Getting There & Getting About
International Airports
- Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) (formerly known as Chiang-Kai-Shek Taipei): 40 km from the city.
- Full list of airports in Taiwan with associated airport codes >
Internal Transport
There are a number of domestic airlines that provide services from Sung Shan Airport, Taipei to local destinations, including Mandarin Airlines, Uni Air, Far Eastern Air Transport and Transasia Airways.
There are boat services are available between Taiwan and the islets, and there are also connections between Keelung and Okinawa.
Rail services connect destinations all over the island, with the major tourist routes including Chiayi-Alishan (with spectacular mountain scenery), Taipei-Taichung-Sun Moon Lake (with the last leg of the journey by bus), Taipei-New Hualian-Taitung (scenic coastal route) and Taipei-Taichung-Chiayi-Tainan-Kaohsiung (a top-class service). Air-conditioned electric trains also run hourly (or more frequently) from Taipei to Kaohsiung, with a journey time of just over four and a half hours.
There is an adequate road system joining all major cities and some main streets have English signs. Congestion can be a problem, and mudslides may block mountain roads. There is a highway linking Taipei and Kaohsiung, with a journey time of approximately five and a half hours. Car hire is available in major towns, although travellers are recommended to hire a car with a driver.
There are both local and long-distance bus and coach services; however, visitors should be careful not to take illegal highway buses provided by unlicensed companies. Licensed bus companies include Union Bus, Guo-Guang Bus Corporation, Aloha Bus, Free Go Bus Corporation and Dragon Bus. Tickets should be reserved 14 days in advance of travel date.
Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive (metered), although a 20% surcharge is charged from 11pm to 6am. The destination may have to be written in Chinese for the driver. It is not customary to tip taxi drivers, although it is starting to come into practice in Taipei. The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, a monorail train, serves Taipei and its suburbs.