Taoyuan International airport in Taipei, Taiwan

International travellers visiting the Republic of China (Taiwan) have their main gateway into its capital (Taipei) in Taoyuan airport, located 40 kilometres from the city centre and a hub for China Airlines, Eva Air, Uni Air and Tigerair Taiwan. For the time being, the complex consists of two terminal buildings that accommodate the totality of passenger services, airline desks, retail concourses and operation handling areas, although it is undergoing ambitious expansion works that will result in at least two more terminals.

Transferring between terminals in Taoyuan International airport of Taiwan

When flying to or from Taipei airport, you might need to travel between terminals to make a connection or for any other purpose. In such case, you will have three different means of transportation available to cover this distance in a very short time.

-First, you may travel from Terminal 1 of Taoyuan airport to Terminal 2 or take the reverse journey by shuttle bus at no cost; in order to find the free shuttle buses in Taiwan airport, follow the signage system to their stands outside both buildings.

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-As an alternative you can use the metro underground trains connecting the terminals of Taoyuan International, which are free for passengers in transit, who are given an electronic pass. The metro trains will also take you to the Plaza Premium airport hotel in Taoyuan, Taipei.

-Lastly, an equally good option is the SkyTrain running services from one passenger building to another in both directions, and operating on the airside as well as on the landside; moreover, it has an extra perk which is that it is available upon request during the night hours.

Buses and metro trains from Taoyuan airport to Taipei in Taiwan

Upon arrival in Taipei, you may head over to the bus stands in the arrivals B1 zone of terminal 1 or in the first floor of the public area if you land in terminal 2. After purchasing your ticket from the designated counter, you can travel to Taipei Main Station in about 55 minutes with line 1819, to Nangang Exhibition Center in no more than 80 minutes with line 1843, and to either the East bus station or the City Hall bus terminal in less than one hour and a half. Even so, and although buses in Taiwan have proved to be a convenient and safe way of travelling, you are encouraged to considerably reduce your transfer times by catching an express or commuter metro train departing any of the two terminals every seven minutes throughout the day. Follow the wayfinding system in order to arrive to platform A12 if you are in T1 or to platform A13 when landing in T2.

E-gates in Taoyuan International airport of Taipei

Taiwanese citizens and permanent legal residents of Taiwan are allowed to use the priority e-gates for clearance when travelling internationally via Taoyuan airport. To this purpose and after a simple registration process, the passenger’s fingerprints and facial features are scanned, thus contributing to expedite arrivals and departures in all their future travels.

Flights to Taipei in Taiwan

Have you already decided that you want to take a trip to Taipei or include it as a stopover in your Asian tour? In order to start preparing for it, below you will find some of the main international airlines selling flights to Taoyuan airport in Taiwan along with the airports of origin in the routes offered. However, if your airline company of choice is not listed here, we encourage you to check whether it flies to this destination or not by visiting their official website.

Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines (from Kuala Lumpur), Air Busan (Busan, Daegu), Air Canada (Vancouver), Air China (Beijing Capital International, Hangzhou, Shanghai-Pudong), Air France (Paris CDG), Air Japan (Tokyo Narita), Air Macau (Macau), Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong, Osaka, Incheon in Seoul), China Airlines and Eva Air (from a variety of destinations across Europe, Asia, Australia and North America), Emirates (DXB), Jetstar (Singapore), KLM (Amsterdam Schiphol), Korean Air (Busan and Seoul), Mandarin Airlines (Changchun, Fuzhou, Nanjing and Xiamen), Philippine Airlines (Manila and Puerto Princesa), Scoot (Sapporo), Singapore Airlines (Changi), Thai AirAsia (Chiang Mai), Thai Airways (Bangkok Suvarnabhumi), Tigerair (Bangkok Don Mueang, Fukuoka, Komatsu, Nagoya and Sendai), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul), United Airlines (San Francisco) and Vietnam Airlines (from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City).

Passenger services in Taoyuan airport of Taiwan

Before you leave Taipei to resume your international journey or return home, it is likely that you will have some spare time to spend inside the terminals. As our last recommendation, we will provide helpful info about the restaurants, shops, shower facilities and tax refund offices in Taoyuan.

