Taipei

About 45km (28mi) southwest of Taipei is the CKS International Airport. A bus from the airport connects the CKS International Airport with the Taipei Sungshan Airport (domestic), which is situated north from downtown.

Traveling time is about 45 to 60 minutes at the cost of NT$111 per person. The buses are quite frequent, running every 10 to 20 minutes between 6:20 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. Most major downtown hotels are about 10 to 20 minutes by cab from Sungshan Airport.

Taking a taxi from CKS International Airport to downtown Taipei is very costly. For the trip from Taipei to the airport, cab drivers are allowed to add a 50% surcharge over the fare shown on the meter. A rough estimation of the cab cost from CKS to Taipei is at least NT$1200.

Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung Airport is quite close to the city center. Hence the easiest way to get to downtown hotels would be by taxi.

Traveling in Taipei

Buses are the main source of transportation in Taiwan. Buses are both easily accessible and available. Budget travelers tend to utilize this form of transportation more as it is inexpensive yet flexible. Besides roaming around the city center, buses also go beyond the city limits to suburban areas.

Available are two types of buses: normal and air-conditioned. Regular buses normally cost about NT$10 per ride, whereas air-conditioned buses would, indeed, cost more. Tickets and tokens are readily available near bus stops or at little kiosks.

The bus services operate from 6 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. If possible, avoid taking the bus during rush hours, which is between 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Simply pull the bell cord to stop the bus at the upcoming station. It is advisable to ask for directions from people who understand your language before venturing out. Upon reaching Taiwan, you will notice that Taipei has an astounding number of buses on the streets. It is easy to get lost around Taipei if you do not have proper directions.

Like most buses everywhere in the world, buses in Taipei are designated by code numbers, which connote their routes and final destination. However, it is quite simple to get around on buses once you know the numbers to each destination.

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