Transportation
Schedules and fares are subject to change.
Airport to City Access
Train, bus, taxi, and other options to the city center
From Taoyuan Airport, the Airport MRT reaches Taipei Main Station in about 35–50 minutes. Buses and taxis are also available.
- Airport MRT
- Taoyuan → Taipei Main Station ≈ 35–50 min
- Bus
- Frequent airport buses to the city
- Taxi
- Metered; higher cost, door-to-door
- Songshan Airport is right in the city, on the metro
Public Transportation
Metro, bus, tram, and how to use them
Taipei's MRT and buses are clean, cheap and easy, with English signage. Tap an EasyCard/iPASS to ride and transfer.
- MRT
- Extensive, English signs, frequent trains
- Buses
- Tap card on boarding/alighting
- Fares
- Cheap; transfer discounts with card
- Kaohsiung and Taoyuan also have metros
IC Cards & Travel Passes
Discount passes and rechargeable transit cards
EasyCard and iPASS are the standard rechargeable transit cards, sold at stations and convenience stores. They also pay at many shops.
- EasyCard/iPASS
- Buy/top up at stations and convenience stores
- Uses
- MRT, buses, some trains, shops
- Tip
- One card covers most travel
- Top up with cash at any convenience store
Car Rental & Driving
License requirements and traffic rules
To drive you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) plus your home licence. Taiwan drives on the right; scooters are everywhere, so ride carefully.
- IDP required
- Obtain in your home country before travel
- Drive on
- The right-hand side
- City tip
- MRT/HSR often beat driving in cities
- Traffic can be busy; scooters weave, so stay alert
Intercity Travel
Long-distance buses, trains, and ferries
The High Speed Rail (HSR) links the west coast fast: Taipei to Kaohsiung in about 1.5–2 hours. TRA trains and buses reach other areas.
- HSR
- Taipei → Kaohsiung ≈ 1.5–2h
- TRA
- Conventional rail circles the island
- Buses
- Intercity buses are cheap and frequent
- Book HSR online or at stations; discounts for early booking
Domestic Flights
Budget airlines and booking tips
Domestic flights mainly serve outlying islands like Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. On the main island, HSR usually beats flying.
- Best for
- Outlying islands (Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu)
- From
- Songshan (Taipei) and regional airports
- Vs HSR
- HSR wins for west-coast city trips
- Book island flights early in peak season
Transportation Tips
Advice for safe and efficient travel
Get an EasyCard on arrival and use Google Maps for routes. No eating or drinking on the MRT; queue politely on marked platform lines.
- Card first
- EasyCard simplifies transit and shops
- Apps
- Google Maps for routing
- MRT rules
- No eating/drinking; keep escalators clear
- YouBike public bikes are handy for short hops