Transportation
Generally speaking, public transportation in Taipei City is very convenient. Visitors may take the Taipei MRT (Metropolitan Rapid Transit), public buses, and taxis to almost everywhere around Taipei City and Taipei County for reasonable prices. In Taipei, taxis saturate the city waiting to provide transportation services at the wave of your hand. For long journeys, the Taiwan railway and Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) are available. For certain destinations, such as Hualien, Penghu, and Kinmen, airplane travel is also very convenient.
Bus
Bus service in Taipei is very efficient. All buses have a number and display destination and stop names in English. For each section, payment is cash NT$15 or EasyCard. If travelers are transferring from MRT to a bus by EasyCard within 1 hour, or vice versa, the bus ride is only NT$7. For “Taipei Bus and Transportation Information System,” provided by the Department of Transportation, Taipei City Government, please refer to http://www.taipeibus.taipei.gov.tw/index_e.htm
Taipei MRT
The Taipei MRT, also called Metro Taipei, is similar to the subway system and it is the main public transport for most citizens in Taipei. With its high speed and convenient stop locations, the Taipei MRT is a very popular transportation system. For one-way trip around Taipei, fares range from NT$20 to NT$65. Besides single-journey ticket(IC token), Taipei MRT also sells value-added cards called EasyCard. With EasyCard, travelers can enjoy 20% discount, and if travelers transfer from MRT to a bus by EasyCard within 1 hour, or vice versa, the bus ride is only NT$7. With a total of 67 stations and 7 different transferable lines (and more to come), the Taipei MRT provides convenience in transportation for local citizens and tourists during their Taipei travel. For MRT route map, please refer to http://www.trtc.com.tw/img/all/9607routemap.jpg.
Railway
Taiwan Railway is mainly for long journeys that require inter-city transportation. For instance, tourists who need to travel from Taipei City to Taichung City or from Taipei City to Kaohsiung City might want to consider riding the Railway. For the routes of Taiwan Railway, please visit http://www.railway.gov.tw/index/index.aspx.
Airport Transportation
There are a variety of ways to travel from the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei.
- Since a number of Taipei hotels offer airport shuttle bus services, be sure to check with your hotel and make shuttle bus reservations in advance.
- Taxi is always a transportation option in Taiwan, but a lot of times, it is the most expensive way to travel. The average taxi cost from the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei is around NT1,000 – NT1,500. The advantage is that the Taxi will take you directly to your hotel.
- For cheaper transportations, there are also a number of shuttle bus companies at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport that provides shuttle bus services from the airport to Taipei (usually to Taipei Main Station). The Guo Guang Shuttle Bus is a Shuttle Bus Corporation run by the government among all the other shuttle bus companies. Once you get to Taipei Main Station, you can either use the Taipei MRT to get to your destination or ride a taxi (this time for a much cheaper price).
Taiwan High Speed Rail
In January 2007, a new mass public transportation system was introduced. The Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) allows for rapid transportation from northern Taiwan to Southern Taiwan in less than two hours. With 8 functional stations and more to come, The Taiwan High Speed Rail makes traveling fast and convenient for Taiwan travelers. For Routes and Stations of Taiwan High Speed Rail, please visit http://www.thsrc.com.tw/en/travel/stations.asp.