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For an Asian pre-flight meal, the varied selection of outlets in the departures concourses offer Chinese barbeque dishes, dim sum, Thai specialties, Halal cuisine and Asian bakery and desserts; nevertheless, if you would rather opt for a more familiar taste, know that fast food chains like Subway, McDonald’s and Burger King or the convenience store 7-11 are also present in Taipei International airport. Prior to boarding you will also have the chance to buy travel gifts, jewellery, clothing, books and electronic devices, get a massage or find the latest cosmetic products at the duty free area.

Do not forget that, as long as your nationality entitles you to it, the applicable refund on the taxes paid after shopping in Taiwan can be claimed before boarding the plane. Tax refund offices in Taoyuan airport of Taipei stay open 24 hours a day and are located in the public zones of both terminal buildings (1F and 2F).

Finally, should you wish to refresh before continuing the journey, you will find shower facilities for travellers to use at no charge; these are classified into “men only” and “women only” and are strategically situated in arrivals as well as in departures. To spot your nearest shower in the airport faster, ask the terminal staff at the information booth for directions.

In-town check-in at Taipei Main Station for flights out of Taoyuan airport in Taiwan

An increasing number of airports across the globe are implementing a new passenger service in collaboration with the transport authorities of the corresponding cities: check-in facilities found in the central bus or train stations from which travellers commute to the air terminal buildings. Such implementation enables them to get their boarding pass and drop their baggage before they even get on the bus or train towards the airport, in such a way that they can extend their hotel stay, take a last sightseeing tour, meet up with a last potential client or spend more time at the airport shops without having to worry about the queues or carry their heavy luggage around. Thanks to this advantageous service in Taipei Main Station, you can go straight from the train to the security checkpoints of Taoyuan airport when leaving Taiwan, although there are some mandatory factors you must take into account, like completing your check-in at least three hours before you board the plane.

Which airlines offer in-town check-in at Taipei Main Station of Taiwan?

Neither all airlines nor all flight destinations are valid for this service. In order to use the in-town check-in to fly out of Taoyuan airport in Taipei you must be in possession of an airplane ticket confirmed by China Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, Eva Airways, Uni Air, Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon or Air Asia. To avoid unforeseen events, we recommend that you directly ask your airline whether this check-in service is available for your flight and the destination you are headed to in particular or not.

Where are the check-in machines for my flight out of Taiwan in Taipei MRT station?

On the day you depart from Taipei, look for the MRT Taoyuan airport line inside the Main Station, as the check-in counters, self-service machines to get your boarding pass and baggage-drop kiosks are all close to the area where passengers must board the trains. Taipei Main Station in Taiwan is very well-signposted, but you can always resort to a member of the staff for directions.

How can I get my boarding pass and drop my bags at Taipei Main Station?

Should you wish to do the check-in yourself at the self-service kiosks, proceed just like you would on the web or your phone: input your reference info, choose your seat and indicate how many bags you will be checking in. For security reasons, it is likely that you will be required to scan your electronic passport as well. Once you have obtained your printed boarding pass, head over to the baggage-drop stations nearby as long as you are not carrying hand-luggage only, place your bags on the scale and follow the instructions displayed on the screen. It is crucial that you do not forget to attach the baggage tag to your suitcase before you see it go on the belt. Finally, you will get a receipt and will be ready to commute to Taoyuan airport or enjoy your last hours in Taipei.

When is the in-town check-in for Taoyuan airport available?

Self check-in kiosks in Taipei Main Station of Taiwan stay operational from 6:00 to 21:30 every day of the week. You can only use them on the day of departure, at least three hours before boarding if you have checked bags and until a maximum of two hours in advance if you only have a carry-on.

Are there any exceptions?

As the implementation of this service is relatively recent, we encourage travellers to confirm that it is available for their specific flight and final destination, however, we can assure that airline companies other than the ones stated above do not have an agreement with the in-town check-in in Taipei train station for the time being. Also, note that if your journey exceeds three connections in different airports, this probably won’t work for you either, even if your first flight is with one of the aforementioned carriers.

Would you like to get familiar with Taiwan’s main airport before flying to Taipei for the first time? Read our guide to Taoyuan International airport for new visitors.

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