

No.45, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan
(106台北市忠孝東路三段300號)

Level: 

Basement 3

Operating hours:

9am to 9:30pm daily | 9am to 10pm on eve of public holidays

SOGO Zhongxiao Store (SOGO忠孝館)

Address: 

No.300, Sec. 3, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taiwan
(106台北市忠孝東路四段45號)

Level: 

Basement 2

Operating hours:

9am to 9:30pm daily | 9am to 10pm on eve of public holidays

Taiwan — my first business trip, my place of growth and healing, the perfect ending to my gap year. I initially wanted to stay in Taipei for a few days before travelling to Hokkaido but as luck would have it, all the cheap flights were quickly snapped up. Unwilling to pay more, I decided to stay and travel around Taiwan for 11 days, exploring the other counties that I've never set foot in, mainly Hualien, Taitung, Tainan and Taichung. Here's a brief itinerary of how I spent my time in Taiwan this summer!

I spent the bulk of my time in Taipei, and met up with my Taiwanese friends since I was starting school soon and wouldn't be travelling to Taiwan anymore for the next two years. Because of this, I had a good mixture of touristy stuff and local hunts in my itinerary, which I really liked since I got to see two sides of Taiwan. I also slowed down my itinerary since it was my upteempth time in Taiwan and I wanted to travel at a relaxing pace instead of rushing to places.

Taipei Main Inn is located conveniently at Taipei Main Station — the very reason I chose to stay this hostel. Upon arrival, I was delighted to find out that the hostel is literally opposite Taipei Main Station's Y13 exit and a stone's throw away (5-minute walk) from Taipei Railway Station. Although not as fancy as some other hostels in Taipei, Taipei Main Inn prime location paired with its affordable price made it a perfect choice for my four nights in Taipei.

Literally 50 meters away from Taipei Main Station's Y13 exit

I'm a solo budget traveller and hostels are my go-to whenever I need cheap accommodation. But my terrible experience with a mixed room with shared bathroom in a hostel in Taipei is where I draw the line. I could pay a little more for comfort and safety.

After checking in, I was uncomfortable upon learning that the bathroom is in the room — I had expected a gender segregated bathroom — but I could live with it. I thought. My experience was mortifying. Shavers, with hair from god knows where, left on the toilet bowl. Toilet paper stained with you-know-what left in plain sight. Hygiene standards? Sorry, what hygiene?

With the walls paper thin, I could hear every movement in the bathroom. Yeah, go figure. They also knew my every move, which made things awkward when I had to rip off my pad.

Additionally, males are, I'm sorry, less considerate. They often switch off and on the lights as they wish and make loud noises. If you're unlucky, you get a group of male friends travelling together. You know how males are around their friends — obnoxious. Loud chatters can be heard throughout the night as they nudge each other on doing stupid things.

Because most hostels have the option of females only or mixed dormitories, the mixed dormitories are dominated by males. I was a single female with five males in that room. It was slightly intimidating and my mom would have screamed bloody murder if she knew. Granted most of the males I spoke to were polite and merely wanted a cheaper accommodation alternative but I had better experiences with females-only room during my hostel stays.

Thankfully, as I continued travelling around Taiwan, I had better experiences in other mixed hostel rooms, thus slightly changing my initial stance about never booking a mixed room ever again. Will I stay in mixed room in the future? Yes, only if the bathrooms are gender segregated or at the very least, located outside of the mixed rooms.

(Read my full review of the hostel here.)

Since I was going to have a late night with my then-colleagues (now-friends) and I had already seen most of Taipei, I slept in a little before deciding to have a slow day in photogenic spots of Taipei — mainly Heritage and Culture Education Center of Taipei City and Treasure Hill at Taipei Artist Village.

After a dramatic day, I decided I wanted to relax against the calming backdrop of Tamsui Old Street, famous for its sunset at Fisherman's Wharf... Only to be greeted by darkness when I step out of Tamsui MRT station because I didn't know skies get dark quickly during winter! It was only 5pm but it felt like Singapore's 8pm so yeah, no sunset for me. I frolicked around Tamsui because I'm already there anyway, so why not?

