Taoyuan Airport to Taipei: MRT, Bus and Taxi Compared (2026)

Last verified 24 Oct 2026

Options at a glance

The airport’s own transport page lists bus, MRT, taxi, high-speed rail and car rental as the main ways out. This guide covers the first four.

Airport MRT

Both terminals have a station, and both are on level B2. At Terminal 1 you take an escalator down. At Terminal 2 there is an escalator and an elevator. The stations are A12 (Terminal 1) and A13 (Terminal 2). Taipei Main Station is A1, the end of the line in the city.

Express and Commuter trains share the track and alternate. The airport says a train leaves about every 7.5 minutes.

The airport page lists these times from the Terminal 2 station (A13) and shows Terminal 1 (A12) two minutes closer to Taipei. Treat them as a guide, not a promise.

First and last trains to Taipei

The airport page says Taoyuan Metro’s own published timetable takes priority if times change. Check the Taoyuan Metro timetable before you fly.

How to pay

1. Tap an EasyCard, iPASS or HappyCash card, or a contactless Visa, Mastercard, JCB or UnionPay card, or a phone wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), on the gate reader. Card payments are charged at the full single-journey fare.
2. Use only one card or device at the gate. Taoyuan Metro says not to tap several at once.
3. Tap out at the gate when you leave the system. Between different stations you have a maximum of two hours inside the paid area.
4. No card? A blank stored-value card costs NT$100 at Taoyuan Metro, and you can add value at the machines in NT$100 steps.

If you plan to use public transport during the trip, see our EasyCard guide before you buy a card at the airport.

Airport buses

The airport’s bus page lists several Kuo-Kuang routes from the coach areas: Terminal 1 on B1 and Terminal 2 on 1F. Ride times it states:

• 1819 to Taipei Bus Station via Zhongshan N. Rd: 55 minutes.
• 1819B to Taipei Bus Station via Nankan: 70 to 80 minutes.
• 1840 to Songshan Airport: 50 minutes.
• 1843 to Nangang Exhibition Center: 80 minutes.

The airport page shows no fares or operating hours for these routes. The Kuo-Kuang site could not be loaded when this guide was checked, so no bus fare or timetable is given here. Call the operator on 0800-010-138 or use the live-bus links on the airport bus page.

Taxi

Queue taxis wait at Gate 12 on the west side of the Terminal 1 arrivals hall, and on the lane opposite Gate 26 at Terminal 2. The airport states:

• The fare follows the meter, and expressway tolls are extra.
• Service runs 24 hours.
• The taxi operator says cars carry card readers and accept major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and LINE Pay.
• Its website shows an estimated fare once you enter the pick-up and drop-off address.

No fixed fare to Taipei or night surcharge is stated on these pages, so this guide gives none. Ask the driver for the meter, and check the airport taxi site for an estimate.

High-speed rail via Taoyuan HSR Station

The Airport MRT stops at A18 Taoyuan HSR Station, which connects to Taiwan High Speed Rail. The airport lists the MRT fare to A18 as NT$35, and it lists about 20 minutes on the Commuter train from the Terminal 1 station. Express trains only stop at A18 on a few extra peak-hour runs, so most travelers will take the Commuter train.

HSR is worth it if you are going on to another city. For Taipei itself, the Airport MRT goes straight to Taipei Main Station, so the HSR detour makes little sense. For HSR fares and times, use the HSR timetable and fare page.

Late-night arrival

Plan around the last train, not your landing time. You still have immigration, baggage and the walk to level B2. If you file your arrival card before you fly, you save time at the border; see the Taiwan Arrival Card guide.

• Landing early in the evening: the Express is realistic if you clear immigration in time. Last Express to Taipei is 22:58 (Terminal 1) or 22:55 (Terminal 2).
• Landing later: the last Commuter train leaves at 23:37 (Terminal 1) or 23:35 (Terminal 2). Miss it and the MRT is closed.
• After the last train: take an airport queue taxi, which runs 24 hours. The airport also lists a shared taxi service from 00:00 to 06:00.
• Buses at night: no official page checked here lists late-night bus hours. Confirm with the operator before you count on one.

Common mistakes

• Using last-train times from a blog. Times change. Use the airport MRT page and the Taoyuan Metro timetable.
• Assuming Express always runs. In typhoon conditions Taoyuan Metro states that Express trains are suspended and Commuter trains run every 15 minutes. Allow extra time.
• Tapping two cards at the gate. Hold one card or phone only.
• Expecting a fixed taxi price. The airport states a meter fare, with tolls extra.

Rules change, so check before you fly

MRT times, bus routes and typhoon operations all change. Check the airport MRT page, the Taoyuan Metro site and the airport’s transport news on the day you land. For the rest of the trip, start with our first-time visitor guide.

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