FOLLOW US

World Travel Guide > Guides > Asia > Taiwan > Taipei

Local time Taipei

Currency

NT$

Travel to Taipei

Flying to Taipei

Airlines serving Taipei include Air China, EVA Air, Emirates, KLM, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and Vietnam Airlines. China Airlines and EVA Air operate direct flights from the USA. 

Flight times

From London - 15 hours (including stopover); New York - 16 hours;  Los Angeles - 12 hours; Toronto - 20 hours (including stopover); Sydney - 9 hours 20 minutes.

Travel by road

Taiwan has a higher car ownership per head than any country in the world, so the freeways are often congested. Visitors need an International Driving Permit to drive a car in Taiwan. However, it's recommended to rent a car with a driver instead, due to the country's road conditions and the sometimes chaotic habits of other drivers.

Routes

Two freeways run north to south. There are two major freeways into Taipei: Freeway 1 or the Chung-Shan freeway and Freeway 3 or the north-south freeway, known locally as the second freeway. Both go more or less north/south. From Freeway 1, take the Chung-Ching South Road and pass Chien-Kuo South Road to Chung-Hsio East Road to get into the city. From Freeway 3, take the Mu-Chia Road, pass Hsin-Hai Road and Fu-Hsing South Road to Chung-Hsio East Road.

Coaches

Privately run intercity buses arrive and depart from Taipei Bus Terminal, Chengde Road. Bus are comfortable and typically feature wide reclining seats and individual game and video monitors. The government-run buses are blue and white. All intercity buses are known as kèyùn. The main operators are Kuo-Kuang Bus Corp, UBus, Free Go Bus and Aloha Bus.

Time to city

From Kaohsiung - 4 hours; Taichung - 2 hours; Yilan - 45 minutes.

Travel by Rail

Services

The main city station is Taipei railway station, 3 Beiping W Road, Jhongjheng District.

Operators

The Taiwan High Speed Rail link (tel: +886 2 4066 3000; www.thsrc.com.tw) runs north-south from Taipei to Kaoshiung. The link has made it possible to travel in comfort from one end of Taiwan to the other in less than three hours at speeds of up to 300kph (186mph).

Electrified train services run along the west coast and diesel trains along the east coast. Services are slow, but frequent, and less expensive than flying (tel: +886 2 2381 5226; www.railway.gov.tw).

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

Related Articles

City Highlight: Taipei

You'll find different sides to Taiwan's capital: crowded, chaotic, but also laid-back and welcoming.

Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

SEE MORE

The Grand Hotel

Brighton's most famous hotel, and one of the only 5-star establishments in the city, the The Grand’s elegant Victorian building enjoys a central seafront position. This extensive hotel has more than 200 lavishly appointed rooms, and offers a stylish and luxurious base from which to explore the city. Its afternoon teas are world famous too.

Yomi Hotel

Set in the lively Shuanglian neighbourhood (and four minutes' walk from the MRT station), this budget hotel offers a raft of freebies: bicycle use, Wi-Fi device, bottled water and snacks, plus breakfast and use of a washer/dryer. Rooms are simple and minimalist but have flat-screen TVs, and there's a 24-hour convenience store next door.

Ximen Relite Hotel

The price is a bargain for Taipei, considering its close proximity to Taipei Central MRT/ train station and Ximending shopping district. The rooms are nothing special, but staff are friendly and Wi-Fi is free. Complimentary breakfast is served in a rooftop cafe.

Dong Wu Hotel

While the decor may be somewhat old-fashioned, the rooms at this modest hotel are a decent size, and are furnished with flat-screen TVs and tea and coffeemaking equipment. Complimentary breakfast is served in the cafe downstairs, and there's a small convenience store next door.

The United Hotel

Although somewhat in need of an upgrade, this hotel in the commercial centre is a solid mid-range choice. Perks include an airport limo service and business and fitness centres, and there's a downstairs cafe and a Cantonese restaurant.

Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza

Imposing, but calm, and consistently voted as one of the best hotels in Taipei, the Shangri-La has all you need for a great stay, including a heated rooftop pool, a sauna and a spa. Restaurant choices include Japanese, Cantonese and Italian, and a cocktail bar with dazzling skyline views.