District · Taipei
Ximending西門町
A pedestrian shopping district beside Ximen Station with the Red House and a Japanese-era grid; crowded and loud at night.
Key facts
- Suits
- First visit, snacks, cinemas, late nights
- Room prices
- $$
- price band of 5
- Sights here
- 2
- Eats here
- 2
What it's like
- Feels:
- Busy, bright and young, with cinemas, snacks and street performers
- Suits:
- First visit, snacks, cinemas, late nights
- Best time:
- Late afternoon to 22:00Late afternoon to 10:00 PM
- Watch out for:
- Saturday night if you dislike crowds.
- In short:
- A pedestrian shopping district beside Ximen Station with the Red House and a Japanese-era grid; crowded and loud at night.
About these names
Four areas cover a first visit, all on or near the MRT: Ximending and Wanhua in the old west, Zhongzheng around the memorial hall and Taipei Main Station, Zhongshan and Datong to the north for cafés and Dihua Street, and Xinyi in the east for Taipei 101. The Songshan-Xindian (Green), Bannan (Blue) and Tamsui-Xinyi (Red) lines link them; most rides are under 20 minutes.
Where exactly
This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Ximending西門町
sleepseeeatPrice $$
A pedestrian shopping district beside Ximen Station with the Red House and a Japanese-era grid; crowded and loud at night.
Suits: First visit, snacks, cinemas, late nights
On the map: Red House Theater (Ximen Red House), Ximending Pedestrian Zone
District guideWalk: Ximending & Red HouseSleep: XimendingIn the districts table
Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Da’an and Yongkang Street, Shilin, Beitou. See the table above.
Where’s what, as a list:
- Ximending (西門町): A pedestrian shopping district beside Ximen Station with the Red House and a Japanese-era grid; crowded and loud at night. Suits: First visit, snacks, cinemas, late nights. Price band $$.
- Wanhua and Longshan (萬華): Taipei’s oldest port district: Longshan Temple, Bopiliao and the Huaxi Street night market; the edges are rough after dark. Suits: Temples, old streets, herbal shops.
- Zhongzheng and Taipei Main Station (中正): Government buildings, the memorial hall and the rail hub for the airport, high-speed rail and Taiwan Railways. Suits: Transport links, the memorial hall and museums.
- Zhongshan and Datong (中山 / 大同): Larger hotels along the Red line and a young café scene; Dihua Street in Dadaocheng sells tea, herbs and cloth. Suits: Quiet stays, cafés, Ningxia night market, Dihua Street. Price band $$$.
- Da’an and Yongkang Street (大安): Restaurants around Dongmen Station and Da’an Forest Park; a good lunch area, easy from CKS Hall. Suits: Beef noodles, dumplings and the park.
- Xinyi (信義): A modern business and shopping district; air-conditioned and easy to walk between malls. Suits: Taipei 101, malls, evening views.
- Shilin (士林): In the north; the Palace Museum is a bus ride from Shilin Station and the night market is a short walk from the station. Suits: Night market, National Palace Museum.
- Beitou (北投): A thermal valley in the north; day trip by MRT Red line. Suits: Hot springs.
- Sleep area Ximending: suits First visit, snacks, cinemas, late nights, price band $$.
- Sleep area Zhongshan: suits Quiet stays, cafés, Ningxia night market, Dihua Street, price band $$$.
- Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), about 29 km18 mi from the centre, 40–55 min by the usual route.
Stay here?
How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Taipei districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.
First visit
best of 2
Longshan and Red House within 15 minutes; Taipei Main is one stop.
Families
2nd of 2
Crowded and loud at night; lifts are small.
Better for this: Zhongshan and Datong
Light sleepers
2nd of 2
Loud until 01:00 on weekends; ask for a back room.Loud until 1:00 AM on weekends; ask for a back room.
Better for this: Zhongshan and Datong
Night owls
best of 2
Snacks, cinemas and bars at the door.
On a budget
best of 2
Many hostels and mid-range hotels.
See
Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.
- Ximending Pedestrian ZoneBook a time
Come after 16:00 for snacks, cinemas and street performers; leave bags at the hotel and keep valuables in front on weekend evenings.
- Hours:
- 11:00–22:0011:00 AM–10:00 PM(check)
- Entry:
- Free
- Red House Theater (Ximen Red House)Book a time
A 20-minute look at the 1908 red-brick octagon on the way to Ximending; go in the afternoon when the creative market is open.