Strolled along Tamsui aimlessly without the help of Google Maps since I didn't have anywhere in mind and I was in no rush. My wandering eventually led me to Tamsui Old Street.


Tamsui Old Street

Address
Zhongzheng Rd, Tamsui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 251

Nearest MRT
Tamsui station, Exit 1     

Opening Hours
9am to 10pm daily



Got myself a serving of Big Sausage Wrap Small Sausage, which was basically Taiwanese sausage wrapped in sticky rice sausage, then grilled to piping hot perfection — apparently a must-try of Taipei night markets. I'm not a fan of rice so this street snack was quite meh for me, but I guess most Singaporeans love it since I always see food bloggers raving about the Big Sausage Wrap Small Sausage.

Since it was two hours to my check in time and my hotel, Orange Hotel (Kaifong), was a short 10 minute walk away from Ximending. Ximending is still as full of character as I remembered it to be — vibrant, lively, filled with tourists and locals of all ages.

Ah Zong Mee Sua

Ah Zong Mee Sua (Mian Xian) / Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodle

Address
No. 8-1, Emei St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108

Nearest MRT
Ximen Station, Exit 6           

Opening Hours
9am to 11pm daily

Price
NT 50 to 65 (SGD $2.50 to $3)

Ah Zong Mee Sua

I always lament that I fear falling in love but Taipei makes me fall in love, over and over again every time I'm here. I don't know if it's remotely possible to declare my love so quick, but I fell in love with Taiwan's lively capital since my first visit there in May 2016. Setting foot again in Taipei after a mere six months was a dream come true.

Although I was only in Taipei for a couple of days before jetting off to Japan, the two days were just enough for me to enjoy the serenity Taipei provides. I planned for a slow couple of days since I knew my Japan travel was going to be jam-packed with activities, and I needed a respite from work before beginning my hectic Japan itinerary.


Sweetest girls who cabbed all the way from Pulau NTU to Changi Airport just to take photos with me and hug me for five minutes before rushing off to club with their uni mates.


Not forgetting my favourite people in the world who are always there to send me off on every flight, however late my flight is.

Checked in with a 16kg luggage when I only have 20kg baggage allowance for all my flights. Pack light, I said. I should have known that it's impossible to pack light in winter.

When I travelled to Taipei recently, I discovered that some bus terminals have been moved due to the recent renovations at Taipei Main Station and most online guides I found on Google aren't updated to reflect the change so here's an 2017 updated guide on how to get to Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) from Taipei City. The five main ways are highway airport bus, Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR or HSR), Taoyuan International Airport MRT, taxi, and private airport transfer.

1. Bus


Get to Taipei Main Station (blue and red line), then follow the sign that says TRA / HSR, not Taipei Bus Station. Taipei Bus Station, Taiwan's largest bus transfer station, is where you can buy bus tickets to other places in Taiwan (Taitung, Yilan etc).

If you're asking for directions, remember to mention that you're going to Taoyuan International Airport, not just Taoyuan or they might lead you to the bus interchange for a bus to Taoyuan City.



Travellers used to take buses from the west side of Taipei Main Station but it has now been changed to the east side. To get to the bus, you have to find the East 3 exit (東3出口). The exits are really nearby each other though, so all you have to do is find the east side of Taipei Main Station and you'll be able to spot a large ticketing banner.


The queue is usually for boarding the bus to Taoyuan International Airport. Go straight to the ticketing booth to get your tickets to Taoyuan International Airport then join the queue.


Before boarding, you'll be issued a luggage number when you store your luggage at the trunk of the bus. The trunk is separated into Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 so make sure you know which terminal your flight is at. Generally, Terminal 1 is the main terminal and terminal 2 is for free-fledged carriers like Singapore Airlines, EVA Air etc.

Cost
NT125 (SGD $5 to $6, depending on the exchange rate)

Duration
45 minutes to 1 hour, subjected to traffic conditions

Frequency
To book
Buy on the day itself, at the station. You're not allowed to buy advance tickets at the station.

