Hi all - I’ve just had a fantastic time cycling the east coast, and now need to fly home to re-enter the real world. I’m wondering if anyone has tips on the best/most cost-effective way to transport a bicycle packed up in a box to Taoyuan Airport from.Taipei proper. I’d prefer not to pay NTD1000+ for the cab fare so would rather hop on a bus or the MRT for the majority of the journey. I saw one post online mention taking a cab to Songshan airport and then getting on an inter-airport bus there to Taoyuan, which seems like it may be my best option at this point. I don’t have much else in the way of luggage, so its really just about which means are feasible with the box.
Feel free to share your experience here or on another new thread if you have time to type it up! I would love to hear about it.
Correct, depending on where you are situated in the city, there’s buses from a few places around the city to get to the airport.
From my knowledge buses leave from Banqiao Station, Taipei Main Station, Taipei City Hall Station and Song Shan Airport. Luckily, all of these places also have MRT stations. So you can save a little money on the cab fare, but would have to lug the bike box up and down the MRT stations.
There’s also the Airport MRT. I’ve never taken it myself, but I hear it’s about the same price as a bus ticket from Taipei Main station to Taoyuan airport.
Lots of options, just a matter of where you’re located in Taipei!
Thanks everyone! I think where my uncertainty lies is mostly in whether they’ll allow me to take such a large piece of luggage on the MRT or airport MRT or regular buses/airport buses, but I spoke w a friend this evening who said the airport MRT and general MRT should still be OK. I guess I’ll just go and ask at one of the kiosks at a station and see if they can give me a definitive answer.
Lugging it for a little bit doesnt bother me too much, but obviously the fewer transits the better
Happy to write about my ride in more detail once I arrive back in Shanghai… but for now I’ll just say that it was fantastic and I can’t believe the east coast isn’t a more popular cyclist destination from China!!
For the MRT, you just have to request to go through the sliding door next to the info desk instead of the turnstiles. They may request you to ride the first or last cart in the train because there’s more space for you to place your box there.
Looking forward to it! Hope your flight doesn’t get delayed in this rain! Safe travels!
I have carried my bike several times on the guo guang buses and that was never a problem. Sometimes they complain that I should ‘box’ it before taking it on the bus. ^^ So I think Guo Guang will be a safe option (directly next to the main train station in Taibei). But depending on the mood of the driver he might charge you another 50% on the ticket (happened once to me).
