Getting there and choosing your base
- Taoyuan International Airport (TPE): The main international airport, about 30 km from the city. Express trains on the Airport MRT end at Taipei Main Station, and freeway buses call at many larger hotels, so a hotel near the station or on the red and blue metro lines is the simplest first stop.
- Songshan Airport (TSA): Inside the city at the northern end of Dunhua North Road, on the Wenhu metro line. It handles domestic flights, routes to mainland China and shuttle services to Tokyo Haneda, Seoul Gimpo and Shanghai Hongqiao.
- Taipei Main Station: All high-speed and conventional intercity trains stop here, which suits onward trips to Taichung, Tainan or Kaohsiung. Some airlines let you check in and drop bags here for the Airport MRT a few hours before departure.
Areas to consider
Zhongzheng (around Taipei Main Station)
Suits one-night stopovers and rail travellers, with many budget rooms close to the station. The station and its underground malls cover a large area, so find out which exit is nearest the hotel before arriving with luggage.
Ximending (Wanhua)
Suits eating, shopping and late nights in a pedestrianised youth-culture district, with hostels in the older streets nearby. Crowds and street performers peak at weekends; light sleepers should look a block or two outside the pedestrian zone.
Xinyi and Da'an (East District)
Suits business trips and travellers who want department stores, bars and the city's luxury hotels near Taipei 101. New Year's Eve fireworks at Taipei 101 draw large crowds, so book early if your dates include 31 December.
Beitou
Suits slower stays built round hot-spring baths, on the city's northern edge next to Yangmingshan National Park. It is a long metro ride from the centre, so allow for the travel time if you plan to sightsee downtown every day.
When to go
Autumn is the most comfortable season, with the least rain; February to April tends to be grey and damp, and summers are very hot with heavy thunder showers. Typhoons can arrive from May to October, most often in August and September. Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival two weeks later follow the lunar calendar, so their dates move each year.
Before choosing a room
- Upper-end hotels often quote rates before service charge and VAT; make sure the totals you compare include both.
- Beitou hot-spring hotels rent private bath rooms, but Taiwanese safety rules do not allow one person to bathe in them alone; solo travellers should check before booking one.
- Some budget rooms in older buildings have no outside window; if daylight matters to you, ask before you book.
Sources and planning resources
Facts checked on . Transport services, taxes and hotel offers can change. Confirm the details for your trip before booking.