Taipei airport to city centre: trains, buses, taxis and costs

Taoyuan International (TPE) sits about 40 km west of central Taipei. Three practical ways in: the Airport MRT, an intercity bus, or a taxi. Which one wins depends on your arrival hour, your luggage and how many of you are travelling.

The MRT is the default for a first trip: it is cheap, signposted in English and drops you at Taipei Main Station, where the city MRT, the THSR high-speed rail and the TRA network all meet. A taxi is the default after the last train, or when your hotel is nowhere near Taipei Main Station.

The Airport MRT (Taoyuan Airport MRT) runs from TPE Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 to Taipei Main Station. Express trains skip stops and take about 35–40 minutes; commuter trains stop more and take a little longer. Both cost the same band, so take whichever leaves first unless you are chasing the last train.

At Taipei Main Station the Airport MRT arrives in its own section of the complex. Follow signs for Taipei MRT, THSR or TRA if you are continuing; the walk between them is inside the building but can take 10 minutes with bags. In-terminal, you can check in for some airlines at Taipei Main Station before riding out — useful on the return leg.

Buy a single ticket from the machines (English menus) or tap an EasyCard. Trains run roughly 06:00–23:00 from the airport; if you land late, confirm the last departure before you clear immigration, because the walk from the gate plus baggage can eat 45 minutes.

Several intercity coach companies run from the TPE terminal bus stops into Taipei, with routes ending near Taipei Main Station or at specific hotel districts. They are the cheapest option and some run later than the MRT, which makes them the fallback for a late landing.

The trade-off is clarity: different companies, different stops, and you need to know which one serves your hotel area. If you are staying near Taipei Main Station, a bus is simple. If you are staying in Ximending, Da'an or further out, the MRT plus a short taxi is usually less hassle than working out a bus stop in the dark.

A metered taxi from TPE to central Taipei costs roughly NT$1,000–1,300 including the airport surcharge, plus a night surcharge on late runs (2026 estimate; check the posted rules at the rank). The queue is outside arrivals and well organised; the driver may not speak English, so have your hotel name and address in Chinese characters ready on your phone.

For three or four people with bags, a taxi is often cheaper per person than the MRT and drops you at the door. Ride-hail apps work at TPE and quote a fixed price before you accept, which removes the language problem. Pre-booked private transfers cost more but include a driver waiting in arrivals — worth it for families or a first arrival after a long flight.

For one person, the MRT at NT$150–160 is the clear value. For two, the MRT still wins on price but a taxi wins on door-to-door convenience. For three or four sharing, a taxi at about NT$1,100 works out close to four MRT fares once you add a city taxi from Taipei Main Station to your hotel.

Budget a little extra if you arrive at night: taxis add a surcharge, and if the MRT has stopped, the bus or taxi is your only option. Airport convenience stores and the MRT station sell EasyCards, which you will want for the rest of the trip anyway.

Clear immigration before you plan the last leg. Baggage claim and passport control at TPE can take 45–60 minutes at peak arrival banks, which is exactly when travellers miss the train they had counted on.

If you are continuing straight to another city, Taipei Main Station is the right arrival point: THSR to Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, and TRA trains to Hualien and the east coast, all leave from there. If you are staying in Taipei, check whether your hotel is walkable from Taipei Main Station before deciding between MRT and taxi.