I’m in Kaohsiung, but my flight is at the Taoyuan Airport. I will be dragging 2 large luggage bags weighing about 50lbs each with me. Is there a luggage area or luggage hold on the train I can leave my stuff or do passengers have to fit their stuff around the sitting area? If so, is the luggage area safe, eg. do you get a ticket number?
Also, I plan to take the 8:00pm train from Zuoying to Taoyuan on a regular Wednesday, is it advised to book ahead? The only problem I have with booking ahead is using my credit card which I prefer not to, and it’s not convenient for me to drop by the station to pay in advance.
One more thing…Does Aloha or any other bus company offer luxury buses to the Taoyuan airport (from Kaohsiung)? You know the buses with super large chairs with a personal tv, video games, etc…?
Yes there is a luggage hold in the cars, but no ticket system. I doubt anyone will walk off with your 50lb bags, however. It is usually pretty easy to keep an eye on the luggage hold from your seat.
I wouldn’t worry about not being able to get a seat. The trains leave, what now, every 30 mins? The NTD 10 bus to the airport from the Taoyuan HSR only takes 15 mins anyway.
Buy a small cable lock at any bicycle store or bicycle section of a department store. Once the suitcases are on-board, cable lock them together, and to any handy fittings, like luggage rack rails. I do this when the suitcases contain expensive equipment.
Thanks guys. I’ve had a bad experience before with stuff getting stolen…
Flicka - about the luxury buses…Taiwan has special buses that offer 2 seats per row, so you can imagine the size of the seats. They are very comfortable and most also have a personal TV. These buses are great for long distance travel. Not sure if they offer service to the airport, i’m considering this option if they do.
I’ll drop by the area with all the bus companies and ask around. I’ll post what i find out.
I’d go with the HSR for sure. They dropped the prices recently, and there’s plenty of space, especially if you pay a little extra for a reserved seat (I always do because it gets me a window seat and usually a row of seats to myself). A bus is gonna take, what, six hours? I mean, come on.
I’m planning to take HSR to get to airport (Nangang to Taoyuan) this Friday morning (not sure if the rush of people getting out of the city due to Chinese New Year starts on Friday). I’m aiming to get the 7am train, but I don’t know if it’s best to reserve and buy the ticket or just go there on the day and buy it.
It does get full, but from nangang, it should be fine since it’s first station. It’s Taipei station that fills the train. This being said , I would take Airport MRT from Taipei Station, as you most likely need take it anyways from the Taoyuan station to the airport (Airport connection buses to the bullet train station has been reduced at most hours of the day so options are MRT or Taxi) unless you take a Taxi at Taoyuan to the airport (NT$200-300). I do not the MRT to Taoyuan as its not frequent at times with long waits between trains compared to Taipei Station to Airport section.
My flight is at 9:55am, so I was aiming to get to airport by 8am. What time does MRT starts?
So best for me to do is Nangang Exhibition Center to Taipei Main Station (MRT) - then airport MRT? Is that reasonably fast? How is everybody experience on airport during the Friday before the CNY? Should I get there earlier?
If the HSR is running regularly configured trains (with nonreserved seating in cars 10, 11, and 12) you will absolutely be fine getting a seat at Nangang. The only possible snafu I can envision is that they switch to special “holiday mode” with all reserved seating. Does anybody know if this will be the case?
In Kaohsiung also, had to do exactly this a few times. Yes, there are luggage areas on the HSR, problem is they aren’t very big, so get in first. Yes there are buses, they will take 4-5 times longer to get there, and yes, they are the ones with big seats, been on those as well though we just went directly to Taipei and caught the train to the airport. You don’t need to book ahead, the trains leave every 30 minutes.
No need for me to check my bag in because it will be just a cabin luggage, not really a big hustle. I guess my route will be to get on to the Main Station then get the airport MRT. That sounds a lot better than taking MRT from Taoyuan. Hopefully there will be no delay or rush.
Airport MRT to extend operational hours around Lunar New Year
2019/01/28 15:21:clock1030:
Taipei, Jan. 28 (CNA) The mass rapid transit (MRT) line between Taipei and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport will operate an extra 1.5 hours a day for two periods during the Feb. 2-10 Lunar New Year holiday to meet surging demand, system operator Taoyuan Metro Corp. said Monday.
The Airport MRT will run from the airport for an additional 1.5 hours, until about 1 a.m. on Feb. 1-3 and Feb. 9-11, the company said.
During the extended period, the MRT will also offer extra north-bound services from the airport to Taipei Main Station, with local and express trains every 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, the MRT will also add extra south-bound services every 30 minutes, all local, to its southern terminal at Huanbei Station in Taoyuan.
Taoyuan International Airport Corp. expects passenger volume to peak at about 150,000 on Feb. 10, the last day of the holiday at the airport, which will handle 785 flights that day.
The company said it is advising outbound travelers to get to the airport as early as possible in view of the expected long lines at security and immigration processing points.
Peak hours for departures at Taoyuan airport during the Lunar New Year holiday period will be 7 a.m.-8 a.m. and 1 p.m.-3 p.m. daily at Terminal 1, and 8 a.m.-noon, 2 p.m.-6p.m. and 11 p.m.-midnight daily at Terminal 2, the management company said.
For arrivals, immigration lines will be longest from 11 a.m.-noon, 3 p.m.-4 p.m., 6 p.m.-7 p.m. and 9-11 p.m. daily at Terminal 1, and between noon and 11 p.m. at Terminal 2, the company said.
The company said it is working with freeway bus operators to provide an additional 1,200 bus services to and from the airport during the holiday.