- Hours:
- 11:00–21:3011:00 AM–9:30 PM(check)
- Entry:
- Free
Open now in this district
Checking the time in Taipei…
Eat
What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.
- Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle
Walk-in oyster-and-pig-intestine vermicelli in a bowl, mostly eaten standing on the street; go before 11:30 or after 14:00 to skip the queue.
Order: 麵線 mian xian: Point at the bowl and hold up one finger.
Price: NT$60–80 (≈ US$2–3) for a bowl; the same for everyone.
- Ningxia Night Market
A single street of local snacks: go at 18:00, graze on oyster omelette, fried chicken and taro balls, and carry cash; it is food-only, so skip it if you want shopping.
Order: 蚵仔煎 o-a-jian: Say 'o-a-jian, yi ge'.
Price: NT$50–100 (≈ US$2–4) for a snack.
Sleep
First-timers: Ximen Station is one stop from Taipei Main, and the pedestrian streets are at the door; choose a hotel with a 24-hour desk and a lift.
Rooms: NT$600–1,000 (≈ US$20–35) dorm bed · NT$1,500–2,500 (≈ US$50–85) private room (check)
Skip this if: Loud and crowded until late; ask for a room away from the street.
2–5 min walk to Ximending & Red House · 15–22 min walk to Longshan Temple & Bopiliao
Drink and nightlife
Lines from the Taipei drinking guide that name this district.
- Ximending bars and rooftops · Casual bars and small clubs · until about 01:00–02:00Busy on weekend nights; pick a place with a menu and prices on the wall.
Shopping
Markets and shopping streets from the Taipei buying guide that name this district.
- Pineapple cakes and gift snacks · Bakeries near Taipei Main Station and Ximending, airport shops · About 09:00–21:00About 9:00 AM–9:00 PMA box of 10 costs about NT$350–600 (2026 estimate); check the expiry date.
Getting there and around
Where to get off
- Ximen Station (Blue and Green lines), exit 1 · for Red House Theater (Ximen Red House)
- Ximen Station (Blue and Green lines), exit 6 · for Ximending Pedestrian Zone
- Ximen Station (Bannan and Songshan-Xindian lines), exit 6 · 3 min walk to Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle
- Shuanglian Station (Red line), exit 2, then walk 10 minutes · 10 min walk to Ningxia Night Market
Walks inside the district
- Red House Theater → Ximending pedestrian zone: 5–8 min on foot (Walk north)
On to the next area
- MRT or walk west: about 15 min to Longshan Temple & Bopiliao
- MRT Green line: about 15 min to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall & Liberty Square
From other sleep areas
- From Zhongshan: 20–30 min walk to Ximending & Red House
Nearest arrival point: Taoyuan International Airport (TPE): about 28 km in a straight line; the usual ride to the centre takes 40–55 minTaoyuan International Airport (TPE): about 18 mi in a straight line; the usual ride to the centre takes 40–55 min.
Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.
Walking loop
A loop that starts and ends at the same place, through this district's sights and eats. Pick a length; download it for Organic Maps, OsmAnd or Google Earth.
About 58 min in all: 8 min on foot, the rest at the stops. 3 stops, back to where you started.
- Ximending Pedestrian ZoneStart here · stop about 20 min
- Red House Theater (Ximen Red House)5 min walk · stop about 15 min
- Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle2 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
- Back to Ximending Pedestrian Zone: 1 min walk (estimate)
Walking minutes come from this guide’s route graph where it has one; “estimate” means straight-line distance plus a quarter for street detours at an easy pace. Opening hours are not checked: look at “Open now” below before you set off.
Half-day walk
In the day plans: Day 3 — Ximending morning, airport MRT from Taipei Main at 12:00 (Taipei in 3 days)
Photo and sunset spots
Light: Late afternoon
Warm light on the brick; cross to the plaza behind for a full frame.
Safety at night and noise
Ximendingday: oknight: ok
Crowds on weekend nights; pickpockets in the packed streets.
Quiet nights
Loud until 01:00 on weekends; ask for a back room.Loud until 1:00 AM on weekends; ask for a back room.
Nightlife
Snacks, cinemas and bars at the door.
Late arrival
Most hotels have 24-hour desks; streets are busy late.
Nearby districts
Built from this guide’s Taipei districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.