2. Taiwan High Speed Rail

(KKday)

Similar to Japan's Shinkansen, Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) — as the name suggests — has trains that can run up to 330km/hour, providing travellers a quick way to make transfers from city to city. I've personally only taken buses and private airport transfers so I cannot vouch for THSR but from what I heard from my colleagues, THSR popular with tourists who wish to get to the Taoyuan International Airport quickly.

Note that you still have to take a shuttle bus from Taoyuan HSR Station to Taoyuan International Airport. The shuttle bus ride costs NT30 (around SGD $1.50) and it takes about 20 to get to the airport.

Cost
NT160 (SGD $7 to $7.60, depending on exchange rate. SGD 6 if you purchase your tickets online)

Duration
30 minutes

Frequency
To book

• Taiwan High Speed Rail (From Taipei) E-ticket

3. Taoyuan International Airport MRT


The MRT line that will bring travellers from Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei City, Taoyuan International Airport MRT (purple line), will be launched on 2 March 2017.

• Everything you need to know about Taoyuan International Airport MRT before its launch on 1 March 2017.

Cost
NT$160 (SGD $7 to $7.60, depending on the exchange rate)

Duration
Frequency
Every 5 minutes

4. Taxi

If you're in a group, getting a taxi might be a logical choice. I typically don't go for a taxi despite the convenience because I don't fancy the tedious booking process. Firstly, you'll have to call a specific number and they have different numbers for different fleets of taxi. Then you have to provide your address, usually in Chinese. Taiwan's addresses are also filled with different numbers — misread one and your driver will be on an entirely different road.

Although Taiwanese are a friendly bunch and your hotel receptionist / Airbnb host will usually be more than glad to help you with this, I prefer not to trouble them so I usually book private airport transfer online prior to travelling.

Cost
Generally NT1000 to NT1200, excluding highway tolls (SGD $44 to $57, depending on exchange rates

Duration

To book

• Terminal 1: +886-3-3982832 
• Terminal 2: +886-3-3983599

5. Private Airport Transfer

I prefer booking chartered transport to getting a taxi only when I've reached Taiwan because I like having the assurance that someone's going to pick me up for sure. Besides, I'll be able to key in my address beforehand and the driver can contact me should he not understand the English address I keyed in.


I previously utilised the Taoyuan International Airport Private Transfer to/from Taipei for 3 when I travelled alone, and used it once again with two other colleagues when we were in Taipei for work. My other colleagues who travelled in a bigger group tried Taoyuan International Airport Private Transfer to/from Taipei for 8.

Both services were quite typical — the driver picked us up at our stated destination, helped us with our luggage and got us to our destination.

Cost
$40 to $55, depending on your flight arrival / departure time

Duration
To book

• Taipei to Taoyuan International Airport Private Transfer for 3
• Taipei to Taoyuan International Airport Private Transfer for 8

Super stoked to travel to Taipei again because I didn't finish most of the 'must go' places in Taipei the previous time although I was in Taiwan for 18 days. ಠ_ಠ I stayed at Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei), located at a more central area, this time round and the convenience means no excuses to laze around like I'm on a staycation instead of travelling!

I came to realise that location is key when it comes to looking for holidays accommodation, even in a convenient city like Taipei. I previously stayed at an Airbnb apartment near Yongchun station — it was convenient as a working adult because I was located 5 minutes away from my office.

However, from a tourist's perspective I was far from the life of Taipei's party at places like Ximending or Shilin Night Market so most of the time I just hang out with my colleagues around Raohe Night Market (which is pretty near to my office) or return to my Airbnb apartment straight after work.


Not this time! I'm glad I got a room with Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) because Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) is situated 5 minutes away from Taipei Main Station (blue and red line). Taipei Main Station is also where you alight if you take a bus from Taoyuan International Airport. Think: Taipei's equivalent of Singapore's Dhoby Ghaut Station, where you can make lots of transfers.


Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) is also within walking distance to Ximending (Ximen MRT, green and blue line) — an iconic shopping district almost synonymous to Taipei. Ximending, for the uninformed, is also called Taipei's version of Shinjuku where you can spot performers on the streets, baskers, cheap shopping and youths hanging out with their friends.

Because of Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei)'s proximity to three different MRT lines, it was very convenient for me to make transfers to anywhere I wished and I no longer have excuses to not explore Taipei O.O

Orange Hotel (Kaifong) is also near FamilyMart where you can easily grab some snacks after midnight.

In fact, Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) was in such a central location, I dropped off my luggage at Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) after a quick breakfast upon reaching Taipei so I don't have to lug my luggage around while I explore Taipei. I followed my itinerary without worries because I knew sooner or later, I would have to pass by Taipei Main Station somehow and I'll be able to check in then.

(image from Orange Hotel Kaifong Taipei)

Other than the fact that it was fairly quick to drop off my luggage, I also liked that Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) had a public space near their reception with a toilet nearby, making it easy for me to change from my flight clothes to clothes I can wear out. You can also enjoy free hot drinks or iced beverages while chilling at the public space.

After I was done with my morning and afternoon activities in Taipei, I dropped by Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) to check in — another quick process as the staff merely explained how can I redeem my free breakfast, how to use the card keys etc. Five minutes later and I'm in my room!



I have to admit that I'm quite scared of hotels :X Other than hygiene and safety, I guess this is one of the biggest problems solo female travellers face. I have no problems with Airbnb apartments but there's something about hotels that gives me the creeps and I was slightly apprehensive about my first time sleeping alone in a hotel.






Thank god Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) was brightly lit and spacious so I soon forgot about my worries as I settled in and started planning the rest of my solo travel in the comforts of the queen size bed in Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei)'s Standard Guestroom.

Type G power socket in the bathroom so I can charge my phone while I prepare to explore Taipei

Power sockets right beside my bed!

One thing I love most about Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) is the abundance of power sockets everywhere! I ever stayed in hotels with only two power sockets and I had to fight for them with my roommate -_-

Some of the sockets are Type C so bring a travel adapter if you need to

I stayed in Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) for 3D2N before checking out on Saturday, around 4:45am to catch my flight to Osaka. Because of the ungodly hours of my morning flight to Osaka, I was going to miss the breakfast provided by Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) which only starts at 7am.

However, the caring staff at Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) went the extra mile and exchanged my breakfast voucher for a sandwich and milk tea from 7-11 so I didn't have to go hungry on my way to Taoyuan International Airport! I was so impressed and touched by their kindness T_T

When you travel alone, every thought and everyone who looks out for you really counts.

I think it's safe to say that my short stay at Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) has converted me into a hotel-lover because of how much more convenient hotels are compared to my usual methods of couchsurfing, overnight buses or Airbnb apartments.

While checking out of Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei), I realised the importance of staying in a hotel at a convenient location yet again — because of how near Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) is to Taipei Main Station, I managed to grab a couple of drinks with my colleagues and even have supper with them till 4:30am despite the fact that I have to be at Taipei Main Station at 5am to catch a bus to Taoyuan International Airport.

Thank you Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei) for having me!

-

Orange Hotel (Kaifong Taipei)

No. 41, Section 1, Kaifeng St, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, 100

Other Orange Hotel outlets around Taiwan:

Orange Hotel Ximen Taipei

No.166-2, Sec.1,Zhonghua Rd., Wanhua Dist., Taipei City 10846, Taiwan

Orange Hotel Guanqian Taipei

No.22, Guanqian Road, Jhongjheng District, Taipei City 10047, Taiwan

Orange Hotel Linsen Taipei

No. 139, LinSen N. Rd., ZhongShan District, Taipei City 10454, Taiwan

Orange Hotel Park Taichung

No.17 Gong Yuan Rd., Taichung City 40046, Taiwan

Orange Hotel Wenhua Chiayi

No. 169, Wenhua Rd, West District, Chiayi City, 60044

Orange Hotel Liouhe Kaohsiung

No.92, Liouhe 1st Rd., Xinxing Dist., Kaohsiung City 80055, Taiwan